Without playing a match, 4 young HA.GL players left Arsenal to return home

Despite training hard for the past 10 days, 4 players from Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) Arsenal JMG Academy did not have a chance to play a single minute for the Arsenal U18 team.

Be welcomed like a VIP

In early December 2012, four young players Tuan Anh, Xuan Truong, Cong Phuong and Dong Trieu flew to England to begin training with Arsenal U18. Although there were no leaders or interpreters accompanying them, "team leader" Tran Huu Dong Trieu and the other three teammates were not too worried about flying to England.

According to Arsenal's arrangement, team leader Dong Trieu stayed in the same room with Cong Phuong, while Tuan Anh and Xuan Truong stayed in the other room. All exchanges and contacts between the group and Arsenal's leadership were directly arranged by Dong Trieu. The Quang Nam player himself also had continuous exchanges with HAGL Team Leader Nguyen Tan Anh and reported in detail about his life, accommodation, and training in England during the past time.

4 young HA.GL players have only trained with the Arsenal U18 team

All four young talents were truly "stunned" by the attention and very respectful reception from Arsenal Club (staying at the 4-star Village Hotel, traveling by luxury Mercedes Benz). After getting acquainted with the new accommodation, Dong Trieu and his teammates had the opportunity to meet with the first team coach Arsene Wenger and Technical Director Steve Morrow, before starting training with the Arsenal U18 team. They also got to watch the London Gunners defeat West Brom 2-0 in the 16th round of the Premier League at Emirates Stadium.

"The food and drinks here are very expensive, but we are warmly welcomed as if we were already Arsenal people, not just on trial. However, Western food does not always suit Vietnamese tastes like us. So, in our luggage for the trial, in addition to computers and competition shoes, all four of us brought instant noodles to eat. Many times we craved the home-cooked meals of the ladies at the HAGL Arsenal JMG Academy," said Dong Trieu.

The trip was not perfect

The U18 Arsenal coaching staff acknowledged the efforts of all four young players from the HAGL Arsenal JMG Academy to practice and show their abilities. However, the opportunity to play and demonstrate the abilities of all four young Vietnamese stars was unsuccessful. All four players said that in December 2012, the Premier League for youth training academies in England only had two matches: on December 1 (U18 Arsenal lost 3-5 to U18 Reading) and on December 14 (U18 Arsenal won 5-0 to U18 Blackburn Rovers). All four young stars of Mr. Duc hoped to play in the recent match against U18 Blackburn Rovers, but unfortunately, it was not successful.

"On December 21, the entire Arsenal U18 team will be given a break from camp and we will also pack our luggage to prepare to return home. According to the schedule, on December 20, we will return from London to Ho Chi Minh City, ending more than 10 days of training here. Experiencing and training with Arsenal U18 is great, but if we had the opportunity to play on the field, it would be more perfect."

HAGL leaders said that after the 2013 Christmas and New Year holidays, Arsenal Club will evaluate and decide whether to call back any of the four young stars Xuan Truong, Tuan Anh, Cong Phuong and Dong Trieu.

According to Infonet - DT