Song Lam Nghe An: Difficult problem with foreign soldiers

(Baonghean.vn) - Saying goodbye to key striker Henry right after the first leg of the V. League ended, SLNA's coaching staff accepted a gamble with more losses than wins.

The bitter defeat against Hanoi FC in round 13 was like the "last straw", taking away all the patience of coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his colleagues regarding the poor performance of the duo Olaha - Henry.

If he hadn't "accidentally" given striker Olaha a contract that lasted until the end of the season signed at the beginning of the season, then surely the Nigerian player would have had to pack his bags and follow his colleague Henry out of the Nghe An team's headquarters with no return date in sight.

In short, Olaha was kept only because SLNA's coaching staff "regretted" several months of the contract.

Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's decision to "cut" Henry received the consensus of most Nghe An fans, but few SLNA fans supported the plan to find another foreign player to replace the Trinidad - Tobago striker.

Because according to them, SLNA's coaching board should bravely use potential domestic strikers like Tuan Tai, Viet Nguyen, Phuc Tinh as the top strikers in the attack. Objectively speaking, the opinion of Nghe An fans is completely justified.

The break between seasons of more than 2 months seems long but is actually quite short to contact and evaluate the real quality of foreign players. The risk of "getting into debt" is clear as day.

Olaha (yellow shirt) is still retained for phase 2, despite a series of disappointing matches in SLNA's shirt. Photo: Trung Kien

Another reason why fans do not want SLNA's coaching board to "buy" foreign players is the ambition of the Vinh team in this year's season. Referring to SLNA's specific goals in V. League 2017, the team leaders only made general statements such as:

“The whole team as well as myself always have the highest determination. Playing with dedication to attract spectators to the stadium, regaining the identity and colors of SLNA, that is the goal we set at this time,” Coach Nguyen Duc Thang shared at the departure ceremony. Without mentioning the clear position and ranking of the team, why waste money on buying foreign players?

SLNA's coaching staff knows that better than anyone. Having to gamble on foreign players is just a last resort in the current situation with the "leading players" of the Nghe An team. At the end of the first leg of the 2017 V. League, SLNA only had 14 points, temporarily standing at 11th place on the rankings, ahead of the two teams in last place XSKT Can Tho, Long An with 7 and 9 points respectively.

It may be difficult for Long An to escape relegation, but the play-off match between the 13th-placed team in the V. League and the 2nd-placed team in the first division cannot be taken lightly.

Based on the rankings and current situation, one of the four names: XSKT Can Tho, HAGL, B. Binh Duong and SLNA will have to receive the play-off ticket. The relationship between the teams in V. League is extremely complicated. In the past, there have been many "black" matches and the "spectacular" escapes of some teams.

Therefore, the Nghe An team must remain on high alert to escape the danger zone as far as possible. That task cannot be left to the domestic players + Olaha. It is easy to understand why SLNA's coaching board must look for a quality foreign player to add to the squad in phase 2.

Whenever comparing foreign players with domestic players, people often use the saying "a weak buffalo is better than a strong cow". Obviously, with the advantage in physique and physical strength, foreign players always show superiority over Vietnamese players. In addition to the direct task of bringing home goals, foreign players also contribute significantly to the overall playing style of the team.

Just look at Hanoi FC to see how big the influence of Hoang Vu Samson, Gonzalo... is. And don't forget, the quality of the capital team's domestic players is unmatched in the entire V. League. Yet, when Hoang Vu Samson was suspended for 2 matches, Hanoi FC had to share points with SHB Da Nang and Hai Phong.

SLNA's coaching staff is trying to find a foreign player to replace striker Henry. Photo: Trung Kien

Objectively speaking, the homegrown products in the hands of coach Nguyen Duc Thang are no more outstanding than most teams in the V. League. Even the players considered to be "stars" play inconsistently, sometimes good and sometimes bad. Without foreign players, don't expect to win against any opponent, even a weak team like Long An.

Even HAGL, with its highly praised domestic squad, is currently running around hunting for foreign players, let alone SLNA. And let’s not forget the importance of foreign players to every team in the V. League over the past 15-16 years.

Knowing it is risky, SLNA's coaching board still has to accept to embark on the search for foreign players for the team, to fight in the second phase of V. League. The success or failure of the upcoming contract will only be clear when the season ends. Coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his colleagues are having a headache with the problem of foreign players. Progress and retreat are both dilemmas./.

Thanh Hung