Former SLNA striker Vu Quang Nam: When will the 'crisis end'?

Thanh Hung• January 2, 2020 11:12

(Baonghean.vn) - Once considered one of the most promising young talents in Nghe An football nearly a decade ago, Vu Quang Nam's career has been plagued by frequent injuries, making his path full of difficulties and obstacles.

Currently, the player from Nghe An is in South Korea for rehabilitation after knee surgery. Vu Quang Nam sustained the injury during the match between SLNA and Ho Chi Minh City FC in Round 22 of the V.League 2019. The 28-year-old striker is expected to return to the pitch in February or March.

Vu Quang Nam in the SLNA U21 jersey. (Photo courtesy)
Since starting his football career, Vũ Quang Nam has been sidelined countless times due to recurring injuries. Objectively speaking, if he weren't so prone to injuries, Vũ Quang Nam might have become one of the stars of Vietnamese football.

Football experts and fans in Nghe An province surely haven't forgotten the 2012 National U21 Championship, a tournament where SLNA U21 convincingly won the title. Vu Quang Nam was the recipient of two prestigious awards: Top Scorer and Best Player of the tournament.

Vũ Quang Nam đang có mặt tại Hàn Quốc để điều trị chấn thương. Ảnh: CLB TP.HCM
Vu Quang Nam is currently in South Korea receiving treatment for his injury. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City FC.
Returning from Ninh Thuan – the host province of the 2012 National U21 Championship – Vu Quang Nam was soon struck by disaster. Injured in a match before the 2013 season, the player from Quynh Luu had to stay away from the pitch for three years and nearly had to retire.

Besides the physical pain, there was also the emotional pain of having my contract terminated by SLNA. My dream of wearing the jersey of my hometown team and competing in the V.League was shattered, and all the effort I put in during my years of training and playing in the youth teams went to waste.

But with his own determination and the encouragement of his family, coaches, and teammates, Vu Quang Nam remained determined not to give up his dream of becoming a professional footballer. Instead of accepting other jobs, the striker born in 1993 focused on treating his injury.

After a long period of trying everything to find a solution, Vu Quang Nam's return to form with the Phu Yen First Division team in the 2016 season was a remarkable achievement, much to the surprise and admiration of football experts and fans in Nghe An province. It was an extraordinary comeback for Vu Quang Nam.

Impressive performances for Phu Yen FC, followed by Hue FC (2017), helped the former top scorer of the National U21 Championship catch the eye of the Ho Chi Minh City FC coaching staff. At the beginning of the second half of the 2017 V.League season, Vu Quang Nam officially became a player for the team based at Thong Nhat Stadium.

Thầy trò HLV Chung Hae-seong đang tập luyện chuẩn bị cho mùa giải 2020. Ảnh: CLB TP.HCM
Coach Chung Hae-seong and his team are training in preparation for the 2020 season. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City FC.
Last season, the player from Nghe An was always the preferred choice of coach Chung Hae-seong in the striker position for the reigning V.League runner-up. Before suffering an injury in round 22, Vu Quang Nam had played 19 matches and scored 2 goals for his team in the 2019 V.League.

Recognizing Vu Quang Nam's talent and importance to Ho Chi Minh City FC, the club's management decided to offer the former SLNA player a two-year contract (ending at the end of 2021). This is a well-deserved reward for Vu Quang Nam's efforts over the past period.

Unfortunately, the 28-year-old striker is currently recovering from injury and is unable to join coach Chung Hae-seong and his team for the upcoming season. It will be at least another 1-2 months before Vu Quang Nam returns to playing. Hopefully, the striker from Nghe An will continue to shine this season and will not be plagued by injuries in the future.

Thanh Hung