Looking back at a decade of SLNA and Nghe An football

SLNA'S "HONEYMOON"

In 2010, when the SLNA Club was transferred by the People's Committee of Nghe An province to Bac A Bank, the man known as "Khong Minh of Nghe An" Nguyen Hong Thanh and coach Nguyen Huu Thang returned to lead the team. The National Cup championship that year after the "water battle" with HAGL at Thong Nhat Stadium started a decade full of changes but also proud of SLNA.

Then just 1 year later, with the "8X generation" Huy Hoang, Trong Hoang and the young 9X players, SLNA became the champion.V.League 2011after the thrilling “final” against Ha Noi T&T at Vinh Stadium. An emotional championship helped SLNA affirm its return as well as its status as an icon. Not only did SLNA win the V.League 2011, they also won the National Super Cup 2011.

It has been 10 years since SLNA has reached the pinnacle of glory in V.League. Photo: Hai Thinh

The following years were truly the most beautiful times for Nghe An football fans when SLNA was always in the group competing for the championship. Both domestic and foreign players were of high quality, Vinh Stadium became a real "fire pot" with matches packed with spectators, the most exciting in V.League. In the 2012 and 2013 National Championships, SLNA both missed the championship when they finished fourth overall. In the 2014 season, before the departure of many key players, SLNA ranked 5th.

Since 2012, SLNA's youth training work has been awakened after a long period of stagnation. First was the 2012 National U17 Championship by coach Ngo Quang Truong and the generation of players Van Khanh, Tuan Tai, Van Duc, Xuan Manh. Then came the 2012, 2014 National U21 Championship and the 2013, 2014 National U13 Championship. 2014 was also the year that Nghe An football won the 7th National Sports Festival based on the SLNA players. All of this can be considered the "honeymoon" of Nghe An football during the period of getting acquainted with the new sponsor.

THE GROWTH OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

After coach Huu Thang left, SLNA’s performance in V.League declined. The people assigned to steer SLNA were coach Ngo Quang Truong and coach Nguyen Duc Thang. The 2015 and 2016 seasons were considered the most difficult when the Nghe An team only ranked 7th and 9th overall.

2017 football season, the army ofCoach Nguyen Duc ThangAlthough SLNA only ranked 8th in the V.League, the National Cup championship that year was an affirmation of SLNA's certain positions in the domestic arena. If they were luckier, SLNA could have won the bronze medal in 2018 in addition to the bronze medal in the National Cup arena. In the following years, SLNA was outside the top 5 in the V.League arena, but was still a very annoying team in all arenas.

SLNA's tradition room is proud to hold many national records. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Although the results were not as expected, SLNA still made visible progress. Based on its traditional identity, the team with 100% Nghe An quality is increasingly perfecting its playing style. Despite the fact that SLNA always faces the problem of "brain drain" every year, with key players leaving. In 2018, SLNA was recognized as the "Fairplay" team with the Style award, along with the team with the best youth training program.

Similar to 2020, SLNA is also the winning team.Styleat the V.League, U17 and U21 National tournaments. From a team with a reputation for being "tough", SLNA has approached beautiful football, clarifying the line between traditional fierceness and destruction, making teams with reputations for fair play like Hanoi and HAGL also have to respect.

And the most proud thing is the strong rise of youth training. In the National Children's Football Tournament, SLNA won the championship for 4 consecutive years (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), bringing the total number of championships to 6. In the National Youth Playground, SLNA won 3 consecutive championships in 2018, 2019, 2020 to maintain the record of 8 crowns. The SLNA U15 team also ended its thirst for titles after 15 years with 2 consecutive championships in 2018 and 2019.

Meanwhile, the 2020 National U17 Championship after 8 years of missing out helped SLNA dominate and hold the record for the number of championships from the national level.U17 (8 times), U19 (5 times) to National U21 (5 times). In 2018 and 2020, all SLNA youth teams qualified for the finals. In 2020, all 6 sets of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at all levels, continued to become the club with the best youth training recognized by VFF and VPF.

The 2012 National U17 and U21 Championships marked the return of Nghe An youth football. Photo: Quang Thai

Thanks to the special attention from the People's Committee of Nghe An province, sponsors, the systematic approach of SLNA Club and the dedicated passion of amateur coaches in 25 basic talent classes, Nghe An youth football is leading the country in terms of achievements and becoming one of the training centers providing many players for the national teams. And it is impossible not to mention the strong belief and love for football of fans and parents. Those achievements in the past 10 years of SLNA have made many leading football academies and centers in Vietnam such as PVF, HAGL, Hanoi, Viettel... also admire and seek to learn.

"FOOTBALL FOR HUMANITY"

A decade has passed,Youth - Children Football Tournament - Nghe An Newspaper Cuphas entered its 23rd year of organization. Through this, countless talents have been discovered, becoming professional players and even bright stars in the national football sky.

From football-loving boys from poor rural areas, they have the honor of wearing the jersey of their hometown team, becoming the pride of their families, neighbors and the whole locality. In the past 10 years, every success of Vietnamese football in the international arena has had the contributions of players from Nghe An, most of whom are products of SLNA Club.

Nghe An is still the place that provides many quality players for the national team. Photo: TK

Taking the U23 Asian Cup as a milestone when U23 Vietnam made a miracle in Changzhou in 2018 or later in the 18th Asiad, SLNA had two faces that brought glory to the country, Phan Van Duc and Pham Xuan Manh, along with other players from Nghe An such as Cong Phuong and Van Hoang. In the championshipAFF Cup 2018, success at Asian Cup 2019, SEA Games 30, World Cup 2022 Qualifiers, all have the footprints of players such as Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Trong Hoang, Phan Van Duc, Nguyen Cong Phuong, Tran Van Kien, Ngan Van Dai...

In 2020 alone, the number of players, officials, and coaches working for the national team has reached 12. The national team jersey at all levels that dozens, even hundreds of players are honored to wear has returned to every hometown in Nghe An. Meanwhile, the number ofNghe An and SLNA players account for 11/14 teams in the V.League arena..

And of course, from the bare feet honed for decades at SLNA, they became successful children of their homeland. There can be no exact statistics on the total amount of money that Nghe An players have from signing fees, salaries, and bonuses, but most of them have become millionaires after billion-dollar contracts and huge bonuses. However, one thing is certain: when transferring, they receive the entire signing fee in the form of a free transfer.

The current U17 SLNA champions will be the future of SLNA football and Vietnam in general. Photo: TK

Since then, hundreds of families have escaped poverty and even become rich thanks to their children pursuing a football career. In Nghe An, football has truly changed the lives of many poor boys and the greatest achievement is the success in terms of people, brand, personality, talent and qualities of Nghe people.

Looking back over the past decade, Nghe An football is truly deserving of the nickname “Brazil” of Vietnam thanks to becoming the leading supplier of players for Vietnamese football domestically and even abroad in the near future. Joining the glorious achievements of the national teams, Nghe An football and SLNA have contributed a significant part. More than a source of pride, Nghe An has gradually joined hands to bring Vietnamese football with full promise and goals to reach the regional level.

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