Lam Nghe An River and the vicious cycle of 'changing generals midstream'

After the bitter 2-3 defeat against Ho Chi Minh City Police, coach Phan Nhu Thuat officially said goodbye to the coaching bench.Lam River Nghe An. An unsurprising decision given the pressure from a three-match winless streak weighing heavily on the 1984-born strategist.

This is also the third consecutive season that the Nghe An team has had to change coaches mid-season. A bad precedent is repeating itself with alarming frequency.

In the 2023 season, Phan Nhu Thuat was the one chosen to “rescue” Song Lam Nghe An after coach Nguyen Huy Hoang left the coaching chair. At that time, he helped the team successfully stay in the league, like a returning hero.

However, in the following season, Song Lam Nghe An fell into a deep crisis with a streak of 9 games without a win. Coach Pham Anh Tuan was brought in to replace him and also helped the team stay in the V.League. But in the 2024-2025 season, the old refrain reappeared: Song Lam Nghe An went through 7 consecutive games without knowing the taste of victory, and this time it was Mr. Tuan's turn to say goodbye.

And now,Coach Phan Nhu Thuatonce again leave. Three seasons - three changes of generals in the middle of the season, showing a vicious cycle with no end in sight.

Looking deeply into the cause, Song Lam Nghe An's biggest problem is still a slow start and poor preparation in terms of both personnel and mentality.

In the current season, Song Lam Nghe An's defense continues to be a weak point. The loss to Ho Chi Minh City Police was the 10th consecutive time the team has conceded, with a total of 23 goals - an alarming number for the Nghe An team.

Not only that, the players’ fighting spirit is also a big problem. It feels like the team is playing with the mentality of “waiting for an escape” at the end of the season like in previous seasons. It is this subjective mentality that often causes them to falter in the second half of the match – the moment that decides their fate.

Coach Phan Nhu Thuat, although very dedicated and has some tactical tricks, is considered too “gentle” to be able to revive the fighting spirit of his students. In football, loyalty and dedication are not enough – sometimes what the team needs is a real psychological boost.

The person chosen to take over the hot seat is none other than coach Nguyen Huy Hoang - who led Song Lam Nghe An to their most successful season in the past 4 years with 5th place in V.League 2022 (9 wins - 6 draws - 9 losses).

This time, Huy Hoang returns with the hope of rekindling the fiery spirit of the Nghe An people - something he has always shown with his strong personality. The ability to inspire the coach born in 1981 will be an important factor in reviving a Song Lam Nghe An that is crumbling both professionally and mentally.

However, the professional problem still remains. In the previous term, the playing style ofCoach Huy Hoanghas been criticized for lacking innovation, being monotonous and predictable. Without real tactical innovation, this comeback could just be another repetition.

Looking at it more broadly, Song Lam Nghe An’s problem does not only lie in the coaching staff. Weaknesses in early season preparation, lack of depth in personnel, low-quality foreign players, and especially unstable player mentality are causing the team to decline more and more.

If they do not improve soon, Song Lam Nghe An will continue to fall into the relegation race - something that has become familiar to fans in recent seasons.

V.League 2025-2026 is predicted to be the most intense season in recent years. Other teams continue to strengthen their squads to add strength, while Song Lam Nghe An is still struggling to find stability. If they continue to "put out the fire" by changing the coach mid-season, the Nghe An team may not be lucky enough to stay in the league for another season.