Please stop criticizing Nguyen Manh!

(Baonghean.vn) - Even before the match between the Vietnam national team and the Indonesia national team at My Dinh Stadium ended, a barrage of criticism, even insults, was directed at goalkeeper Nguyen Manh for his mistakes. Among those most disappointed by fans was goalkeeper Nguyen Manh, who contributed to Coach Huu Thang's team's elimination from the 2016 AFF Cup in the semi-finals.

First of all, it must be acknowledged that the goalkeeper from Nghe An was one of the "culprits" for the Vietnamese national team in the recent match against the Indonesian team. It was Nguyen Manh's immature and lack of composure that allowed Indonesia to advance to the final. As a key player and leading figure (along with Cong Vinh, Van Quyet, Thanh Luong...), the 1991-born player was expected by the coaching staff and fans to lead younger players like Xuan Truong, Van Toan, Van Thanh... in this AFF Cup.

Besides his mental fortitude, Nguyen Manh is also arguably the best goalkeeper in Vietnamese football in recent years. Proof of this is that in two consecutive AFF Cup tournaments (2014, 2016), the SLNA club goalkeeper was the first-choice goalkeeper for the Vietnamese national team under coaches Miura and Huu Thang. For the past three years, whenever the national team assembled, Nguyen Manh was always the go-to choice for the goalkeeper position, a guarantee from coaches, experts, and fans alike. While other players face doubts about their professional ability and form, this was never the case with Nguyen Manh.

The Vietnamese team was eliminated due to individual mistakes. Photo: Internet.

This goes to show that the 25-year-old goalkeeper deserves the trust that the coaching staff, players, experts, and fans have placed in him. Therefore, Nguyên Mạnh's elementary mistakes in the second leg of the semi-final against Indonesia shocked, disappointed, and angered everyone.

A key player, a beacon of hope for the Vietnamese national team at the 2016 AFF Cup, lost his composure in a crucial match, at the most critical moments. Naturally, Nguyen Manh had to accept the public's outrage.

However, as fans of the Vietnamese national team, we should have an objective view of the 1991-born goalkeeper's performance in this tournament to make the most accurate judgment. Don't let the team's defeat or a few mistakes in a match completely negate Nguyen Manh's contributions to this AFF Cup.

Imagine what would happen if the goalkeeper for the Vietnamese national team wasn't from Nghe An province? It's difficult to give a precise answer. However, observing the journey of Coach Huu Thang's team in this year's AFF Cup, Nguyen Manh's contribution is significant, if not substantial. Leaving aside the recent match against Indonesia at My Dinh Stadium, the SLNA goalkeeper was one of the best performing players for the Vietnamese national team (along with Xuan Truong and Van Thanh).

Remember the three group stage matches in Myanmar, and you'll see the importance and contribution of Nguyen Manh. The victory that the Vietnamese national team achieved against host Myanmar (2-1) couldn't have come solely from the goals (by Van Quyet and Cong Vinh), without Nguyen Manh's superb saves. Vietnam also couldn't have overcome Malaysia if Nguyen Manh hadn't played poorly that day. And in the match against Cambodia, playing with ten men, without Nguyen Manh's talent, we wouldn't have been able to achieve the miraculous perfect record in the group stage, something unprecedented in the previous 11 AFF Cup tournaments.

How many times have we jumped up to cheer and applaud excitedly because of Nguyen Manh's spectacular saves? How many times have we breathed a sigh of relief because the ball was in Nguyen Manh's hands, much to the disappointment and helplessness of the opposing players? Are we really going to forget such wonderful moments? Don't turn yourselves into robots, heartless people who are indifferent to the efforts of others. Being tolerant and empathetic to their mistakes is what enriches our own hearts and souls.

Returning to Nguyen Manh's two mistakes in the match against Indonesia. The first was the play that led to the goal conceded in the 54th minute, when he reacted too slowly to a harmless cross from Boas Salossa. In that situation, if he had been more alert, the Vietnamese national team certainly wouldn't have conceded, putting their team in a difficult position. The second mistake was retaliating against an opposing player, resulting in a red card from referee Fu Ming, in the 75th minute. For an experienced goalkeeper like Nguyen Manh, these were two very regrettable incidents.

Goalkeeper Nguyen Manh was sent off. Photo: Internet.

Throughout the history of world football, there have been many legends who have made elementary mistakes that led to their teams losing matches and titles. Any fan who watched the 2002 World Cup final between Germany and Brazil cannot forget goalkeeper Oliver Kahn's "spitting" after Rivaldo's shot, which allowed Ronaldo (the Brazilian) to score for Brazil. That goal ended Germany's chances of winning the World Cup after a 12-year wait. Yet, Oliver Kahn not only avoided condemnation from his home fans, but he also won the Golden Ball award at the 2002 World Cup.

Four years later, in the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy, legendary player Zinedine Zidane headbutted defender Materazzi in the 110th minute after an exchange of words. As a result, the French midfielder was sent off, and the French team had to watch Cannavaro lift the World Cup trophy with Italy after a fateful penalty shootout (France lost 4-5). Although Zidane's moment of anger cost his team dearly, no fan considered him a villain.

The cases of Oliver Kahn and Zinedine Zidane illustrate one thing: true fans of the German and French national teams consider such mistakes to be perfectly normal in football. As the legendary Johan Cruyff once said: "Football is a game of mistakes. The team that makes fewer mistakes wins." Indonesia made fewer mistakes and had more luck, so their victory was perfectly normal, and we should accept that comfortably.

Stop criticizing Nguyen Manh. Photo: Internet.

Anyway, the match is over, the Vietnamese national team has officially been eliminated, and all the criticism and insults now have no positive value. As true fans, we should offer comfort and encouragement to Coach Huu Thang and his team, and especially to goalkeeper Nguyen Manh. At 25 years old, with his inherent talent, Nguyen Manh will contribute a great deal to Vietnamese football. For now, let's forget the mistakes and failures and look forward. Nguyen Manh, keep going!

Thanh Hung