SLNA: Why not recruit Truong Dinh Luat?

A few days ago, speaking to the press, the player from Quy Hop (Nghe An) said: "I and many others were promised by the team's leadership that we would renegotiate our contracts. However, after I delegated the negotiations to subordinates, they didn't say a word, leaving everything in silence."

Therefore, Truong Dinh Luat will not be in Ho Chi Minh City FC's plans for the upcoming season. From now until the start of the 2019 season, the 1983-born central defender's goal is to quickly find a new club. With his proven class, the former Vietnam national team defender will have many teams welcoming him with open arms.

It's no exaggeration to say that Truong Dinh Luat is one of the best central defenders in Vietnamese football at the moment. His experience and strong, aggressive, yet intelligent playing style have made the 1983-born player a reliable anchor in the defenses of his respective teams. Furthermore, Truong Dinh Luat has also demonstrated leadership qualities. His captaincy at Military Region 4, Navibank Saigon, and Ho Chi Minh City FC are prime examples.

Truong Dinh Luat was a key player for the Vietnamese national team at the 2016 AFF Cup. (Photo: Archival image)

Despite approaching 35, an age when most footballers have retired from playing, Truong Dinh Luat has maintained his consistency, especially in terms of physical fitness.

In the 2018 V.League season, Truong Dinh Luat played a total of 1485 minutes for Ho Chi Minh City FC. This was due to the player suffering an injury and being suspended by the VFF Disciplinary Committee at the beginning of the season (for a foul on Olaha of SLNA in the Round of 16 of the 2018 National Cup).

Observing Ho Chi Minh City FC's matches last season, there seemed to be no sign of age in Truong Dinh Luat's every run and every tackle. Perhaps the central defender from Quy Hop (Nghe An) will continue playing at the highest level for a few more years. Successfully recruiting Truong Dinh Luat not only secured a quality central defender but also kept the signing bonus relatively low.

Meanwhile, the Nghe An team is facing the prospect of losing both central defenders Que Ngoc Hai and Pham Manh Hung (whose contracts have expired). To cope with this "central defender crisis," the SLNA management is considering three options: promoting young players (as usual), signing a foreign central defender (like Nguyen Hoang Helio), or recruiting a Nghe An-born central defender from another team (like Nguyen Minh Duc).

It is almost certain that Que Ngoc Hai will no longer be a SLNA player in the 2019 season. (Photo: Archival image)

Each approach has its pros and cons. For example, promoting young players means they can't be used immediately due to lack of experience. Buying foreign players is like gambling, as their skill level can't be verified, and the signing bonus and salary are high. It seems the most viable option is to recruit a center-back from Nghe An province from another team. And Truong Dinh Luat is a strong candidate.

By recruiting Truong Dinh Luat, the SLNA coaching staff will immediately have a partner for Hoang Van Khanh in the central defensive position. Certainly, the Nghe An team's defense will be less "vulnerable" with the arrival of the 35-year-old center-back.

In addition, the presence of Truong Dinh Luat will help the young SLNA players learn a lot of experience and mature quickly, similar to the case of Nguyen Minh Duc a few years ago.

If the Nghe An team makes a serious offer, the chances of securing Truong Dinh Luat's signature are extremely high. Playing near home has always been a burning desire for the player from Quy Hop (Nghe An). It seems that if this transfer becomes a reality, both SLNA and Truong Dinh Luat will benefit.