The responsibility rests on the shoulders of the coaching duo Duc Thang and Van Thinh.

(Baonghean.vn) -After a forgettable season with the Nghe An team, coach Ngo Quang Truong has not continued in his role as head coach. SLNA also faces many old and new concerns. And in the current context, the person "taking the reins" will bear a considerable responsibility.

In 2010, shortly after being transferred to Bac A Bank, coach Nguyen Huu Thang returned to Vinh Stadium. SLNA underwent a transformation a year later, winning the V.League 2011 championship thanks to positive changes in facilities and investment in foreign players.

After five years as head coach, Coach Nguyen Huu Thang, along with his talented players such as Huy Hoang, Cong Vinh, and Trong Hoang, significantly improved the face of Nghe An football. However, due to various reasons, including the inability to achieve success through outdated methods and mechanisms, SLNA became a team lacking ambition, leading the coach from Nghe An to submit his resignation. The departure of Coach Nguyen Huu Thang also marks a turning point in SLNA's decline in recent years.

Two years after coach Nguyen Huu Thang left, Nghe An football has been empty-handed in youth tournaments. The only achievement was a silver medal by the SLNA U13 team. Coach Ngo Quang Truong also failed to manage the SLNA first team, finishing 9th in the 2016 V.League season with a series of disappointing results. Of course, the blame doesn't lie entirely with this coach, as SLNA is paying the price for a number of problems, including the decline in youth development.

The departure of coach Nguyen Huu Thang marks a turning point in the decline of Nghe An football in many aspects.

Currently, apart from key players like Nguyen Manh, Ngoc Hai, Dinh Hoang, Phi Son, and Manh Hung, the gap in skill level between the young SLNA players and their predecessors who have left Vinh Stadium is still very wide. Furthermore, the 90s-born players of SLNA are facing psychological issues and haven't yet displayed the passionate, traditional style of play from the past.

Therefore, the task for the new head coach of SLNA is not only to help the key players perform well, but also to be able to breathe new life into the players who are still inexperienced in competitive matches. That is the most difficult task for the new head coach of SLNA at this moment.

Among the coaches capable of replacing Coach Ngo Quang Truong and possessing the necessary coaching qualifications in the V.League, after careful consideration, Coach Nguyen Duc Thang is the most deserving candidate. He has four years of experience as an assistant coach at SLNA from 2013 to 2016. Over the years, thanks to his diplomatic skills, Coach Nguyen Duc Thang has consistently been the one to directly advocate for the players' interests, helping them find common ground with their hometown team and sponsors.

Recently, there was the case of captain Nguyen Manh and defender Dinh Hoang. A year ago, coach Nguyen Duc Thang, using his existing connections, acted as a go-between with Bac A Bank, contributing over 400 million VND to help Ngoc Hai complete the compensation for Anh Khoa after the unfortunate accident.

Coach Nguyen Duc Thang is one of the coaches who is very popular with his players at the Nghe An team.

Although during his time as a player, Coach Nguyen Duc Thang was not the first-choice goalkeeper for SLNA. However, since starting his coaching career, his role and responsibilities at the Nghe An team have been increasingly recognized.

As for coach Nguyen Van Thinh, he remains a name frequently mentioned by fans thanks to his seasoned professional expertise. The fact that coach Thinh only coaches the youth team is truly regrettable. At this time, the SLNA management's appointment of the two aforementioned coaches is reasonable and logical.

Football fans in Nghe An province certainly don't dare to expect much from SLNA. But only those who understand the mounting difficulties and struggles the team is currently facing can appreciate the courage of those who dare to step up and take on the responsibility.

Hoai Hoan