SLNA: We already have Ho Tuan Tai, why add more foreign players!

Currently, SLNA is testing 2 foreign players to fill the position that Osmar just left. However, many Nghe An fans hope that the team will not recruit more foreign players. That means that in the remaining stages of this season, the Vinh team will only have foreign player Olaha. Considering the issue carefully, the wishes of SLNA fans are completely reasonable.

In the past, SLNA has many times “bought wrongly” or “bought wrongly” foreign players, typically in the second half of the 2017 season. Last year, after terminating the contract with striker Henry, the Vinh team brought in striker Kovacevic. Unfortunately, the Montenegrin player’s professional level did not meet expectations.

Kovacevic was a "bad" contract of SLNA in the second leg of the 2017 season. Photo: Archive

During his time with SLNA, Kovacevic only played a total of 9 matches and scored 1 goal in V.League 2017 (all of which were substituted midway). The arena where the striker born in 1991 left a significant mark was the National Cup, where he scored 4 goals for the Nghe An team. Due to his inability to show his ability, Kovacevic was not retained by SLNA for the new season.

After only a few weeks of trial, it is too difficult for the management and coaching staff of Nghe An football team to find quality foreign players. If they continue to take risks in selecting foreign players, the risk of “throwing money out the window” for Vinh Stadium team is clear as day. Kovacevic’s lesson is still hot for SLNA.

The next reason why Nghe An fans do not want their team to add more foreign players is that Ho Tuan Tai has shown progress recently. Up to this point, the player born in 1995 has scored 8 goals in all competitions for SLNA this season. The goal against B.Binh Duong in the 14th round increased his number of goals in V.League 2018 to 2.

To evaluate a striker, we cannot rely solely on statistics. The same is true for Ho Tuan Tai. Looking closely at the performances in recent matches of SLNA, everyone must admit the progress of the striker from Hung Nguyen (Nghe An).

Ho Tuan Tai is showing visible progress this season. Photo: Duc Anh

It is easy to see that the player wearing the number 10 shirt plays quite well with the satellites around him such as Olaha, Phan Van Duc and especially Ho Khac Ngoc. Ho Tuan Tai's latest goal (against B.Binh Duong) came from a delicate pass from the player nicknamed "Fabregas of Nghe An".

Therefore, if SLNA adds more foreign players, it will threaten Ho Tuan Tai's chances of playing. Invisibly, the 23-year-old striker is at risk of losing his talent. This is not beneficial for Ho Tuan Tai and the Nghe An team. Hopefully, SLNA's leadership will consider carefully before making the final decision.

Although we know that SLNA is in a rather dangerous situation (ranked 11th), with the current force in hand, coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team can completely overcome the difficult period ahead. Especially when Vinh Stadium has just welcomed the return of central midfielder Hoang Van Binh (on loan from FLC Thanh Hoa) and soon the return of goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh.

With Ho Tuan Tai, why add foreign players?