Goalkeeper Phan Dinh Vu Hai: From SLNA's launching pad to 'supporting actor' of Quang Ninh mining team

Goalkeeper Phan Dinh Vu Hai was born in 1994 in Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh. Thanks to his good physique, natural talent and great passion for football, Hai participated in the Phu Dong provincial sports festival and was selected by the teachers to train at the Ha Tinh youth team. However, in 2011, after XT Saigon disbanded the team, Vu Hai and many of his teammates were at risk of early retirement.

Having left his dream of becoming a professional goalkeeper unfulfilled, Phan Dinh Vu Hai decided to pack up and leave his beloved hometown to join Hai Phong Club. He quickly passed the basic test of the coaching staff and became the goalkeeper of the Hai Phong U19 team. During this time, Vu Hai appeared in the U21 SLNA team on loan.

After 4 years of persistent and hard training, in 2016 he was promoted to the first team of the Lach Tray team. However, he still did not have many opportunities to show himself because in terms of reputation and battle experience, Vu Hai was inferior when compared to Dang Van Lam or Van Phong.

Goalkeeper Phan Dinh Vu Hai in Hai Phong shirt. Photo: HPFC

In the first two years, he only played a few matches in the National Cup, but Hai Phong stopped early because they focused all their efforts on their V.League ambitions. In the final stages of the season, Hai Phong fell into a situation of lacking a goalkeeper because national team player Dang Van Lam was injured with no return date and the team's second goalkeeper Van Phong was also injured, possibly missing the rest of the tournament.

Finally, Phan Dinh Vu Hai had the chance to show himself in V.League 2017 in two important matches against Ho Chi Minh City Club and Song Lam Nghe An. And it was from this match that Vu Hai made a strong impression on SLNA's coaching staff and Nghe An fans.

At the end of the 2017 V.League season, he only played 6 matches. Then, luck came to Vu Hai again when SLNA had a goalkeeper crisis when Nguyen Manh, Van Hung and Van Tien were all injured, he was loaned to play for 1 year by the Nghe team. 2018 was the time when SLNA played in all 3 fronts: AFC Cup, V.League and Cup, giving Vu Hai many opportunities to show himself and play very well.

With his tenacious and energetic playing style in the Vinh home team, Phan Dinh Vu Hai contributed greatly to helping the Nghe An team have a quite successful tournament and was included in the typical lineup of the round many times. The achievement of winning 3rd place in the National Cup and 4th place in the V.League of the Nghe An team was greatly contributed by this goalkeeper who came on "secondment".

Goalkeeper Phan Dinh Vu Hai plays impressively at SLNA. Photo: FBNV

In his playing career, Vu Hai has never played up to 22 matches/season and all of them were in the starting lineup. Although he left a strong impression on Nghe An fans and SLNA leaders, Vu Hai decided to return to Hai Phong because the number 1 goalkeeper Dang Van Lam had moved to Thailand to play.

Returning to his home team Hai Phong FC, Phan Dinh Vu Hai was immediately valued by coach Truong Viet Hoang. In the first 3 rounds of V.League 2019, the goalkeeper from Ha Tinh appeared in the starting lineup and played the full 270 minutes. With Phan Dinh Vu Hai's excellence in goal, Hai Phong FC won 6/9 maximum points. An impressive return for Phan Dinh Vu Hai personally.

However, a minor injury in the 2019 National Cup qualifiers turned everything upside down. Phan Dinh Vu Hai could not play, the person who was "substituted" was young goalkeeper Nguyen Van Toan. Because this young goalkeeper had a better physique and played extremely impressively. This caused Phan Dinh Vu Hai to be pushed to the bench. The total number of matches Vu Hai played in V.League 2019 was 11 matches.

During his 6 years at V.League, the time he played for SLNA was the best time for Vu Hai. Graphics: TK

Finally, at the end of V.Leaue 2019, Vu Hai joined Quang Ninh Club on loan with the hope of playing more. This year, the mining team also participated in the AFC Cup 2020, but this does not mean that the big opportunity belongs to Vu Hai. In Quang Ninh, the goalkeeper position Tuan Linh is considered untouchable.

Looking at SLNA, Vu Hai has reason to feel regretful because at this time, goalkeeper Nguyen Manh has also left to join Viettel, goalkeeper Van Hoang is being given the opportunity. With what he has shown during his time playing for SLNA, the goalkeeper from Ha Tinh certainly has the ability to compete for a starting position in the Nghe An team.

Song Lam Nghe An and the 'launching pad' from the defense

(Baonghean.vn) - After the first two rounds of V.League 2020, SLNA is the only team that has not conceded a single goal.