SLNA and the Olaha Michael problem

(Baonghean.vn) - The SLNA coaching staff is quite worried as six rounds have passed without a win.Olaha MichaelStill scoreless. Olaha's story has similarities to that of the Ivorian striker.Solia BabaIf that were the case last year, it would have been truly sad for the Nghe An team..

"Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners."

For several seasons now, the Nghe An team has been struggling with recruiting foreign players, only finding a suitable player close to the registration deadline. With limited time to assemble the team, last year it was Baba, and this year it's Olaha, who have been playing for years without scoring. By the time they've adapted to the V-League atmosphere, the season has already ended. The Nghe An team then rushes to recruit new foreign players, a cycle that repeats year after year.

When the water reaches your feet... don't jump.

Frankly, only those familiar with SLNA's internal affairs can understand the difficulties the coaching staff faces in selecting foreign players. Firstly, because the investor, Bac A, gave the club "complete autonomy in all matters except finances," it was very difficult for Duc Thang and his colleagues to quickly begin the selection process. Usually, the coaching staff only uses the FLC Thanh Hoa league to assemble the team after selecting players. However, SLNA used this league to "assess" foreign players, and even that wasn't successful. Just a few hours before the registration deadline, the team from Nghe An only completed the registration procedures, so the fans' comment that they "refused to act even when the water reached their feet" is not unfounded.

SLNA's coaching staff is having a headache with Olaha. (Illustrative image)

SLNA primarily recruits foreign players through traditional methods, relying on referrals from acquaintances, combined with resumes, match clips, and on-field performance. Due to the relatively short timeframe, the coaching staff doesn't have enough time to assess their abilities and the process relies heavily on luck.

Last year, Baba was no stranger to fans of the Vinh team, having played for SLNA in the second half of the 2015 season. In 10 appearances, Baba scored 6 goals, but the following season he only managed a meager 5 goals. Speaking of Henry Shackiel – a player introduced by his colleague Hector, a former SLNA player – who is currently playing for W Connection (Trinidad & Tobago National League), fans immediately recognized his class upon his debut at Vinh Stadium. In reality, the ability of this player wearing jersey number 45 has been proven on the pitch.

Meanwhile, Olaha Michael is a relatively young striker (born in 1997) who can play as a withdrawn striker thanks to his superior agility, finishing ability, and especially his defensive contributions from afar. According to his profile, Olaha Michael is a key player for the Nigerian U20 national team, so the SLNA coaching staff put in a lot of effort negotiating with Abia Warriors FC. However, reality shows that Olaha is facing many difficulties scoring goals for mid-table teams in the 2017 V-League such as XSKT Can Tho, S. Khanh Hoa, or Quang Nam.

Solution

By now, only six rounds have been played, but fans in Nghe An are no longer very concerned about SLNA's ranking, as the outcome has already been predicted. The main issue now is that fans will get to see their beloved young players showcase their professional abilities on the field. Fans understand that at the end of this season, a number of key players like Phi Son and Ngoc Hai will have their contracts expire, not to mention veterans like Van Vinh and Minh Duc also saying goodbye.

Therefore, if the SLNA coaching staff is considering using Olaha Michael long-term, they need to continue giving the Nigerian player opportunities. This includes experimenting with him in positions such as left midfielder (left-footed) or even defensive midfielder, rather than simply confining him to the attacking midfield position as he currently is.

Olaha himself doesn't understand why he still hasn't scored after 6 rounds of matches. (Illustrative image)

If SLNA's coaching staff continues to keep Tuan Tai on the bench, relying on a foreign player for one season like they did with Baba, resulting in both of them scoring only 5 goals per season, then it's a wasteful calculation. While each coach may have different ways of evaluating players, the fact that Coach Huu Thang still trusts Tuan Tai more than Quang Hai and Duc Chinh in the U23 national team is something SLNA's coaching staff should consider.

Last year, Quang Trường trusted Baba, at least because he had already proven himself on the Vietnamese football pitch the previous season and was considered successful. Meanwhile, Olaha Michael was only just starting out on the pitch, and if he were to move to another club after finding his footing because SLNA couldn't afford to pursue him, it would be a case of "the crane getting what it wants."

It's time for the SLNA coaching staff to make a decisive decision regarding Olaha's use. Constantly giving Olaha opportunities to prove the signing was the right decision, thereby limiting the playing opportunities for SLNA's young strikers, could sometimes do more harm than good. Even if they continue to rely on Olaha, they must also adapt his playing style, as six matches is a considerable amount of time for a foreign player to prove himself. Perhaps the match against SHB Da Nang will be an opportunity for Coach Duc Thang to find the answer to his coaching abilities.

Catcosan Vinh