The fresh look of Vietnamese football

(Baonghean)In the match considered the "Vietnamese derby" between Hanoi T&T and SLNA last Sunday afternoon, besides the professional highlights, one image that was equally impressive was the sight of SLNA fans covering Hang Day Stadium in yellow and wholeheartedly cheering for their beloved team.

Without yesterday's match, it's uncertain when the Hang Day Stadium would have been filled with such a vibrant football atmosphere since the 1998 Tiger Cup, because for so long, home teams like Hoa Phat HN, HN.ACB (formerly), HN T&T... have been unable to attract spectators. And thanks to this "classic" match for Vietnam, the tournament organizers earned over 400 million VND from ticket sales, and parking lots made a substantial profit. In particular, SLNA fans provided the entire nation with a true football feast. They sang, danced, cheered, and encouraged Coach Huu Thang's team from an hour before the match started until the final whistle.

Even when the Nghe An team fell behind to the home team, the Nghe An fans still wholeheartedly supported their team, without a single complaint or boo. Those waves of yellow in the stands were truly a source of moral support, a powerful weapon, and the 12th player for the Nghe An team. In return for the love of their home fans, Coach Huu Thang's players delivered a truly beautiful match, both in terms of skill and fighting spirit, even though they only managed to secure one point.

SLNA fans at Hang Day Stadium on the afternoon of April 7, 2013.

Reportedly, to achieve that incredible level of support, a month before the Hanoi T&T-SLNA match, SLNA Club issued a document regarding the restructuring of the SLNA Supporters Club with the aim of establishing a unified Nghe An Supporters Association nationwide. According to this plan, four SLNA Supporters Association branches will be established across the country. In the northern region (from Thanh Hoa northward), there will be a separate branch responsible for managing the supporter force attending matches whenever SLNA plays away.

Before the match against Hanoi T&T at Hang Day Stadium, this branch of the association planned to bring approximately 10,000 spectators to Hang Day Stadium to cheer on Coach Huu Thang's team. A month before the match, the association sent a letter directly to Mr. Tran Duy Ly, head of the organizing committee, and Hanoi T&T Club, requesting that section B of the stands be reserved for Nghe An fans to watch and support their team. Furthermore, the association would be responsible for issuing tickets to the organizing committee to sell to Nghe An fans, thus preventing ticket scalping. Therefore, about 10 members of the branch used their own money to buy tickets from the organizing committee and resell them to their own fans.

Previously, through the Association's official information channels and forums such as the forumwww.slna-fc.comThrough facebook.com/cdvslna, the branch association disseminated information and called upon a large number of intellectuals, students, and workers who love Nghe An football in Hanoi to know about the time and location of the match. Approximately 50 members distributed flyers, gave away scarves and banners in all areas with a large Nghe An population to "attract" them to the stadium with the enthusiasm of the "Nghe An people." The result was something that many V-League teams dream of and envy. Anyone who loves football and witnessed these scenes felt excited and wanted to be a part of that atmosphere. Therefore, this could be a turning point to revitalize the country's football scene, which has been struggling for so long.

In recent seasons, many stadiums in the V-League have faced the prospect of empty stands. Football fans wouldn't turn their backs on matches if they had high professional quality and the organization wasn't marred by regrettable incidents. However, the reality is that not every locality receives the enthusiastic support of its home crowd, and fan interest isn't always sustainable.

The reason SLNA receives such strong support from fans across Nghe An province is because it has produced many talented players for Vietnamese football, and the team's spirit and playing style have created a unique and unmistakable identity. Furthermore, the team's fan club is well-organized and operates professionally. Therefore, no matter how difficult the circumstances, the fans remain loyal and wholeheartedly support the team. This could be considered a model worth replicating in the V-League in the future.

Minh Quan