Boldly innovate

(Baonghean.vn) - This is the first time in two seasons that the SLNA coaching staff has decided to transfer the captain's armband from Nguyen Manh to Ngoc Hai, who plays in the central midfield position. Although this decision at Cam Pha Stadium hasn't yet "changed the team's fortunes," fans have seen the bold innovation of coach Duc Thang.

"Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners."

Better late than never.

Goalkeeper Nguyen Manh was chosen by coach Quang Truong to wear the captain's armband for the Nghe An team from the 2016 season. According to the former SLNA head coach, besides his good skills, Nguyen Manh is also a very exemplary player in his daily life and has a good reputation with his teammates. In that context, the coaching staff did not fully understand the player's thoughts and feelings, so this choice was seen as a safer solution for Quang Truong rather than finding a true leader for the team.

The captain's armband has been transferred from Nguyen Manh to Ngoc Hai. Photo: Dung Nguyen

It must be acknowledged that, although not as established as his seniors Vo Van Hanh, Duong Hong Son, etc., Nguyen Manh is a goalkeeper with fairly good professional skills and an exemplary lifestyle. However, it is clear that for a young team needing a leader on the field to shout encouragement and boost team morale, Nguyen Manh has not yet been able to fulfill that role.

Over the past two seasons, the team has often fallen behind but has had a relatively high success rate in coming back from a deficit. Conversely, in many matches, the Nghe An team has lost after scoring first because there was no one to boost morale, no one to lead the game, and the leadership role was weak.

Being rather gentle and meticulous in his personal life, Nguyen Manh lacks the qualities of a leader on the field. On numerous occasions, when the goalkeeper should have shouted a warning, Nguyen Manh remained silent, seemingly shy, leaving the central defenders confused. Manh Hung's own goal conceded at the beginning of the season was one such instance.

Nguyen Manh is a more skilled goalkeeper, but he hasn't fully fulfilled his role as captain. Fans appreciate the coaching staff's decision and believe it's a win-win solution for both Nguyen Manh and the team.

Put away foreign player Olaha.

After six rounds, Olaha is among the few foreign players who are "attacking but not scoring." It's not that Olaha isn't being given the ball, but in fact, in recent matches, he's received passes from teammates quite a few times but has been clumsy in receiving the ball, dribbling past opponents, and shooting. At least twice, the ball hit the crossbar, depriving this foreign player of the joy of scoring his first goal in Vietnam.

Olaha's playing style is quite finicky with the ball, which is the main reason he hasn't scored yet. Photo: Dung Nguyen

However, Olaha is only a tall but not physically imposing foreign player, and his playing style doesn't rely heavily on physical challenges or sweeping tackles, making him easy for opposing defenders to stop. Furthermore, Olaha is quite picky about the ball; SLNA's midfield, lacking a creative playmaker, often throws the ball forward for the foreign players to maneuver, resulting in few clear-cut scoring opportunities. Moreover, due to his impatience at not scoring, Olaha tends to hesitate when shooting, further reducing his chances of hitting the target.

Clearly, the SLNA coaching staff needs to take two steps: focus on improving Olaha's psychological state, instructing midfielders to pass the ball early and in sync with his movements to make it easier for them to control the ball. Additionally, it's time to give Tuan Tai more playing time and keep Olaha on the bench to allow the young foreign player to observe and analyze situations on the field.

SLNA's coaching staff has boldly implemented reforms, and while these haven't yielded immediate results, fans have acknowledged their efforts. They still have a tough match against SHB Da Nang in Vinh, but that doesn't mean they can't make positive changes. Be even bolder!

Catcosan Vinh