Lam River in Nghe An: Where does the real concern come from?

Except for Than Quang Ninh FC, which lacked provincial support and had its sponsors withdraw, causing players to wander aimlessly and creating great disappointment for fans in the mining region, the other clubs are actively strengthening their squads and improving facilities to prepare for their ambitions in the new season.

For SLNA, the arrival of a new sponsor allows the team, even without knowing the fate of the 2021 V. League, to take a step ahead of other clubs, especially in terms of strengthening its squad. This means that top stars can confidently stay and serve their hometown team, and it's a "homecoming" for veteran players and even foreign players who previously performed well for the Vinh-based club. In addition, many young talents have been called up to the first team, ready for necessary replacements in the near and distant future...

SLNA finished last but will not be relegated. (Photo courtesy of Duc Anh)

Looking at other clubs, such as Hai Phong, Binh Dinh, or Ho Chi Minh City..., one sees a fierce race among ambitious club owners who have no shortage of money but lack achievements, seemingly prioritizing quick results over depth. Some of these clubs may achieve some results soon, but football is never a case of "not sowing" and "reaping." Not to mention the question of whether bringing in many talented players from struggling teams will immediately create a satisfactory, high-performing, and entertaining team. It's also a 50/50 chance of bringing in a good coach and quickly changing the ranking of a mediocre team that has just returned to the V.League.

To see, before the new season, while their rivals did much of what was necessary, SLNA also accomplished quite a bit. Their rivals strengthened their squads, while SLNA had an excess of players... In terms of the current quality of players, SLNA generally doesn't need to scramble or fear any opponent that is too high-class or too superior, whether it's HAGL or Hanoi FC, T. Binh Dinh with hundreds of billions of dong each season, or Ho Chi Minh City, known for making sensational moves in the transfer market but still achieving very lackluster results...

But withSLNAIt's impossible to say that everything will go smoothly and without incident. Van Duc and Xuan Manh are not currently in their best form, and it's clear that after serving the national team to the fullest, they will need time to recharge at their clubs. Will Trong Hoang recover quickly if he agrees to return home, and will he achieve the same level of success he has had? Will foreign players like Olaha and Memovic be able to maintain their previous performance if their clubs don't renew their contracts, forcing them to return to their old teams? And the biggest, and most real, concern is the unproven competence of the coaching staff led by Huy Hoang.

There will be many major changes at SLNA Club in the new season. (Photo: Duc Anh)

The V.League is not fertile ground for inexperienced coaches lacking confidence and authority over opponents, players, and referees. Huy Hoang only has "one loss" in the V.League, while talented and experienced coaches like Phan Thanh Hung, Duc Thang, Chu Dinh Nghiem, Truong Viet Hoang, Tran Minh Chien... have more than enough experience to anticipate their younger opponents' tactics after half a match or even a full half, allowing them to impose their will or turn the tide. Of course, they were also young coaches once, and they also achieved what people call "the younger generation is formidable." Will Huy Hoang be able to do the same? Assistant coaches Nhu Thuat, Van Quyen... have impressive resumes from their youth playing careers and youth leagues, while the V.League is a fierce competition with many unspoken stories... whether they can be of much help to the head coach remains to be seen.

Therefore, I think that if there is any concern regarding SLNA before the new season, it is obviously a concern within the team's technical area? Perhaps, besides the team's belief in Huy Hoang as the best choice at this time (rather than "buying" a good coach, unlike the traditional approach), it is necessary to have some strong support from experienced coaches who are already part of SLNA, such as Van Thinh, Ky Phuong, Quang Truong, Dinh Dung... Of course, there must be a mechanism to prevent the "too many cooks spoil the broth" situation, where no one listens to anyone else, leading to failure. The main thing is to nurture and support the younger generation to mature, for the sake of the team as a whole, and for the progress of our hometown...

Phan Văn Đức has agreed to re-sign with SLNA on a three-year contract. (Photo: Đức Anh)

Relieving the pressure from major rivals and alleviating concerns about the coaching position, SLNA will have the opportunity to reclaim what they once had, what they regrettably lost after finishing bottom of the table in a disappointing season that no one wants to remember. "Without a teacher, you can't achieve anything," and "a good teacher produces good students" are old sayings that remain relevant and true in life and in football. Hopefully, this is unnecessary worry, because Huy Hoang and his colleagues have been and will continue to perform their duties to the best of their ability, proving themselves on the pitch in any context, against any opponent, so that SLNA always reaches its desired finish line.