Miss you so much, Quang Tinh!

(Baonghean.vn) - This season, witnessing coach Ngo Quang Truong struggling with the central midfielder position playing alongside Vo Ngoc Toan, many Nghe An fans feel very much missing midfielder and former captain Nguyen Quang Tinh.

After the 2015 season ended, the wish of the player from Do Luong was to continue contributing to his hometown team. However, the negotiation reached a dead end, Quang Tinh had to pack up and go to the West. The news of Quang Tinh joining XSKT Can Tho made all Nghe An fans surprised and regretful. They did not want to say goodbye to a warrior, a diligent and exemplary captain.

Midfielder Quang Tinh is a midfielder capable of controlling the tempo of the match and leading the play for the whole team - Photo: Hai Thinh.

V.League 2016 has just passed the 16th round, but it can be affirmed: This is the season SLNA plays the most lacking in identity. The playing style is fragmented, disjointed and lacks the fire it usually has. In that situation, people realize how important the position of conductor on the field is.

When Quang Tinh was in the midfield or on the left wing, SLNA played with high cohesion, coherence and initiative. The ball often passed through the midfielder's feet, and was circulated to the opponent's goal rhythmically and quickly. Possessing excellent personal technique, the 28-year-old player did not hesitate to hold the ball, keep the ball, and dribble in front of the opponent's defense. Those moves were a very dangerous attacking option for SLNA.

In the SLNA jersey in recent seasons, Quang Tinh not only scored goals quite regularly but also performed very well as a creator. When the match was in a stalemate with the opponent's tight defense, Nguyen Quang Tinh's long-range cannon shots were a lethal blow to finish off the opponent.

Fans of Nghe An cannot forget the long-range shot that tore through the Long An net, bringing a 2-1 victory for SLNA in V.League last year. Until round 16 of V.League 2016, coach Ngo Quang Truong’s midfielders had never once scored a goal from a distance of more than 16m50, from a live ball. Witnessing that sad event, fans of Nghe An all missed former captain Nguyen Quang Tinh.

Besides, Nguyen Quang Tinh also possesses another deadly weapon, which is the free kicks. With a rather "good" inside and a flexible right ankle, free kicks from a distance of 25m or less often have unpredictable trajectories. The goals against Dong Thap, Xuan Thanh Saigon Cement... in previous seasons are real proof of his free kick ability that some people jokingly call "David Beckham of Nghe An".

Quang Tinh used to be a favorite student of coach Nguyen Huu Thang at SLNA before - Photo: Trung Kien.

Quang Tinh is a player who plays quite calmly and quietly on the field. But that does not mean that Nguyen Quang Tinh's leadership role is obscured. When the team is playing poorly, conceding goals..., Tinh always tries to encourage and motivate his teammates. Sometimes, when his juniors make mistakes, this midfielder immediately reminds and instructs them. It is thanks to that reminder and instruction that Ngo Hoang Thinh and Vo Ngoc Toan have continuously improved.

At SLNA, or Tay Do football team, the player wearing the number 17 shirt always plays with a tenacious fighting spirit. More than half of the V.League 2016 has passed, the former SLNA captain has scored 4 goals and 5 assists.

Under coach Vu Quang Bao, Quang Tinh is a trump card in the XSKT Can Tho squad. Although he does not wear the captain's armband, the midfielder from Do Luong is the conductor of the Ninh Kieu wharf team. Not surprisingly, Quang Tinh is the person most loved by XSKT Can Tho fans.

When asked: "If I retire in SLNA shirt, how will Quang Tinh feel?". Without hesitation, this midfielder replied: "SLNA is always in my heart, wearing the hometown shirt is an incomparable honor in my football career. Currently, I will fight with all my heart for the team, for the Can Tho fans. But as a son of Nghe An, I still hope to return one day to "bury my face in the river of my hometown".

SLNA fans will always remember Quang Tinh and welcome him back with open arms. Maybe, in the final steps of his football career, or as a teacher.

Le Thanh Hung