Song Lam Nghe An and the distant dream of Nghe An fans
(Baonghean.vn) - Nearly 10 years after SLNA became the champion of Vietnam's highest football tournament, Nghe An football still has a certain position in the V.League. However, the legitimate wishes for SLNA to go in the right direction are still too far away.
Golden past
It is no coincidence that Song Lam Nghe An football team is considered “The pride of Nghe An people”. In this land rich in revolutionary tradition, patriotism and tradition of learning, football is also a specialty that Nghe An people are proud of wherever they go. It is the childhood, the spiritual food of students, workers far from home to successful people. Football does not discriminate against age, profession, or status.
The land of Nghe Tinh, past and present, is divided into Nghe An and Ha Tinh. Folk songs of Vi and Giam are like the flesh and blood, the character of the people here. Folk songs of Nghe An help each person to ease their sadness and if it is joy, then the folk songs multiply that joy. The same goes for football. At stadiums like Hang Day, Go Dau, Thong Nhat..., for decades, each match has been a real football festival. People go to watch football in such large numbers that those matches are no different from a reunion of fellow countrymen.
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| Nghe An fans from all over the country always look towards their hometown team. Photo: Hoai Hoan |
Millions of students and workers from all over the country, even abroad, consider SLNA as a bond that connects them and brings them closer together. They cherish and wait for that opportunity throughout a year of studying and working hard because each year, SLNA only goes to nearby football fields once. There, they put their arms around each other's shoulders to turn towards their homeland, singing proud songs, mixed with the sound of trumpets and drums.
The history of Vietnamese football development has many symbols such as The Cong, CAHN, Saigon Port, all of which are in the past. Only SLNA remains, having gone through more than 40 years of ups and downs, never once relegated, and is also a rare team that still retains its traditional name and traditional colors.
In 2018, SLNA made history when all of SLNA's youth teams qualified for the National Finals. And in the past 2 years, SLNA won 6 youth championships in the U11, U13, U15 age groups, or silver medal in the U17 tournament, bronze medal in the U19 national tournament. The total number of championships of SLNA Club in the tradition room has nearly reached the milestone of 50.
During its “golden” period, “Thanh Vinh Fire Pan” was a place where it was easy to go but difficult to return for any big team. That was the period when SLNA was undefeated at home for 6 consecutive years (from 1996 - 2002). And since then, SLNA has become a place that provides many talented players for the national team such as Quang Truong, Huu Thang, Van Sy brothers...
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| SLNA is a team that has never been relegated since V.League 2001. Photo: VPF |
Later, Huy Hoang, Van Quyen, and Cong Vinh laid certain foundations for the rise of Vietnamese football. But since the first time the Vietnamese team won the AFF Cup 2008, when Le Cong Vinh scored a historic goal in the final match against Thailand, SLNA's mark has faded because he, Hong Son, and Minh Duc no longer wear the jersey of their home team.
Until the championship of AFF Cup 2018 or U23 Asia Finals, Asian Cup 2019, the mark of Nghe An people in the team is still very strong. That is the appearance of captain Que Ngoc Hai, Phan Van Duc, Nguyen Trong Hoang, Pham Xuan Manh. Their contributions and successes seem to restore the face of SLNA which is following the old path and becoming more and more outdated in the way of doing professional football.
Real sadness
From around 2013 until now, SLNA has not found a new direction and has continuously suffered from a “brain drain”, with poorer results in the V.League. Many mature stars have left. Among them are captains such as Cong Vinh, Trong Hoang, Ngoc Hai, and Nguyen Manh.
The 2020 V.League season has started, but SLNA has not announced a new sponsor. All preparations have been relatively quiet, Coach Quang Truong has to bet and put his trust in young players who have never breathed the V.League atmosphere, there is no farewell ceremony and the spirit of overcoming difficulties is the only thing left. And the young players born in 1995, 1996, who won the U17 championship with their teacher in 2012, will be the core, proving an unwilling succession.
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| SLNA football team only has young players who are still at the age to contribute as pillars. Photo: Document |
Fans of Nghe An hope that SLNA team has a strong enough financial resource to retain key players. From there, they can participate in the V.League to compete for the championship instead of just playing half-heartedly. Because for nearly 10 years now, SLNA fans have not once enjoyed the feeling of their team winning the championship like in V.League 2011.
"Song Lam Nghe An is still a monument of Vietnamese football. But the Nghe quality in the team has somewhat faded. SLNA needs to change, it cannot be proud of the past forever."
They may be sad and have lost faith, but Nghe An fans still have other joys, they are still proud because Nghe An spirit is still spread throughout 11/14 V.League clubs, not to mention the First Division. On the contrary, they are not used to the feeling of having to witness the youth team participating in the SEA Games without any U22 or U23 players.
More realistically, Nghe An fans have another legitimate dream, which is that Vinh stadium will be renovated, at least the ground and grass will be of good quality to avoid injuries to the "billion-dollar" legs that carry the expectations of the whole family and the pillars of the national team.
Finally, the most important thing for loyal SLNA fans is the revival of the “Thanh Vinh Fire Pot” of the past. A professional, methodical, goal-oriented and fan-centered way of doing football is the minimum that any club in the V.League needs to have.
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| Looking at this lineup, many SLNA fans can't help but feel regretful. Graphics: TK |
Somewhere, in many football teams, players, former players, and professionals who grew up from SLNA still have a deep affection and loyalty for their homeland and they still long for the day they return. But I think there needs to be a turning point for them to return sooner to join hands in steering the SLNA ship to overcome all difficulties.
Football has helped many SLNA players escape poverty, become billionaires, and contribute to society. But how wonderful it would be if they could get rich in their own homeland. Those dreams should be a given, but not many people dare to think about them, because they are gradually becoming more and more distant.
However, I still hope that the 19-20 year old boys who are turning professional for the first time will be aware of their responsibilities and missions. Because one of the characteristics of Nghe people is always knowing how to rise up in the most difficult times.
Latest schedule of the first leg of Song Lam Nghe An at V.League 2020
(Baonghean.vn) – Nghe An Newspaper sends you the official match schedule announced by VPF, updated on February 28 of Song Lam Nghe An Club in the first leg of V.League 2020.