Au Van Hoan: "The tin soldier" with a smiling face
(Baonghean) - Born in 1989 in Hung Nguyen, with a short, stocky figure and big lips, Au Van Hoan is often jokingly called "the tin soldier with a smiling face" by his teammates. His diligent playing style, his forte in sticking to the sidelines, crossing the ball, and shooting from afar with great accuracy is the easily recognizable image of defender Au Van Hoan every time he is on the field.
He was successful and played prominently in the U17 and U19 youth teams of SLNA, then was "borrowed" by U21 Hanoi.T&T toplaying in the national tournament, Van Hoan was promoted to play in the first team in 2007, when he was just 18 years old. Unlike other players who had to spend several years to prove themselves and win a starting position, right from the first season, Van Hoan was trusted by the coaching staff and given a starting position in the right-back position.
Au Van Hoan becomes an indispensable player in SLNA's starting lineup
But compared to his teammates of the same age at SLNA such as Trong Hoang, Van Binh, Quang Tinh..., Van Hoan often misses the opportunity to gather with the national youth teams, because playing in the same position, there are also experienced players such as Hoang Quang, Quoc Long... Not discouraged, Van Hoan still works hard in training sessions and plays his best for SLNA Club.
During the years wearing the SLNA first team jersey, Van Hoan and his teammates won bronze medals, silver medals, the National Cup, and the V.League Championship - quite an impressive achievement for a young player. Then at the 26th SEA Games, he, along with Trong Hoang, Van Binh, and Hoang Thinh of SLNA, became indispensable factors in the U23 Vietnam squad. In this tournament, although the U23 team did not play convincingly, Van Hoan was a bright spot among the players participating in this tournament.
With his cross-field moves, precise crosses and long-range shots, Van Hoan has made a strong impression on fans and the coaching staff of the U23 Vietnam team.
In the 2012 season, after the departure of Nguyen Hoang Helio, Van Hoan's responsibility at SLNA became even heavier when he had to join forces with Huy Hoang, Ngoc Luan, and Thierry to fill the gap left by this "steel shield". While his teammates from U23 such as Van Binh and Trong Hoang had somewhat slowed down in form, Van Hoan shone with decisive and effective ball interceptions, precise passes to launch attacks, and beautiful long-range shots.
In the quarter-final match of the National Cup (January 29, 2012), against the fiery V.Ninh Binh team, Van Hoan not only did a good job of blocking his right wing, but also scored two classy goals (a long-range shot hitting the crossbar and a close-range shot that left the opposing goalkeeper helpless), helping SLNA make a spectacular comeback to enter the semi-finals.
Commenting on Van Hoan, Coach Huu Thang said: "Hoan is a player with great potential and is very professional, never satisfied with what he has achieved but always has an open attitude, learning from his teammates and even his opponents. That has helped Van Hoan to improve more and more and affirm his role as a pillar in SLNA as well as the national U23 team."
Knowing how to seize opportunities and be willing to learn, the road ahead is wide open for the "tin soldier with a smiling face".
Duc Chuyen
