Song Lam Nghe An needs to change in thinking

In the span of about a month, there have been too many incidents happening to SLNA Club. From the last straw, SLNA lost the 8th match and coach Ngo Quang Truong had to leave the head coach position to Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh asking to withdraw from the position of Club President. Even when a leader of the club and the team captain resigned, Nghe An fans were still restless.

First, the North Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank recognized the situation and sent a dispatch to the Department of Culture and Sports, SLNA Club and Nghe An Provincial People's Committee with many contents. In which, the most important contents are: No further sponsorship; The club will be immediately transferred to a new sponsor; The loans will be recalculated with the province and the club, not left behind for new investors.

After 12 years of companionship,North Asia Bankhas completed its mission and has been recognized by many fans. Because SLNA not only has achievements, but its identity and tradition are still continued, without interruption. The name and logo of SLNA are also kept intact. Achievements may go up and down, but the great contributions of Bac A Bank cannot be denied.

SLNA is a team with a consistent tradition. Photo: Duc Anh

The official dispatch and action of Bac A Bank can be considered a very “Fairplay” action in the matter of football activities, even economic issues. That means, the past 12 years have been a complete relationship and the decisions of this sponsor have paved the way for a new era for Nghe An football and SLNA.

On May 8, Mr.Nguyen Hong Thanh - General Director of SLNA Joint Stock Company, as the highest leader of the Company and Club, he stood up to apologize and admit his mistakes to his home province, sponsors and especially the large number of fans. A necessary action at a time when SLNA fans are very sad and disappointed when SLNA not only has poor results but also its operating model has not kept up with the times.

However, in addition to some favorable conditions such as youth training being supported by the province with 27 billion VND/year, support from Bac A Bank, and the efforts of many individuals and groups, SLNA still reveals many weaknesses and limitations in operating according to FIFA standards and operating according to the business model.

There are some main issues that Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh revealed to the media, that is, there are 3 new sponsors who want to accompany SLNA. And the wish of the sponsor Bac A Bank (from 2009-2021) is to keep the name of the team. At the same time, this is also the wish of SLNA leaders - those who have been with the club for a long time.

Young SLNA players need to enjoy better treatment and higher goals so they can feel secure in their efforts. Photo: Duc Anh

Of course, the leaders of Nghe An province, the current leadership of SLNA, relevant parties and sponsors will sit together to find new solutions and directions, to harmonize interests and find the most optimal solution, helping SLNA to live healthily, improve performance and of course ensure the rights of sponsors.

If calculated from 1979 to present,SLNAhas turned 42, but those past achievements cannot help this brand stand on its own two feet; even though modern football has changed so much, with young leaders full of enthusiasm, vision and new thinking in terms of expertise and management models.

The most important issue at this time is not only to find out the objective and subjective reasons that make SLNA struggle and decline, but also to prepare a mindset and conditions so that businesses and sponsors can confidently invest and sponsor the SLNA team.

Changing mindset, changing the way of doing things, SLNA can completely keep good players, even good foreign players. Photo: Duc Anh

Fans of Nghe An believe that it is difficult to find a sponsor who is as devoted to his homeland as Bac A Bank, but perhaps it is time for SLNA to change. Firstly, in terms of apparatus, personnel from the lowest to the highest levels... Secondly, the mechanism to operate in accordance with FIFA law, the regulations of the Vietnam Football Federation, and the Law on Enterprises. World football from the past to the present, to survive, needs not only audiences but also the ability to build and exploit brands.

It is difficult for a football team to keep its name for decades, but it will be easier if it is willing to change its thinking and actions to suit the trend of the times, helping a 42-year-old symbol to stand firm and survive on its own two feet.

Specifically, is it true that we should not be stereotyped and rigid in the matter of keeping the name, even the logo? Of course, identity and tradition are sacred, and need to be preserved to some extent, but in the world or most recently in Southeast Asia, V.League, many teams still choose another way.

Previously known as Hanoi T&T, this team has won many titles. SHB Da Nang Club is similar, the Han River team is always in the hearts of fans at Chi Lang and Hoa Xuan stadiums. B. Binh Duong is also a team with many achievements in the current V.League. Or most recently, Dong A Thanh Hoa, Topenland Binh Dinh.

Keeping the name is a matter of pride, but associating the name with a business is not unacceptable - if it helps a team have strong finances, helps experts choose good players, good foreign players and strive for higher goals.

Many V.League teams are still doing well even though they don't necessarily have to keep their names. Photo: VPF

Coach Nguyen Huu Thang - former head coach of SLNA confided that what he expected from SLNA was not just to stay in V.League, but also to have a specific goal to strive for. That is to win the domestic championship, compete in Asian tournaments to help Vietnamese professional football get closer to the region. Perhaps that was the reason why this coach left in 2014.

From the business perspective, to be fair, in this era of development, thinking and awareness are increasingly progressive, it will be difficult to find a sponsor willing to invest in football without regard to benefits (such as advertising), but for a big brand like SLNA to find one or even many sponsors is certainly not too difficult.

A completeness is something that everyone desires and is completely legitimate, but if put on the scale, between just being "proud of the past" and then "dying" with the old mindset, stuck in self-support, even being demoted and moving to a new stage, a new period of strength and development, with businesses accompanying, theNghe An fansWhat will you choose?

Not only the players on Vinh Stadium, experts, fans, but we believe that anyone interested in SLNA in particular and Vietnamese football in general wants everything to change and improve, contributing to the overall success of the country's football and Vietnamese sports.

In these difficult economic times, finding investment sources for football is even more difficult. If it is true that there are 3 or more units willing to invest in SLNA, they need to be welcomed and given the best conditions for football and for the common development.

Bac A Bank will part ways with Song Lam Nghe An after 12 years of association.

(Baonghean.vn) - According to the latest information, Bac A Bank has made decisive moves to part ways with Song Lam Nghe An after nearly 12 years of association, creating conditions for a new era of Nghe An football.