What challenges await coach Thanh Cong at the Thanh team?

After the meeting on the evening of June 7, all members of Thanh Hoa Club agreed to fire coach Fabio Lopez and invite coach Nguyen Thanh Cong to lead the Thanh team for the rest of the 2020 season. This afternoon, June 8, coach Nguyen Thanh Cong will officially introduce the new team and immediately get to work.

Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong is a former SLNA player, son of former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh, with experience in youth football at his hometown team and Viettel. In the 2019 season, Nguyen Thanh Cong helped revive Saigon FC, helping the team overcome difficulties and finish 5th overall in the V.League.

Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong. Photo: VPF

Coming to Thanh Hoa, Coach Thanh Cong's first challenge is to face his hometown team. The match when this coach takes charge will be to welcome SLNA, the team currently ranked 3rd on the V.League rankings with an unbeaten record.

In the 2020 season, Thanh Hoa Club was supplemented with many players such as foreign players Ewonde Epassi, Djicka Gassissou, Josip Balic and striker Hoang Vu Samson. However, the Thanh team lost in the first 3 matches, losing 0-1 to Hai Phong at home, losing 0-1 to Ho Chi Minh City and losing 1-2 to Quang Nam away.

In fact, Thanh Hoa Club's domestic squad does not have many stars, there are still veteran names such as strikers Le Van Thang, Hoang Dinh Tung, Nguyen Minh Tung, Hoang Duong and other young stars who have been called up to the Vietnam U23 team such as Nguyen Trong Hung, Le Van Dai, Le Thanh Binh.

Captain Hoang Dinh Tung and his teammates are lacking a capable coach who understands Vietnamese football. Photo: VPF

In terms of domestic player quality, Thanh Hoa Club cannot be compared to teams like Hanoi, Viettel, HAGL but is not inferior to the general level of V.League. Therefore, the expectations of Thanh Hoa football fans and also the owner Nguyen Van De are very high.

Thanh Hoa’s biggest problem so far is the organization of defense as well as attack. Before meeting SLNA, Thanh Hoa Club had only scored 1 goal but had conceded 4 goals, ranking 13th on the V.League rankings.

Coming to Thanh Hoa Club, Coach Thanh Cong will have to start from scratch, from selecting the best players, shaping the playing style that was molded by his predecessor, Italian coach Fabio Lopez. As a young coach, Coach Thanh Cong is not afraid of challenges and the task of reviving Thanh Hoa Club at this time is also an opportunity for him to affirm his ability and passion.

Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong: From Nghe An to Ho Chi Minh City, 'all beginnings are difficult'!

(Baonghean.vn) - In his first time fighting in V.League, the strategist from Nghe An is having to go through many difficulties and challenges.