Vinh Stadium: A nightmare for V.League players.
(Baonghean.vn) - The quality of the pitch in Vinh is at an alarming level ahead of the 2020 V.League season, and this is one of the challenges facing SLNA Club. Not only are home players getting injured during training and matches due to the hard surface, but it also frustrates visiting players.
Vinh Stadium was established in 1957 within the Vinh Citadel. Construction officially began in 1973, and in 1976, the stadium received an upgrade to its lighting system, funded by the German Democratic Republic.
By 1999-2000, Vinh Stadium underwent a comprehensive upgrade, expanding Stand B to add 1,000 seats, and constructing a new Stand A with a capacity of nearly 7,000 seats. At that time, a drainage system was installed with a structure running around the stadium.
In 2002-2003, Vinh Stadium completed the upgrading of its playing surface. By 2006, the drainage system was handed over and put into use. It wasn't until 2016, thanks to co-hosting the National Phu Dong Sports Festival, that Vinh Stadium had its B grandstand seats installed and some other facilities renovated.
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| Vinh Stadium needs to be renovated and upgraded soon, including the ground, turf, and irrigation system. Photo: Duc Anh |
Since 2017, there have been plans to upgrade and renovate Vinh Stadium, but it remains unclear when they will be implemented due to funding difficulties. The home stadium of SLNA Club is currently considered to be of poor quality in the V.League.
Firstly, the lighting system at Vinh Stadium only averages 382 lux, failing to meet the minimum requirement of 900 lux. The turf quality is not maintained due to the high frequency of training and matches. The underground irrigation system is dilapidated, requiring manual watering, and harsh weather conditions have caused the Vinh Stadium surface to become harder than normal.
During the 2019 V.League season, a number of SLNA players suffered injuries due to various reasons, with many cases occurring right on their home ground during training sessions. These included the ligament tears of midfielders Phan Văn Đức, Võ Ngọc Đức, and Lê Văn Hùng.
Other players such as Cao Xuan Thang, Le The Cuong, and Ho Phuc Tinh were also frequently sidelined due to injuries, causing the injury list of the Nghe An team in the 2019 season to reach dozens of players.
Moreover, visiting players must be wary when playing at Vinh Stadium because the pitch is too hard, making them susceptible to unfortunate injuries. For example, striker Vu Quang Nam, a former SLNA player currently playing for Ho Chi Minh City FC, suffered a knee injury right on Vinh Stadium during a match last season.
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| Vinh Stadium, viewed from above. (Archive photo) |
Every season, SLNA plays 13 home games, and almost all of the visiting team's coaches complain that the poor condition of the pitch negatively impacts the quality of the match.
This raises a problem that needs to be addressed soon, as it not only reduces the professional quality of the matches but also puts players at constant risk of injury, significantly impacting their future careers.
The Lam River in Nghe An and the crystal-clear feet
(Baonghean.vn) - In football, injuries are unavoidable, but having dozens of players suffer injuries and then relapses in a single season, like SLNA, is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.
