Difficulties surround Song Lam Nghe An due to 'storm' of injuries

Closing round 23, Song Lam Nghe An still has a chance to decide for themselves to avoid the play-off ticket when they are ranked 12th with 26 points, but have a better goal difference than Hoang Anh Gia Lai, 2 points behind the team above Hong Linh Ha Tinh and 3 points behind Quang Nam.

In the away match against Quang Nam in round 24, if Song Lam Nghe An gets 3 points, the Nghe team will replace coach Van Sy Son's team in 10th place due to head-to-head record. Meanwhile, in round 24, Hoang Anh Gia Lai must visit Binh Duong, Hong Linh Ha Tinh must visit Thep Xanh Nam Dinh who are "thirsty for points" to compete for the championship.

Therefore, the opportunity for Song Lam Nghe An to break away in this round is very big. However, coach Pham Anh Tuan and his colleagues are facing a big problem, which is the continuous injury situation of the players.

In addition to center back Ho Khac Luong suffering a torn ligament injury and having to wait until next season, center back Le Nguyen Hoang suffered an adductor muscle injury after returning from the 2024 U23 Asian Cup finals, and is expected to take another 2 months to recover. Striker Phan Xuan Dai suffered a major tear of 1/3 of his medial collateral ligament, and is expected to take 3 months to treat and recover.

Defender Mai Sy Hoang and striker Ngo Van Luong both have calf problems and are expected to take 2 weeks to recover. Not stopping there, midfielder Phan Ba ​​Quyen - a player who plays a very important role in the defense and midfield of Song Lam Nghe An - is predicted to have suffered a broken fibula in the recent match against Dong A Thanh Hoa.

This also means that Ba Quyen will have to undergo surgery and take a long break from competition. The player born in 2002 is one of the versatile young players, playing the most in V.League 2023/2024. His playing time is only less than goalkeeper Van Viet and two foreign players Mario and Olaha with 20 matches, 19 times in the starting lineup.

Players Xuan Dai, Sy Hoang, Van Luong, and Ba Quyen are all goal scorers in V.League 2023/2024. This forces coach Pham Anh Tuan to consider players who are only 18 years old, participating in the professional playground for the first time such as Bui Thanh Duc, Le Dinh Long Vu and possibly Phan Van Thanh, all born in 2006.

One of the reasons why Song Lam Nghe An has many injuries may come from the tight schedule after the FIFA Days break and the lack of physical preparation, the peak performance from the beginning of the season and the inappropriate training program. According to research, to solve this problem, in the near future, Song Lam Nghe An will look for a Technical Director or Sports Director, in addition to a physical trainer, both of whom are Japanese.

This is a plan within the comprehensive cooperation program with Japan's Mito Hollyhock Club. Last year, Song Lam Nghe An tried to find and sign a contract with a Brazilian fitness coach but the deal fell through at the last minute.

Obviously, Song Lam Nghe An owns a group of promising young players. Besides the task of staying in V.League 2023/2024, the Nghe An team needs to have a plan soon to prepare for the next season in a more systematic and scientific way to maximize the youth strength and gradually improve their performance in a sustainable way.