Former SLNA midfielder Le Manh Dung: 'All beginnings are difficult'!
(Baonghean.vn) - Up to this point in the 2020 season, the player nicknamed Dung "banana" has only played in 2 matches for Hong Linh Ha Tinh, due to injury and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The midfielder born in 1994 is a product of SLNA's training center, in the same generation as Tran Van Tien, Vo Ngoc Duc, Vo Ngoc Toan, Ho Phuc Tinh... Before joining Hong Linh Ha Tinh at the end of 2019, Dung "chuoi" had many seasons under the Nghe team (2015 - 2019).
However, during his time at Vinh Stadium, the 26-year-old midfielder was rarely used by the SLNA coaching staff. Le Manh Dung even had to frequently play for teams in different leagues, on loan. Typically, People's Police (2015), Ho Chi Minh City Club (2017) or Hai Phong (2019).
 |
| Le Manh Dung (left) in Hong Linh Ha Tinh shirt. Photo: Xuan Thuy |
At the end of last season, the contract between Dung "chuoi" and SLNA officially expired. Receiving an offer from the Hong Linh Ha Tinh Board of Directors, Le Manh Dung immediately decided to join the rookie V.League team, with a 3-year contract. A very surprising choice, because Le Manh Dung is the target of many teams.
In the early days at Hong Linh Ha Tinh, the former SLNA player was always coach Pham Minh Duc's number 1 choice in the central midfielder position. The proof is that in the two matches against Viettel (round 1) and Duoc Nam Ha Nam Dinh (round 2) in V.League 2020, Le Manh Dung was in the starting lineup, with a total time on the field of 119 minutes.
Unfortunately, Le Manh Dung's "honeymoon" at Hong Linh Ha Tinh ended early, after the player wearing the number 7 shirt suffered an ankle bone marrow injury during the first suspension of V.League 2020 due to the Covid-19 epidemic (at the end of March). With this injury, Le Manh Dung had to stay away from the field for more than 3 months, missing 11 matches of Hong Linh Ha Tinh (9 matches at V.League 2020, 2 matches at National Cup 2020).
 |
| Coach Pham Minh Duc really likes combative players like Dung "banana". Photo: Xuan Thuy |
There is a saying that "misfortunes never come singly, and good fortune never comes twice". Having just returned after a long period of injury, the 26-year-old midfielder is now unemployed. Due to the complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic, VPF has decided to postpone professional football tournaments in Vietnam for the second time. That also means that Le Manh Dung's return to the field will have to be postponed indefinitely.
It is not yet known whether V.League 2020 will continue to compete and where Hong Linh Ha Tinh will finish the tournament, but it can still be affirmed that Le Manh Dung's first season at the new team was not really smooth and successful. Hopefully, the former SLNA player will return stronger in the near future./.