The regret named Hoang Van Binh

(Baonghean.vn) - Seeing Van Binh continuously shine in the FLC Thanh Hoa jersey, the longing for the former player intensifies for SLNA fans. This is especially true given the fact that the midfield of the Nghe An team has had a difficult start and is leaving behind "deadly" gaps.

Fans in Nghe An province are all too familiar with seeing SLNA talents leave one after another, seeking new clubs and futures once they are "ready to fly." However, it would be even more regrettable if they were to miss out on joining their hometown team once again due to financial issues.

Hoang Van Binh in the FLC Thanh Hoa jersey.

Joining Binh Duong in 2014, Van Binh later struggled to secure a starting spot as the team boasted outstanding central midfielders like Moses and Tan Tai. In his first year with the team coached by Le Thuy Hai, Van Binh played in 16 matches. However, in the 2015 V.League season, the midfielder, born in 1989, became almost surplus to requirements, starting only 3 games and failing to score any goals. Perhaps this is why the Nghe An team believes Van Binh's transfer value couldn't possibly reach billions of dong.

Meanwhile, Quang Nam is eager to bring in this diminutive but skillful midfielder to strengthen their midfield. The Quang Nam team is willing to spend 1.2 billion VND to secure the signature of the former Vietnam U23 national team player. As for Van Binh, he wants to return home to play near his family and take care of his wife who is preparing to give birth.

Unexpectedly, while Quang Tình had just left and joined XSKT Can Tho before the 2016 season, FLC Thanh Hoa acted faster than everyone else. With their financial resources, the Thanh Hoa team had little difficulty bringing Van Binh back to reunite with his former teammates from SLNA, such as Dinh Dong, Hoang Thinh, and later Trong Hoang, for a sum of 1.6 billion VND per season.

At the Thanh Hoa team, despite fierce competition from players like Sy Cuong, Quy Suu, Huu Dung, Van Binh still made 20 appearances, scored 3 goals, and made a significant contribution to FLC Thanh Hoa's overall playing style.

Possessing solid technical skills, the ability to control the game, dictate the tempo in midfield, and with over six seasons of experience in the V.League, it's no surprise that this player has become a key element in coach L. Petrović's tactics. The combination of Văn Bình and Trọng Hoàng was what helped Thanh Hoá completely dominate the game in their opening match against SLNA.

At Vinh Stadium, people are all too familiar with the cleverly assisted goals by Van Binh and the runs and ball-control provided by Trong Hoang. This has been repeated quite often at Thanh Hoa Stadium, and it becomes even more dangerous as they have honed their skills over many years and across various teams.

After 5 rounds of the V.League, Van Binh has contributed 3 goals, but these are all "golden" goals that have helped FLC Thanh Hoa solidify their top position. From the 2-0 victory away at Khanh Hoa, the 2-1 win against Long An, and most recently, the precise shot into the far corner that brought sorrow to Le Cong Vinh's team in the final minutes of the match.

SLNA has always struggled with the "what if" or "if only" dilemma. In addition, financial difficulties have slowed the Nghe An team down, allowing FLC Thanh Hoa to snatch players from under their noses. The consequence is that Khac Ngoc, Sy Sam, and Ngoc Toan lack the maturity to fill the void left by Quang Tinh and Van Binh. Constantly having to push Que Ngoc Hai to play further forward is purely a stopgap measure by the SLNA coaching staff. The SLNA center-back also struggles to perform when not playing in his preferred position. And of course, with Van Binh, things would be much simpler because, besides his intelligent play, the midfielder from Quynh Luu is also known for his fearless, physical style of play, making him more than capable of wearing the captain's armband and guiding the young players of Nghe An.

"Actions speak louder than words," SLNA faces its own challenges. The test for players like Ngoc Toan and Khac Ngoc is a great opportunity for them to gain experience and mature with each match. In Thanh Hoa, Van Binh also has a place to showcase his skills, as at least the team from Thanh Hoa has set a goal of winning the championship. For any player, it's not just about wanting fair treatment and playing near home; it's perfectly reasonable for them to seek new opportunities to prove themselves and demonstrate their desire to reach the pinnacle of glory.

As for Van Binh, he is truly living a life that any player would dream of. A solid support system, including a high-end household goods business in Vinh City, has helped him and his wife prosper. Therefore, fans in Nghe An are both happy for Van Binh and saddened for SLNA!

Quynh Trang