SLNA - 'Anything new today?'

The best news is the brightest star of SLNA ClubPhan Van Duchas returned to quarantine in Ho Chi Minh City and has tested negative. There are many different opinions about the 193 minutes of play of this midfielder number 20 in the national team jersey in the UAE. There are compliments, there are criticisms.

Good thing

Phan Van Duc still has certain value for the team. Photo: Thanh Nien Newspaper

But for those who are knowledgeable, it is difficult to expect a player who has not played for the national team for more than a year to play explosively like his teammates. More than anyone, Mr. Park knows that since the match against the Japanese team on January 24, 2019, this SLNA midfielder has not played for the national team. Coach Park still trusts him, which means that Van Duc still has a certain value for the team.

For Nghe An fans, Van Duc’s form in the relegation race with a dense schedule of matches is much more important. Simply, even when Olaha appears, this number 20 is the striker who scores goals for SLNA, not any other player. If Van Duc “sniffles”, SLNA’s coaching staff and Nghe An fans will be worried, that’s the truth.

The next good news is that SLNA's foreign players have arrived in Vietnam. Just by the way they were assembled, it shows that the duo Huy Hoang-Van Sy Hung have basically "correctly diagnosed" the team's illness. The young coach Huy Hoang is considered to have a personality, making decisive and reckless decisions. Behind him is his senior Van Sy Hung, who is smart and understanding. If they can combine them, it will be a lucky sign for SLNA. The fact that they decided to invite 2 foreign central defenders for trial to choose 1 shows that SLNA's coaching board has not followed public opinion, still insisting on not losing before thinking about winning.

Still headache foreign players

The spirit of SLNA players is also very high after having a new sponsor...Photo: Duc Anh

Olaha is a former SLNA player, who is present at Vinh Stadium mainly to carry the midfield rather than to score goals. In 3 football seasons for SLNA, Olaha is not a killer like the V.League foreign players. In a survey of foreign players who have played in V.League for many years, many central defenders could not even remember their names. But in the context of relegation, needing to find someone to assemble quickly, this is still not a bad choice, of course, so SLNA's coaching board still has to have other options.

The game "Coaching Challenge" will challenge Huy Hoang and SLNA's coaching staff when choosing and leaving out the three foreign players of this team's attack. None of Bruno, Peter and Martins are too outstanding, nor are they ranked in V.League 2021. Compared to Hoangvu Samson, a player who is still under contract with Thanh Hoa but is not allowed to play (currently being interested in by the Nghe An team), SLNA's foreign players only scored 6.7 points. It seems that which foreign player coordinates better with Olaha and SLNA players will be given priority?

In addition to eliminating the hassles in selecting foreign players, the professional analysis work of SLNA's coaching staff has also had certain improvements. The long, high playing style, with the wing midfielders crossing behind the goal under coach Quang Truong against all opponents (regardless of Nam Dinh or Hanoi FC) of the Nghe An team will probably be eliminated. Besides, the spirit of SLNA players is also very high after having a new sponsor...

SLNA is “old” – even very old, Tan Long is “new” and everything is happening in the style of “new wine” trying to renew “old bottles”. These are good things for SLNA. And fans are hoping for a completely transformed SLNA, new bottles and new wine, straight on the road to relegation this year and ready to compete for the championship next year....