Golden Seasons

(Baonghean) - For the past 17 seasons, the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament has been like a silent river, enriching the overall development of football in the province. And among that richness are golden grains - football talents not only of the province but also of the nation.

Among the current SLNA first team players, seven have participated in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament: goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh; defenders Nguyen Minh Duc and Tran Dinh Dong; midfielders Nguyen Quang Tinh and Phan Nhu Thuat; and forwards Nguyen Dinh Bao and Le Cong Vinh. Of these, two players, Phan Nhu Thuat and Nguyen Minh Duc, participated in the first season. In 1997, both Nhu Thuat and Minh Duc were selected by coach Le Mai Tu to play for the Vinh City Youth Football Team in the first Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament. Shining in that tournament, these two players were subsequently selected for the Nghe An Youth Football Team, playing alongside Van Quyen and Lam Tan to win the championship at the 2014 National Youth Football Tournament. Three years later, these players continued to play together in the U16 Asian Championship finals in Da Nang, finishing fourth overall.

In that tournament, although Van Quyen was voted the best player, many people remember Nhu Thuat – a midfielder with a technical and creative playing style, considered the "successor" to the talented midfielder Nguyen Hong Son. Minh Duc was considered one of the best central defenders of the tournament. After those outstanding performances, both Nhu Thuat and Minh Duc became pillars of SLNA, and were repeatedly called up to the U23 National Team and the senior national team to compete in international tournaments. When talking about the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament, both said it was the most memorable tournament of their lives, because it was from this tournament that they were discovered and shone on larger stages.

Le Cong Vinh (right) once participated in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament.

The second season of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament (1998) introduced a great talent: striker Le Cong Vinh. The SLNA captain recalled: “Back then, I was a small and physically weak player, so I wasn't confident about becoming a professional. But at the second Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament, playing as a striker, I was able to showcase my skills and score many goals for the Quynh Luu Youth team. Thanks to that, I was selected for SLNA Club and have achieved considerable success as I have today.”

Three years later, in the 2001 season, the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament showcased a series of outstanding players who would later become stars of Vietnamese football, such as: Trong Hoang (Vinh City), Van Binh (Quynh Luu), Quang Tinh (Do Luong)... These were key players for the SLNA U17 and U21 teams, performing excellently in national championships for these age groups. Trong Hoang was also a key player for the U23 and national teams for many years, was the best young player of 2010, and won the Silver Ball in Vietnam in 2011. Currently, Trong Hoang and Van Binh have joined B.Binh Duong, while Quang Tinh still plays for SLNA and is a key player in the midfield for the Nghe An team.

Another outstanding player in SLNA's current first team, who has achieved many successes in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament, is goalkeeper Nguyen Manh. Born in 1991 and hailing from Do Luong district, he participated in the tournament for three consecutive years (2002, 2003, and 2004). In 2002, competing in the children's age group, Nguyen Manh and his team won the championship. In the following two years, competing in the youth age group, he finished as runner-up in 2003 and won the championship in 2004. Notably, in the 2004 season, Nguyen Manh won the Best Goalkeeper award and was selected to join SLNA Club. Since then, Nguyen Manh has consistently been a reliable "shield" in goal for SLNA's youth teams from U13 to U21. In 2008, Nguyên Mạnh not only made a significant contribution to SLNA's U17 team winning the Football Newspaper Cup, but also won the Best Goalkeeper award. At the 2013 Thanh Niên Newspaper Cup U21 tournament, Nguyên Mạnh also played exceptionally well, helping SLNA's U21 team win the championship. From the 2012 season onwards, Nguyên Mạnh became SLNA's number one goalkeeper.

At the same age as Tran Nguyen Manh, striker Nguyen Dinh Bao also shone in the 2003 season playing for Thanh Chuong Youth team. With 4 goals scored in 3 matches, Nguyen Dinh Bao quickly impressed the talent scouts of SLNA Club. From then on, this player continuously excelled in SLNA's youth teams. In 2007, at only 16 years old, Dinh Bao and the U17 SLNA team won the national championship. In 2008, at the U17 National Championship Finals, playing as a center forward, Dinh Bao scored two hat-tricks, netting 8 goals, helping U17 SLNA successfully defend their title, while he himself won a double: Best Player of the tournament and Top Scorer. With perfect individual technique, good ball control, sharp tactical vision, and an aggressive playing style, Dinh Bao was repeatedly called up to the U19 and U21 national teams to participate in international tournaments.

It would be remiss not to mention a player who, although never having played for SLNA, is currently considered the best young player in Vietnamese football – striker Nguyen Cong Phuong of HAGL FC. Born in 1995 in My Son commune (Do Luong district), in 2006, Cong Phuong was selected by coach Nguyen Quang Vinh to join the Do Luong youth team to participate in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament. He single-handedly led the Do Luong team to the final and secured second place. Although he was not later recruited into the SLNA academy due to physical limitations, thanks to the discerning eye of the football experts at the HAGL Arsenal JMG Academy, Cong Phuong embarked on a professional career and became one of the academy's outstanding players, a key striker for the Vietnam U19 team, and a promising prospect for the future.

Mr. Ho Van Chiem – CEO of SLNA Club – affirmed: “The Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament is a source of young football talent, helping the SLNA football academy in Nghe An province develop sustainably and build its brand as it is today.” And we have every right to believe that, with its well-organized and professional approach, strong influence, and high professional quality, the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament will continue to help discover more Cong Vinhs, Trong Hoangs, Dinh Baos... – the golden seeds of Vietnamese football.

Text and photos:Minh Quan