Mr. Vinh 'Nghe' - a lifetime of dedication to SLNA
(Baonghean.vn) - In the "hall of legends" of Nghe An football, former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh always occupies the most prominent position with his dedicated contributions to SLNA.
A glorious past
When mentioning the contributions of former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh to SLNA, countless pages could be filled to list them all. Just looking at his more than two decades of dedication (24 years), along with a series of prestigious titles (National Championship 2000, V.League 2001, National Cup 2002…) that this strategist, at an age rarely seen, contributed to his hometown team, reveals his impressive track record. Perhaps, in the history of Vietnamese football, only the late coach Pham Huynh Tam Lang of Saigon Port FC can be compared to Vinh "Nghe".
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| Former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh. Photo: Vietnamnet |
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| The team from Nghe An province has lost its former prestige. (Photo: Archival image) |
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| Former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh (wearing a hat) when he was the "head coach" of SLNA. (Archive photo) |
After the ups and downs as the "captain" of the Dong A - Pomina Steel team, the Hoa Phat Hanoi team, and later the Hanoi Football Club (formed by the merger of Hoa Phat Hanoi and Hanoi ACB), at the end of 2012, Mr. Vinh "Nghe" decided to retire from his coaching career after more than 30 years involved with football.
For nearly a decade, former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh has dedicated all his time to his loved ones. He enjoys simple meals with his wife, takes his grandchildren to school in the morning and picks them up in the afternoon in a warm, peaceful atmosphere, and occasionally reunites with his old friends for a cup of coffee to reminisce about old times.
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| SLNA players celebrate a goal in the match against B.Binh Duong. Photo courtesy of Trung Kien. |
Former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh shared: “Right now, the coaches and players at SLNA are still living, training, and competing in inadequate facilities. The pitches are severely dilapidated, and the remuneration is not commensurate with the effort they put in. It takes a lot of passion for the profession to persevere until now. In professional football, money is extremely important. That's why, recently, the SLNA academy has lost quite a few talented players to other academies. Hopefully, SLNA will soon be as successful as Hanoi FC and HAGL.”
Now, Mr. Vinh "Nghe" is enjoying a peaceful retirement, but his concerns regarding SLNA remain numerous. However, from a purely professional standpoint, former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh can be satisfied and proud of his former students who are currently active in the field of football in various positions. Notable examples include the Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City FC - Nguyen Huu Thang, the Head Coach of Hai Phong FC - Pham Anh Tuan, the Head Coach of SLNA - Ngo Quang Truong, and especially his son Nguyen Thanh Cong, all strategists who were greatly influenced by Mr. Vinh "Nghe"'s coaching style.
