SLNA - Hai Phong: The 'return' day of Pham Manh Hung

Actually, last season, Pham Manh Hung also had the opportunity to return to Vinh stadium in SHB Da Nang shirt. However, in the match betweenSLNA and SHB Da NangIn round 14 of V.League 2019, the central defender born in 1993 was not included in the list of players of the Han River team by coach Le Huynh Duc.

Pham Manh Hung (number 3) is playing quite impressively for Hai Phong. Photo: VPF

In contrast to the situation at SHB Da Nang in the past, Pham Manh Hung is currently one of the most important pillars of Hai Phong.

According to statistics, atV.League 2020, former center backSLNAplayed 13/14 matches, with a total of 1,167 minutes. The only match that Pham Manh Hung had to sit out was Hai Phong's 0-4 defeat to Viettel, which took place on July 11 (suspended).

It can be seen that in recent seasons, Pham Manh Hung has never played as often and has had as stable performance as he is doing in the Hai Phong team. It is not an exaggeration to say that Pham Manh Hung and Nguyen Van Toan are the two faces in the defense that make the Hai Phong coaching staff feel most secure and satisfied up to now.

At first, Pham Manh Hung was arranged to play in the left-back position. But since the crushing defeat against the home team B.Binh Duong with a score of 0 - 5, in round 4 of V.League 2020, the Hai Phong coaching staff decided to pull Hung "crossbar" to play in the center-back position. In his strong position, Pham Manh Hung has contributed significantly to the defense of the home team Lach Tray.

Coach Pham Anh Tuan (orange shirt) is the one who helped Pham Manh Hung "revive". Photo courtesy of Xuan Thuy

Pham Manh Hung's performance has become more and more solid, forcing Vietnamese-American center back Adriano Schmidt to sit on the bench and naturalized center back Hoang Vissai to pack his bags and go to Quang Nam to look for new opportunities. It is not by chance that in some matches, Pham Manh Hung was trusted by the Hai Phong coaching staff to be given the captain's armband.

Witnessing the fierce and precise tackles of the center-back wearing the number 3 shirt, most experts and football fans in the country could not help but be surprised. Because the name Pham Manh Hung had been forgotten at one point, after a forgettable period at SLNA and SHB Da Nang. Many people even put the 27-year-old player on the list of "SLNA's early-blooming, late-fading talents".

There is a saying: "After the rain, the sky clears again". Pham Manh Hung's own efforts and the trust of Hai Phong's coaching staff were finally rewarded. The impressive return of Hung "crossbar" cannot be mentioned without mentioning the role of head coach Pham Anh Tuan. Understanding Pham Manh Hung, no one can be better than Mr. Tuan "Thao". Thanks to that, Pham Manh Hung has found himself again.

Referring to his fellow countryman, head coach Pham Anh Tuan said: "He not only plays well on the field, but is also very conscious in his daily life and makes efforts in training. Compared to the past seasons, I see Hung playing more consistently, making fewer elementary mistakes. In particular, he still proves the qualities of a true leader when he plays well in the role of commanding the defense."

Most likely, Pham Manh Hung will be used by coach Pham Anh Tuan in the away match against Hai Phong.SLNA, taking place at Vinh Stadium, on the afternoon of October 16. This is a great opportunity for the player from Thai Hoa Town to demonstrate his inherent ability in front of the eyes of his hometown fans. Simply put, Pham Manh Hung is now very different from the past, no longer the "erratic" Pham Manh Hung as before.

Hopefully, Pham Manh Hung will not disappoint his fans./.