Que Ngoc Hai: Overload and new pressures

A disastrous debut

Unfortunately for the captain of the Vietnamese national team, in his very first official match for Viettel, Hai received two yellow cards and had to leave the field after only 40 minutes on the pitch.

Que Ngoc Hai had a forgettable debut. Photo: Xuan Thuy

The referee was somewhat harsh in ruling that Hai had handled the ball in the situation that led to his second yellow card. Playing with ten men, Viettel quickly collapsed and conceded two more goals before D.Joao scored a consolation goal in the final minute of the match.

Even more unfortunate for the former SLNA center-back, Da Nang player Dominik Schmitt was diagnosed with a fractured rib after a collision with Que Ngoc Hai in the 12th minute, which was the foul that resulted in Ngoc Hai receiving the first yellow card of the match.

In a tense match, it's difficult to avoid fierce clashes. Dominik Schmitt himself commented: "You can't blame him because that's part of football. After the collision, Ngoc Hai proactively apologized to me right on the field."

It's understandable that Ngoc Hai is under pressure after moving to a new team. Recently, the central defender from Nghe An has matured significantly in his playing style. Hai's game has become smoother and more refined, and his hasty, overly forceful tackles are gone. Therefore, under the current pressure, Hai needs to demonstrate the qualities of a captain who is loved and supported by Vietnamese football fans.

Overworked and too little time with the new team.

Que Ngoc Hai is a player that coach Park Hang-seo used consistently throughout the recent AFF Cup and Asian Cup campaigns. Playing continuously for such a long period can easily lead to player burnout or burnout.

Midfielder Quang Hai has also not played well for Hanoi FC since returning from the national team. According to coach Chu Dinh Nghiem, the reason is that Hai is feeling "bored with football" and needs rest to regain his form. Both Ngoc Hai and Quang Hai have had to push themselves to play at both club and national team levels throughout the past year.

Que Ngoc Hai had too little time to train with his new team. Numerous collisions put him under a lot of pressure in this forgettable match. (Photo: Zing)

The central defender from Nghe An faced even greater difficulties. After the Asian Cup ended, Hai only showed up for his team debut before returning home for a two-week Tet holiday, and then rejoined the team. He only had a very short time to train with his new teammates before the V.League 2019 season began.

Difficulties for Viettel's new recruit, Ngoc Hai.

With a team that still has quite a few young players in its squad, it's not surprising that Viettel is facing difficulties in the early stages of the V.League.

Furthermore, Viettel's South Korean strategist, Lee Heung Sil, had just arrived in Vietnam to take on his duties. Clearly, with a new playing field and new players, it would be difficult for him to immediately perform his job well.

Remember, Nam Dinh had a difficult journey in their return to the V.League in 2018 before finally making it back to the V.League this year. What Viettel is facing is quite similar to Nam Dinh last year. They are undoubtedly overwhelmed by the V.League, a league with much fiercer competition than the First Division. However, both Nam Dinh and Viettel are teams with a strong foundation of domestic players, and with more experience and resilience, they will know what to do to overcome the difficulties ahead.

Similarly, with Que Ngoc Hai, having left his teammates at SLNA, Ngoc Hai is now trying to integrate with new teammates who lack experience in the V.League. However, throughout his career, the central defender from Nghe An has faced many dark situations, but with his talent and resilience, he has always risen again and gradually conquered the steps to success ahead.