Song Lam Nghe An at V.League 2023/24: Risking to rejuvenate the squad

Right from the start of the 2023/24 V.League season, experts and audiences in Nghe An predicted a difficult season awaiting Song Lam Nghe An. After saying goodbye to Ngoc Hai and Xuan Manh, Van Hoang and a number of other older players, Song Lam Nghe An only has pillars like Dinh Hoang, Michael Olaha and a squad of players in their U23 age group.

Promoting a series of young players made Song Lam Nghe An lack experience and battle spirit and lost many matches regrettably. That is completely normal and risky for any club that applies the policy of "homegrown" and rejuvenates the force.

Currently, Song Lam Nghe An is having an unbeaten streak under coach Pham Anh Tuan, including draws against Ho Chi Minh City and Thep Xanh Nam Dinh, wins against Khanh Hoa, Quy Nhon Binh Dinh and Becamex Binh Duong. However, to achieve this achievement, in addition to the talent of coach Pham Anh Tuan, we must also mention the foundation created by coaches like Nguyen Huy Hoang and Phan Nhu Thuat.

During their tenure, these two coaches dared to promote and use young players who were only 18-20 years old. This helped them accumulate, mature and have battle skills over time. We can mention goalkeeper Van Viet, midfielder Ba Quyen, Quang Vinh. And coach Pham Anh Tuan was the same, he boldly kept foreign player Raphael Success to use two new faces, Le Dinh Long Vu and Bui Thanh Duc, when they were not yet 18 years old. In response to their teacher's trust, they played extremely well in recent matches.

Up to now, except for the case of central defender Phan Van Thanh due to injury, Song Lam Nghe An has used all the young players it has. In particular, there are Manh Quynh (21 matches); Van Viet (20 matches); Van Huy (19 matches); Ba Quyen, Quang Vinh, Van Thanh, Xuan Dai (19 matches); Van Luong (15 matches); Nam Hai (14 matches); Long Vu (8 matches).

Surely players like Long Vu, Quang Vinh or Thanh Duc will continue to be given opportunities because of their impressive performances in the past time. They are still in the U19 age group and certainly in the upcoming tournaments (in addition to the 4 young faces of Song Lam Nghe An who are focusing on the U19 team, Hoang Minh Hoi, Pham Nguyen Quoc Trung, goalkeeper Bao Ngoc), the young faces playing in V.League will be in the sights of coach Hua Hien Vinh.

The loss of Song Lam Nghe An because of using young players in the V.League playground is regrettable failures, falling points, but the biggest gain that the Nghe An team brings is maturity, experience in battle and courage, the opportunity to play in big matches that any young Vietnamese player desires. This is very important for their football career and the future of Song Lam Nghe An, the future of Vietnamese football. Players like Trong Hoang, Ngoc Hai, Xuan Manh, Van Duc who have contributed a lot to Vietnamese football have all been promoted to play in the V.League very early.

Continuing this tradition, Song Lam Nghe An will certainly return in the following seasons with a new look. The lesson from this season also helps the Coaching Board of Song Lam Nghe An have an accurate view of the importance of foreign players and find another player to share the burden for players like Michael Olaha, Dinh Hoang. Because the V.League playground is really fierce if there are not enough foreign players to solve the match.

It is likely that in the coming seasons, Song Lam Nghe An will continue to promote young players in the context that players like Van Lam, Sy Hoang or midfielder Van Viet have expired contracts and can freely seek new destinations. However, no matter what, Nghe An fans can rest assured about a youthful, enthusiastic and fiery Song Lam Nghe An. Because the young players who are being targeted by Team 1 are all playing at Vietnamese clubs on loan.

Not to mention the return of defender Ho Van Cuong from Hanoi Police after the end of his loan contract, will certainly make the competition for an official position at Song Lam Nghe An between young U23 players and U20, U18 players become more fierce than ever. And even the players who are only 18-20 years old, they have had a few seasons competing in the highest level of Vietnamese football.

At that time, it unintentionally became a pleasant headache for the head coach of Song Lam Nghe An and the coaching staff of the U21 Song Lam Nghe An team who were preparing their squad for this year. People often say that in every risk there is always an opportunity. That is the biggest gain of Song Lam Nghe An in V.League 2023/24.