Coach Van Sy Son faces a challenging debut against Hanoi Police.

The changes belowduring the time of coach Van Sy Son

After the first six rounds of the 2025/26 V.League season, Song Lam Nghe An only had 5 points and were temporarily ranked 10th in the standings. This poor performance forced the team's management to make the decision to change coaches. The person chosen to take the hot seat at Vinh Stadium is Coach Van Sy Son, a seasoned veteran who previously helped Quang Nam gain promotion and maintain their position in the V.League.

For fans in Nghe An province, the arrival of Coach Son brings much hope. At 53 years old, this coach is considered to have a strong personality, a practical mindset, and a deep understanding of Vietnamese football. He has two weeks to prepare before officially debuting with his hometown team in the match against Hanoi Police, a relatively short period but enough time for him to impart some of his philosophy and playing style to his players.

During that short period, coach Van Sy Son focused most on tightening the defense and improving the ability to press when losing possession. He demanded that the players play quickly, narrow the distance between players, and proactively apply pressure from the opponent's half. The most noticeable change was how SLNA organized attacks on the flanks. Instead of passing in the center, the Vinh-based team attacked more on the wings, taking advantage of the speed of the wing players and early crosses. Coach Son also frequently requested counter-attacks with passes back to the second line to create more scoring opportunities for the midfielders.

In addition, he also instructed the forwards on how to position themselves in the penalty area and coordinate with wingers when attacking. The playing style that Coach Van Sy Son wanted to build was not complicated but effective and had good cohesion between the lines. He wanted SLNA to play simply, pragmatically, knowing when to press, when to keep possession, and most importantly, minimizing mistakes and taking advantage of opportunities.

A challenging launch day.

However, Coach Van Sy Son's debut will certainly not be easy. His opponent is Hanoi Police, a team that is undefeated after 5 matches and has 13 points, currently ranking second in the table. This is a strong team with a wealth of experience and many top stars. Furthermore, Hanoi Police is an opponent that SLNA has never beaten since the police team returned to the V.League. Not long ago, in the 2024/25 National Cup final, SLNA suffered a crushing 0-5 defeat against this very opponent. The difference in class and squad depth is evident to everyone.

Coach Van Sy Son also faces difficulties due to personnel issues. Foreign center-back Justin Garcia is currently playing for Trinidad and Tobago in the World Cup qualifiers. Although he was expected to arrive in Vietnam on the morning of October 18th, the same day SLNA plays CAHN, the long travel distance and significant time difference make his participation uncertain. Garcia has also not had any training sessions with the new coach, making it difficult for the SLNA defense to achieve the necessary cohesion. In this context, Coach Van Sy Son is forced to place his trust in the domestic players.

Realistically, this debut match was a tough test for the new head coach. He hadn't had enough time to completely change the playing style, nor had he been able to get the team to function smoothly as he wished. Therefore, what he needed to aim for wasn't necessarily a victory, but rather how SLNA could demonstrate a different spirit, discipline, and attitude than before. A team in a difficult situation needs belief above all else, and belief only comes when people see a real change in their playing style and fighting spirit.

SLNA's only remaining advantage probably lies in their coach, Van Sy Son. In the past, when he coached Quang Nam, he faced Hanoi Police four times and only lost once, winning one and drawing two. These results partly show that he understands the playing style of the police team quite well, and knows how to make his opponent wary.

Therefore, despite the immense challenge ahead, coach Van Sy Son still has reason to hope. He may not be able to lead SLNA to victory immediately, but if the team plays more cohesively, defends more tightly, and shows a fighting spirit, that would already be a positive start. Fans in Nghe An province don't demand miracles; they just want to see their beloved team play with passion, intensity, and discipline, true to the spirit of Song Lam.

The debut match against Hanoi Police will be the first test, and also an opportunity for coach Van Sy Son to affirm his philosophy. In these difficult circumstances, perhaps a draw would be enough to be considered a success. Because for Coach Son, the most important thing right now is not winning or losing, but helping Song Lam Nghe An regain its spirit, so that it can gradually return to the resilient image that Nghe An football has always had.