Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh is worried about Phan Van Duc because of SLNA's home field.

PV:Hello Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh, after the past 2 matches, how do you evaluate SLNA's squad and performance at the beginning of the season under Coach Ngo Quang Truong?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:I think SLNA is playing solidly. One away game and one home game, getting 4 points, not conceding a goal is very reassuring. The players have shown maturity and some young players are gradually entering the top environment and are approaching well.

PV:Besides, what is still making Nghe An fans feel uneasy? Is it the quality and integration of foreign players, sir?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:After watching the two matches, I was quite concerned about the foreign players. The central defenders played well in general, creating a sense of security. The strikers did not leave much of an impression, did not have a common voice, and their breakthrough situations and kicking were not special.

SLNA's foreign strikers have not shown much. Photo: Xuan Thuy

Perhaps one of the reasons why they played poorly was because they were not used to the V.League environment and the field conditions, so they could not fully develop their skills. For players coming to the V.League for the first time, the communication role of the coach and language assistants is very important. Therefore, more time is needed to evaluate.

I feel sorry for SLNA because of the case of striker Jeremie Lynch, the player who left SLNA for Hai Phong and now Quang Ninh. He is a very good and comprehensive striker. With such players, there needs to be a suitable policy to retain them. Because in my opinion, most foreign players like and want to stay and play for a club with a rich tradition, happy and united players like SLNA.

PV:Before the season started, there were concerns for SLNA when Khac Ngoc - Ngoc Toan left and the midfield was the team's problem. What do you think about SLNA's young players who are playing in the V.League for the first time like Dang Van Lam?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:This is a very active and enthusiastic player. His football skills are not too bad. However, these players should have been tested last season so that they would have matured a lot this year.

Anyway, better late than never, when SLNA is leading or has an advantage, we should create more conditions for them. At the age of 19-20, the coaches and teammates must trust them to play well. Besides, playing without spectators also reduces psychological pressure, helping these players feel more comfortable when playing.

Midfielder Dang Van Lam in SLNA shirt. Photo: Nguyet Ha

PV:However, there have been predictions that Pham Xuan Manh will play as a central midfielder to strengthen SLNA's midfield. When he was in the youth team, he also played as a central midfielder. What do you think about this plan?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:That may be Coach Quang Truong's opinion, but in my opinion, Pham Xuan Manh should not be placed in central midfield. The most suitable position for Xuan Manh is winger because if he plays defender, it would be a waste. And the full-back position is already occupied by Dinh Dong and Sy Nam.

Therefore, attacking midfielder is the most suitable for Xuan Manh, because he has speed, physical strength and the ability to rush straight into the penalty area to finish. This is a very good attacking option, unpredictable and effective if used properly.

PV:However, SLNA currently has Phan Van Duc and Ho Tuan Tai as wingers. Last season, Tuan Tai rarely played as a center forward and scored 8 goals in V.League 2019. Is it a temporary solution to let Tuan Tai play as a midfielder, sir?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:I still think Tuan Tai should be played in the highest position. He is a good player and plays perfectly well in the center forward position. Based on his movement and positioning, Tuan Tai will be better when he plays high up. SLNA should have a foreign player for the central midfielder and let Phan Van Duc or Ho Tuan Tai play with the foreign player.

Starting lineup SLNA - B. Binh Duong. Photo: Archive

When I was still leading SLNA, I always built a vertical axis including the best players: central defenders, central midfielders and strikers. If Tuan Tai has a good midfielder to pass the ball, he will be very dangerous. However, if SLNA knows how to promote, Phan Van Duc and Ho Tuan Tai will also be effective in situations climbing from the second line. I hope Coach Quang Truong can promote these two strikers well.

PV:After many years, V.League 2020 has also witnessed SLNA having a new captain, Hoang Van Khanh. In your opinion, is Van Khanh ready for this responsibility?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:Although Van Khanh is younger than Dinh Dong and Quang Tinh, the most important thing is that Van Khanh must know how to command the defense. Through two matches, SLNA's defense played well, not conceding a goal is a very positive sign. Especially in the match in Saigon, SLNA's defense deserves praise for locking down striker Paulo, not allowing this player to score.

Center back Hoang Van Khanh is currently the captain of SLNA. Photo: Nguyet Ha

By giving the captaincy to Van Khanh, SLNA is creating an opportunity for the seed because Dinh Dong and Quang Tinh are no longer young and cannot play continuously. Van Khanh has played for many years and is a good central defender. The most important thing is that he must have a voice in the whole team from the way he lives, trains, and plays.

PV:Sir, with the current preparations, can SLNA achieve a high ranking in V.League 2020?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:When Pham Xuan Manh returns, SLNA has more options. If they can avoid incidents such as injuries, SLNA is fully capable of entering the top 5 teams. Because in V.League, just one win can significantly improve the position on the rankings.

In the third round, SLNA also has a high chance of winning against SHB Da Nang because this year, I do not rate SHB Da Nang highly. They have said goodbye to a very dangerous player, Do Merlo, and the new faces have not met expectations. Last season, right at Hoa Xuan, SLNA also won 2-0.

Phan Van Duc's return is very important to SLNA at this time. Photo: Xuan Thuy

PV:In the last round, the domestic audience was extremely disappointed with the quality of Vinh's field. This will certainly greatly affect the playing style of the opponent and the host SLNA. What do you think about this?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:Decades ago, Vinh stadium was not as good as it used to be, but the training intensity was not as high as it is now. In the past, the grass was still good, but the stadium was still hard and playing at 2 p.m. was very difficult because the sun and rain made it slippery. SLNA youth teams hardly practiced on Vinh stadium because there were other natural grass stadiums around.

After that, we still cannot replace the grass. I think the reason comes from the harsh weather. This is also a difficulty in preserving and caring for Vinh Stadium's grass. Choosing the right type of grass that can survive under the 37-40 degree heat in the summer is very difficult.

Obviously, the bad pitch makes it difficult for teams to come here, SLNA also has difficulty playing and the players also lose their inspiration to play football. I am worried about players like Phan Van Duc because he has just returned from injury. He is usually energetic and proactive, but it is easy for him to relapse or get injured. He needs to be careful because in addition to playing in the V.League, he also has a mission and responsibility in the national team.

Vinh Stadium greatly affected the quality of the match between SLNA and B. Binh Duong. Photo: TK

PV:With Vietnam's professional football tournaments postponed until March 2020, what do you think about this decision?

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh:I think it is a reasonable decision in this situation. The health of the community is paramount and especially, football must have spectators to be truly professional football.

Having to play in an empty stadium like the last two rounds will make V.League lose its appeal, the attention of fans and also lose the beauty of football. When V.League returns with the cheers of the audience, the players will show their full potential and be in the best mental state.

Thanks for sharing!

The best moment of Phan Van Duc and the whole round 2 of V.League 2020

(Baonghean.vn) - The moment Phan Van Duc headed the ball into Duc Cuong's net, celebrating his first child was the most beautiful image of the match between SLNA and B.Binh Duong. And in general, the second round was full of excitement on 7 football fields nationwide with memorable moments before V.League 2020 was postponed due to concerns about the Covid-19 epidemic.