Song Lam Nghe An proactively prepares for the next generation of players.
(Baonghean.vn) - In the 2023 V.League season, one of the highlights for Song Lam Nghe An is the emergence and development of young players. The early arrival of these talents will help the Nghe An team proactively prepare its squad for the 2023/2024 season, which starts in October.
Rest assured about the goalkeeper position.
One of SLNA's biggest successes this season has been the outstanding performance of young goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet. Born in 2002, standing at 1.80m tall, Van Viet made his V.League debut in a 2-2 draw against Hong Linh Ha Tinh. Although his team only secured one point in that match, surprisingly, Van Viet showed no signs of nervousness typical of a young player making his first start.
The goalkeeper's excellence, composure, and maturity caught the eye of coach Philippe Troussier. After just two V.League matches, Van Viet was called up to both the Vietnam U23 team and the senior national team for training during the recent "FIFA Days" period.
Currently, Van Viet has played 5 full 90-minute matches for SLNA and it can be affirmed that, surpassing Van Hoang and Van Tien, the 21-year-old goalkeeper is the number one goalkeeper for SLNA. The fact that a young goalkeeper like Van Viet is given more opportunities to play and mature gives SLNA more confidence in the goalkeeping position for the coming seasons.
In recent years, SLNA has been reaping the rewards of its goalkeeper training program. At the youth level, goalkeeper Nguyen Bao Ngoc (born in 2007), standing at 1.83m tall, was the number one goalkeeper for the Vietnam U17 team at the AFC U17 Championship. Another promising goalkeeper is Cao Van Binh (1.82m tall), who is also a teammate of Van Viet in the Vietnam U23 team.
Besides Van Viet, Cao Van Binh, and Nguyen Bao Ngoc, SLNA has many other good goalkeepers with ideal physiques in their youth teams. At least for the next 5 years, the Nghe An team will not have to worry about the goalkeeping position because they have so many talented goalkeepers with plenty of opportunities for development.
These rough gems are waiting to shine.
The first team squad for the 2023 V.League boasts a number of players under the age of 21, most of whom have played quite regularly and are in their second or third season in Vietnam's top football league. The most notable examples are young players Dinh Xuan Tien and Ho Van Cuong, both born in 2003. This dynamic duo from SLNA has already played 11 matches and scored goals in the 2023 V.League.
Also born in 2003, if not for injuries, center-back Trinh Hoang Canh and defender Tran Ngoc Dung, two players who, along with Dinh Xuan Tien, won the U17 National Championship in 2020, would also have had the opportunity to test themselves in the V.League.
Meanwhile, another player, Tran Nam Hai (born in 2004), has also played 7 matches, starting 6 times. In fact, Nam Hai has had more opportunities than his older teammates because the player from Thanh Chuong is over 1.80m tall and can play in various positions such as attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder, and center back.
Also in midfield, Nguyen Van Bach (born in 2003), after a year playing for Quang Nam on loan, is gradually integrating into the team's playing style. It can be said that not bringing in Nguyen Manh and Khac Ngoc is truly a gift for young players in the goalkeeper and midfield positions such as Van Bach, Nam Hai, and Xuan Tien.
In September and October, the National U21 Football Championship will kick off, and half of the SLNA U21 squad will be reinforced from the First Team. Furthermore, SLNA will have the opportunity to assess a number of young players who are ready to be promoted to play in the professional league, such as Nguyen Quang Vinh, Le Nguyen Hoang (Vietnam U20), and Trinh Hoang Canh, Tran Ngoc Dung.
According to experts, in the near future, players from the Vietnam U17 team such as Le Dinh Long Vu, Phan Van Thanh, Pham Nguyen Quoc Trung, Phung Van Nam, and Nguyen Trong Tuan (Captain of SLNA U17)... have a great opportunity to showcase their talents in the SLNA U21 team and may one day wear the SLNA first team jersey.
In the U21 league, SLNA is certainly considered a contender for the championship. As for the professional league, over the next 4-5 years, SLNA has completely taken the initiative in training the next generation of players, given that senior players like Que Ngoc Hai, Trong Hoang, and Dinh Hoang are past their prime. This is a significant advantage compared to other V.League teams.
