From Bahrain to Quang Ninh: Nghe An fans feel sad

(Baonghean.vn) - In West Asia, U19 Vietnam has created a 'miracle' by entering the 2017 U20 World Cup Finals. In Cam Pha City (Quang Ninh), the 2016 National U21 Finals have kicked off with the first matches. Watching both competitions of the country's young football players, Nghe An fans cannot help but feel sad.

1. Coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his team are making Vietnamese football famous by playing extremely well and reaching the semi-finals of the U19 Asian Championship. Even more amazing, U19 Vietnam will officially represent the continent at the U20 World Cup 2017 in Korea.

This is the happiness and pride not only of the U19 Vietnam team, of national football, but also of all Vietnamese people.

The great opportunity of history has called the U.19 Vietnam team.

In that exciting atmosphere, Nghe An football fans felt a little sad when thinking about their homeland’s football. How could they not feel sad when in the group of “heroes of Vietnamese football” there was not a single face from the SLNA training center.

Over the past 20 years, there has never been a time when the Vietnamese football teams have not had players from the SLNA training center. Usually, whenever the national teams compete in tournaments, Nghe An football fans list how many hometown talents have had the honor of wearing the sacred red shirt.

From the 2000 U16 Asian Cup, to the 2003 Sea Games, the 2008 AFF Cup... players from Nghe An have always dominated the team participating in the tournament. A series of names such as Van Quyen, Quoc Vuong, Huy Hoang, Cong Vinh... have not only brought glory to Vietnamese football, but also made Nghe An fans extremely proud of them.

The resounding achievements of the country's football (winning the AFF Cup 2008, 4th place in the U16 Asia...) are always associated with the talents from the SLNA training center. It is not an exaggeration to say that the players from Nghe An have contributed significantly to the continuous progress of Vietnamese football.

The absence of SLNA players in the Vietnam U19 team is the most accurate reflection of Song Lam's youth training work in recent times. There are many reasons, but mainly the input quality and the training process have not brought the highest efficiency. Therefore, in recent years, SLNA's U teams have all performed disappointingly in the finals. That is the reason why the national teams (Vietnam U16, Vietnam U19...) are missing faces from the Nghe An youth football training center.

2. The 2016 National U21 Finals kicked off at Cam Pha Stadium (Quang Ninh). In the most important tournament of Vietnamese youth football, the familiar name U21 SLNA was absent. Due to not being able to pass the qualifying round held in Thanh Hoa in early October, the team that won the championship 5 times (a record) had to stay home and watch the other teams compete.

This is considered a great disappointment for Nghe An football fans.

Although it is disappointing, but looking at it objectively, it is completely reasonable. A few years ago, many experts warned about the decline of SLNA’s youth training. There are many objective difficulties, and there are also many weaknesses from “outdated” ways of doing things.

All of these have combined to turn the most successful training center in Vietnamese football into a mediocre one compared to the general level of the whole country.

As a result, for two consecutive years, SLNA's U-21 teams have been left empty-handed. And this is also the second consecutive year that SLNA's U21 team has not been able to participate in the National U21 Finals.

SLNA youth team.

In fact, in the history of the National U21 Finals, U21 SLNA were unable to participate many times because they failed to pass the qualifying round. However, some SLNA players were still able to play in the Finals in the colors of other teams on loan.

For example, in the 2000 National U21 Finals, players like Ha Mai Giang, Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vo Duc Lam, Quang Tho... were borrowed by the host team U21 Da Nang to strengthen their squad. Or in the 2008 National U21 Finals, the host team U21 Binh Dinh borrowed Trong Hoang, Dinh Hiep... to participate in the tournament.

Therefore, even though U21 SLNA is not present at the finals, Nghe An football fans still have a reason to follow this tournament thanks to the presence of talents from SLNA.

According to the new regulations, players registered in the qualifying round will not be allowed to play for other teams in the final round. Thus, if they cannot pass the qualifying round, no U21 SLNA player will be able to participate in the tournament taking place in Quang Ninh this time. Therefore, many Nghe An football fans are indifferent to the 2016 National U21 Finals. And if they do follow, they will only feel more regret for the SLNA training center.

In the pride of U19 Vietnam, in the exciting competitions on Cam Pha field... only makes Nghe An football fans feel sad when thinking about their hometown team.

Tram Uyen