SLNA: Looking at Sy Nam reminds me of Van Kien.

(Baonghean.vn) - Watching substitute defender Sy Nam clumsily allow Hanoi's striker Samson to score against goalkeeper Nguyen Manh in the final minutes of the match, fans couldn't help but feel regret and remember Van Kien.

For us, who have followed SLNA's youth training for many years, Van Kien is no stranger. Born in 1996 in Nghia Dan, he was in the same age group as Xuan Manh and Van Duc of SLNA. In 2009, Van Kien joined SLNA's U13 team but was dropped from the U15 team due to… "lack of professional development potential." Van Kien's family then contacted the T&T VSH academy for him to join.

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Contrary to the assessments of SLNA's youth coaches, upon joining the Hanoi T&T Youth Training Center, Van Kien was highly regarded for his professional abilities. Soon after, Van Kien secured a regular starting position in both the U.19 and U.21 teams. In 2016, the Hanoi coaching staff promoted him to the first team to participate in the V-League, where he immediately earned a starting spot. When he was added to the Hanoi FC U21 team, Van Kien became a key player in the defense, making a significant contribution to the capital city team's U21 National Championship victory.

In his matches against his hometown team, SLNA, in the last two seasons, Van Kien (in the blue shirt) has played well, proving his worth. Photo: Internet

In his very first year in the V-League, the young defender wearing the number 13 jersey started 22 matches, making a significant contribution to the Hanoi team's V-League championship and runner-up finish in the National Cup. This year, Van Kien has been given a starting role in nearly 20 matches by coach Chu Dinh Nghiem in both the V-League and the AFC Cup.

This player from Nghe An province's strength lies in his tenacious play and relentless man-marking throughout the match. For the past two years, the right wing of the Hanoi team, under Van Kien's control, has rarely allowed opposing strikers to get past him. Besides his defensive abilities, Van Kien possesses a very dangerous cross that allows Hanoi FC's foreign players to threaten the opponent's goal.

Hanoi FC's coaching staff considers this young defender a genuine "top-quality" player, but SLNA failed to recognize this raw talent and lost him. This is not the first time the scouts of the Nghe An team have let go of players with considerable professional ability.

Reflecting on SLNA's defense

Following Dinh Hoang's injury, the SLNA coaching staff replaced Sy Sam, The Nhat, and Sy Nam on the right flank, but none of them proved reliable. SLNA's defense is considered one of the weakest in the V-League due to the inconsistent form of its defenders. Because of the constant changes in the right-back position, Phi Son doesn't have the opportunity to get used to playing alongside his right-back, often having to drop deep to provide support, reducing the effectiveness of the attack.

Looking at Sy Nam, fans are reminded of Van Kien. Photo: Trung Kien.

Meanwhile, after being forced to leave SLNA, Van Kien has played 42 matches in the V-League and AFC Cup, winning two trophies, while Xuan Manh and Van Duc remain largely absent from the Nghe An team. The young SLNA players, just as they begin to adapt to the V-League environment, also see their contracts expire, leading them to proactively leave.

In the match against Hanoi FC, since Van Kien wasn't registered to play, there was no opportunity for comparison, but seeing Sy Nam's clumsy play leading to a goal conceded, fans were reminded of Van Kien. Thanks to the coaching staff's trust, Van Kien has increasingly shone in the Hanoi FC jersey, and being called up to the Vietnam U22 team by coach Huu Thang is a well-deserved reward for this player from Nghia Dan.

One wonders what the management of the Nghe An team thinks every time they see Cong Phuong and Van Kien shining?

AT