Xuan Manh is eager to prove himself at SLNA.

(Baonghean) - Unlike the early stages of the season when he was benched, Xuan Manh has been consistently fielded by coach Ngo Quang Truong in recent matches. It's hard to express the excitement of this midfielder from the rice-growing region, but Xuan Manh shared: "I'm now very eager to score a goal. A goal to make people know me, to earn more trust from the coaching staff and my teammates."

In the early stages of the 2016 season, Xuan Manh's fellow Yen Thanh native, Van Duc, got more playing time. However, whether due to a rotation system or better training, Xuan Manh has been used more frequently in SLNA's recent matches compared to Van Duc. This has made Manh very happy and determined to play his best with passion and enthusiasm. In the matches where he has been given the chance to play, Manh has performed quite well.

Xuan Manh (number 7) in the Vietnam U.21 jersey.

However, to prove himself, Mạnh needs a goal. That's crucial, because, as an example, at the 2015 International U.21 tournament, Xuân Mạnh went from an unknown name to a famous one thanks to his consistent goals for the Vietnam U.21 team. Those goals even changed the midfielder's career, as he subsequently joined the Vietnam U.23 team and earned a place in the SLNA first team in the V.League.

Xuan Manh's journey to becoming a player is a long story. The midfielder was born in Minh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district. Manh was fortunate enough to join the Song Lam academy after a recruitment trip to various localities by SLNA officials. With talent and a strong, healthy physique, Xuan Manh made his mark from the very beginning of his time with the Nghe An team.

At just 19 years old, Mạnh is already much more mature and level-headed than other players his age. SLNA loaned him to the People's Police team partly because of this maturity. Although SLNA's U21 team didn't qualify for the 2015 international tournament, Mạnh was still included in the Vietnam U21 squad.

Thanks to his three goals and brilliant performance, coach Miura was immediately impressed by the player from Nghe An province and called him up to the Vietnam U23 team for the U23 Asian Championship. It was a surprising but well-deserved result, as Xuan Manh showed the qualities of a star player in his first appearance at a major tournament.

Xuan Manh's advantage lies in his versatility. Interestingly, throughout his career, he has been tested in all sorts of different positions, including goalkeeper, and he has left his mark in every role.

Xuan Manh's dream of one day wearing the national team jersey has come true, much faster than expected. He, his family, and his poor hometown are proud, because for many years, no one from Yen Thanh district had ever played for the SLNA first team, let alone been called up to the Vietnam U23 team.

In the current SLNA squad, Mạnh faces fierce competition for a starting position. However, after more than half a season, the midfielder has gained a certain degree of trust. While not yet a starting spot, being able to come on as a substitute in every match is a great consolation.

For a footballer, the most important thing is having the opportunity to showcase their talent. Mạnh has had the chance to play and contribute freely, which is ideal. The sufficient condition for him to become a true star at Vinh Stadium now is scoring goals. Therefore, the burning desire for this player from the rice-growing district is to score his first goal in the V.League.

Hopefully, with his considerable skill and burning desire, Xuan Manh will score goals and make a name for himself at his hometown club.

Vinh Liem