Nam Dinh fans call themselves “meat and skin”
Emotion is the material to build a new chapter of Nam Dinh football when returning to the V.League. The greatest asset of Nam Dinh football over the past decades is the fans. The bright yellow stands, the majestic “Dong A Pride” flags – something that Nam Dinh football fans are proud of, no champion can match.
Since the loss to CAHN Club last season, Nam Dinh fans’ hearts were broken. When they feel their love has been betrayed, they choose to speak up, even criticize harshly, or some people stay silent. The fans’ association also quickly came to a decision to disband.
Thien Truong Stadium is still crowded with spectators, but the “soul” has somewhat faded. Photo: Thanh Trung Doan
But not everyone chooses to turn their back on the team. It is from that refusal to turn away that Nam Dinh people fall into a situation of “meat and flesh”. There is no longer an image of solidarity and unanimity to fuel the beloved team. Instead, those who choose not to continue cheering criticize, doubt and despise those who choose to continue cheering. Football brings Nam Dinh people together, but football also divides Nam Dinh people.
Every argument is given to defend the point of view. The war of words to win or lose continues until the new season. The arguments did not come to an end, but one thing is certain: Nam Dinh people… lost. Losing because Thien Truong could not keep their “soul”, Nam Dinh people also lost their identity and beautiful image in the Vietnamese football industry.
All in all, it’s because: The love of Nam Dinh fans is too great. There are fans who have exhausted their lives, dedicated their lives and shed tears more than once for the team. Anger is still angry, but love is still love. Therefore, the love, identity and “Dong A pride” of Nam Dinh people definitely cannot cool down and lead to “loss”. Because if that happens, they will be the ones to suffer.
Reliving “Dong A’s Pride”
Go back in time to the Tran Dynasty, the origin of “Dong A Hao Khi” – where the nation’s strength was originated and maximized to defeat the Yuan – Mongol invaders three times in a row. It is not only a symbol of the will to rise up against invasion but also contains an endogenous strength, a noble democratic and humane spirit of the Tran era, as Hung Dao Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan affirmed: ” The king and I agree, brothers and sisters live together, and the country contributes.”
Returning to football, the passionate, pure and noble love for this sport is not the only proud tradition but is the easiest means for Nam Dinh people to spread their image and identity. mine. In the past, they still regularly said “The King and I agree, brothers join together, the nation contributes” every weekend at Thien Truong or any away stadium.
The enthusiasm of the fans is the greatest asset of Nam Dinh football. Photo: Nam Trung Anh.
The Nam Dinh football team must still belong to the people of Nam Dinh, the people who have never stopped flowing the blood of national pride and pride in their homeland’s traditions. Therefore, the fire still smoldering behind the “wounds” needs to be rekindled and continued from generation to generation.
Thien Truong Stadium is still crowded with spectators this season, but the “soul” of Nam Dinh fans is still not truly complete. Football without an audience is dead football, but it cannot be a lifeless audience without enough enthusiasm.
The Nam Dinh fan group was also recently established with the motto: Promoting football traditions, cultural identity and image of Nam Dinh people. “As long as the two words Nam Dinh are on the players’ shirts, I will never give up,” an influential Nam Dinh fan confided.
Exciting, public discussions at new forums, preparations for upcoming “refueling” meetings. Preserving and promoting old values and innovating in ways of cheering are what Nam Dinh fans are aiming for as set out in their principles.
“The past is a valuable lesson to build the future,” a representative of the Nam Dinh fan group shared. The old wounds have not necessarily healed, but the determination to rebuild the image and identity in the stands of Nam Dinh fans is certain.
Everyone is waiting for the return of Nam Dinh fans. Because it not only represents the identity of Southern football but has become the pride of Vietnamese football when it comes to love and passion.
