Song Lam Nghe An and the story of 'genuine' competition

At the end of the first phase of V-League 1-2023, Song Lam Nghe An did not make it to the top of the championship group A but had to play in group B - the group against relegation, in fact, a failure compared to the goal set at the beginning of the tournament. Perhaps a consolation for the majority of Nghe An fans is that although the team's leadership was late, they knew how to "change generals, change fortunes", and were interested in stimulating competition and rewarding each match, so the team was still able to rise to... the top of group B, which was not expected.

And at the beginning of phase 2, Song Lam Nghe An with the momentum achieved, continued to win 3 points in the match with Ho Chi Minh City to be completely assured of staying in the V.League 2023 and have the basis to immediately prepare everything for the next season 2023-2024, especially with a squad of potential young players.

Previously, the club president himself spoke up about “winning is okay, losing is okay, but…” which further shows the clear policy of the team’s leadership regarding the results and goals of this 2023 season and giving more long-term attention to the following seasons. It would be completely reasonable for potential young factors to have been called up to the Vietnam National Team or Vietnam U23, Vietnam U20… but when returning to their home team, they were worn out on the bench. It is also completely reasonable that pillars like Ngoc Hai, Trong Hoang or Xuan Manh have to continuously work hard from one match to another, while they need to have the necessary recovery periods, avoiding exhaustion as happened to Ngoc Hai in the victory over Hanoi FC in round 13 of phase 1. And when returning after a long injury, Trong Hoang was always kept to play almost the entire match but his strength was exhausted, unable to create a breakthrough as seen before, it is completely worthy of giving opportunities to the energetic young factors waiting in the technical area full of forces of the Vinh team...

But it seems that everything in phase 2, after the victory in round 1 of Phan Nhu Thuat and his team, is going astray from the expectations of the team's leadership and the majority of fans, through 2 humiliating defeats against Khanh Hoa (1-3) and especially the defeat against a team that had never known victory before, Binh Duong (0-2). It is agreed that the coaching board will give more space to young players like Nam Hai, Xuan Tien, Manh Quynh, Van Luong, Van Dai... so that they have the opportunity to practice and mature. It is agreed that Ngoc Hai, Trong Hoang, Dinh Hoang, Xuan Manh... will have time to rest, accumulate physical strength and enter the field at decisive, necessary moments. But the main thing is that the fighting spirit, "steel spirit and beautiful victory" that the chairman expected has gradually disappeared when the whole team performed a soulless, irresponsible style of play, turning their backs on the majority of fans.

It seems that the not-so-nice echoes and remnants of Song Lam Nghe An's time of surplus points have returned, meaning that the amateurism is still heavy to this day. While Hoang Anh Gia Lai also uses young players, also thinks about the long term but never forgets the present with 3 consecutive wins in the second phase with admirable professionalism, the recent results of Song Lam Nghe An have given rise to all reasonable and unreasonable speculations.

A coaching staff that knows how to “read” the game and manage human resources has completely disappeared, replaced by laxity in all aspects, losing early and not knowing how to regain the game, giving up and being helpless like a “poison” from the past has returned. The major fault in the goals conceded by Song Lam Nghe An in recent matches, unfortunately, belongs to the wing guarded by Ngoc Hai-Dinh Hoang, or the poor back pass of Trong Hoang… also shows that the lapses started from the veteran pillars. So there is nothing unfair about people contacting the “old books rehashed” in a team with potential but has long had no ambition, and then easily causing this problem to get into another complicated problem?

Currently in group B, the relegation story is on the shoulders of 3 teams: Ho Chi Minh City, SHB Da Nang and Binh Duong. It is not difficult for people to think of another defeat for Song Lam Nghe An at Hoa Xuan Stadium in round 4. Of course, ending the season with a match against Hoang Anh Gia Lai at Vinh Stadium, the team can win a match to wash their faces, making everyone happy against a familiar opponent who has run out of goals, in the way of "finishing everything and coming back" to aim for a new season with bold and hopeful declarations.

Someone said that Song Lam in real life and Song Lam in football are sometimes clear, sometimes muddy, and that is not wrong at all. Now is the time when Song Lam is muddy, unable to bathe or eat anything, just like a team that has lost consecutive matches, causing the stands to become empty and sad after being crowded for a few matches. With such a lack of professionalism and such "unreal" competition, how can we expect to have a solid position in the national teams in the future?