The boy who sold tea became the head coach of SLNA.

(Baonghean) - From a tea vendor to the head coach of SLNA, it's been a long journey, and for Duc Thang, it's like a fairy tale. Along that path were sweat and tears, making today's success all the more precious…

Although his career wasn't particularly illustrious, when Duc Thang was chosen to take the "hot seat," many people supported him. Simply because, besides his friendliness and responsibility towards his work, Duc Thang is also known for his willpower and determination to overcome difficulties. October 27th is certainly a significant milestone in Duc Thang's career, because from a boy selling tea years ago, he is now the head coach of the renowned SLNA football team.

Nguyen Duc Thang when he was still wearing the goalkeeper gloves at SLNA

Nguyen Duc Thang was born in 1977 in Giang Son commune, Do Luong district. His father worked as a road construction worker, and his mother worked at a pharmaceutical company, so later, Duc Thang's family moved to Vinh to live. With many children and parents who didn't earn much money, Duc Thang and his four siblings faced many difficulties during their childhood.

As a student, Duc Thang used to sell tea at movie theaters every evening, and during the day he worked as a construction laborer in Vinh City. His difficult childhood led him to dream of doing something to help himself and his family escape poverty. That opportunity arose in his 11th grade year when officials from the Sports Training Center came to his school to announce a recruitment drive for volleyball players.

With his ideal height (1.82m) and a passion for the sport since childhood, Duc Thang registered to participate. His impressive height immediately caught attention. After just a few shots, the leaders of the Sports Training Center accepted him into their staff. Packing his bags to go to the center for training, Duc Thang was overjoyed, for his dream of escaping poverty was now much closer. However, there were other opportunities that Duc Thang probably couldn't have imagined while pursuing his dream of a better life as a volleyball player.

Assistant coach Nguyen Duc Thang will replace head coach Ngo Quang Truong in the 2017 V-League season. Photo: Internet

The story goes that the Nghe An Provincial Sports Training Center was located right next to the Song Lam Football Club. Being a football fan himself, Duc Thang took advantage of his free time to visit Vinh Stadium to watch SLNA train. Seeing Duc Thang's ideal height, the head of the Song Lam Football Club at the time, Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh, was immediately impressed. It was General Director Nguyen Hong Thanh who approached Duc Thang, bringing him to the Song Lam academy for a trial.

After training in the youth academy for a year, Duc Thang was promoted to the SLNA first team at the end of 1995. Initially, Duc Thang was a backup goalkeeper to Quoc Trung, but later became SLNA's number one goalkeeper from the 1998 season. His towering physique earned him the nickname Thang "the dinosaur" from his teammates. Thanks to his good performances for SLNA, Duc Thang was called up to the Vietnamese Olympic team to participate in the Independence Cup and several other tournaments in 1999.

In 2004, Duc Thang followed his mentor Nguyen Hong Thanh to join HN. ACB. At that time, the signing bonus offered by the Hanoi team was 150 million VND - a relatively large sum for a goalkeeper back then. However, many people still admire Duc Thang for refusing a 250 million VND signing bonus from Da Nang to keep his promise to his mentor Nguyen Hong Thanh.

In 2009, when Bac A Bank took over SLNA and extended an offer, Duc Thang packed his bags and returned. He continued playing for his hometown team for another three years before becoming an assistant coach to Huu Thang and later Quang Truong. According to reports, in addition to his A, B, and C coaching licenses, Duc Thang currently holds a physical fitness certificate, an advanced FIFA certificate, and Level 1 and Level 2 goalkeeping coaching certificates. He has become one of the most qualified coaches at SLNA today.

Willpower and determination have shaped Duc Thang into a studious individual, leading him from a disadvantaged position compared to many of his peers to the success he enjoys today. Although challenges still lie ahead, many believe that through hardship and struggle, Duc Thang has learned valuable lessons and is ready to face any difficulties in the future.

VINH LIEM