Former U21 Song Lam Nghe An player retires from football

It is known that the contract between Tran Dinh Thang and Phu Dong Club is still valid until the end of this season. However, due to not contributing much to the home team, the player born in 1990 decided to leave Thanh Tri Stadium earlier than planned. According to Tran Dinh Thang, he will switch to another job after nearly 2 decades of playing football.

Tran Dinh Thang has retired from his professional career. Photo: FBNV

Tran Dinh Thang is a product of the Song Lam Nghe An training center, in the same generation as Que Ngoc Manh, Le The Cuong, Nguyen Canh Duong and Vuong Quoc Trung, currently a pillar of Phu Dong Club. Objectively assessed, Tran Dinh Thang's football career is somewhat quieter and more difficult than his teammates of the same age, although his talent and efforts are not inferior.

After winning the runner-up position with U21 Song Lam Nghe An at the 2010 Thanh Nien Newspaper U21 Tournament, Tran Dinh Thang had to leave Vinh Stadium to join Hanoi ACB. At the beginning of the 2013 season, the player from Quynh Luu was recruited by Quang Nam. Under coach Vu Quang Bao, Tran Dinh Thang played quite impressively and contributed greatly to the 2013 National First Division Championship and the ticket to play in the V.League arena.

Tran Dinh Thang (far left) in Quang Nam shirt. Photo: FBNV

Unfortunately, a very serious injury that occurred in the final stage of V.League 2014 forced Tran Dinh Thang to stay away from the field for nearly 3 years (2014 - 2016). There was even a time when Tran Dinh Thang had to work as a construction worker to make a living. Thanks to his tireless efforts, Tran Dinh Thang was able to return to the professional playing field at the beginning of the 2017 season in the Phu Dong Club, which was then playing in the National Second Division.

At Thanh Tri Stadium, Tran Dinh Thang used to be one of the "irreplaceable" pillars of Coach Nguyen Trung Kien. Thanks to his strong, enthusiastic and equally intelligent playing style, the player nicknamed "Antonio Valencia of Vietnam" was often present in the starting lineup of Phu Dong Club with his strong position as right-back. In general, Tran Dinh Thang always completed the assigned tasks quite excellently.

But in the first leg of the 2022 National First Division, Tran Dinh Thang was no longer valued by the Phu Dong Club's coaching staff. The decline in physical strength due to age was the main reason why the former U21 player of Song Lam Nghe An, Hanoi ACB and Quang Nam had to often "wear out his pants" on the bench. This is understandable, because Tran Dinh Thang has turned 32 years old.

Instead of staying to enjoy "easy work, high salary", Tran Dinh Thang proactively asked the Board of Directors of Phu Dong Club to terminate his contract half a season early. In the immediate future, the defender from Quynh Luu will rest for a while to prepare for the plan to study for the AFC C-license coaching course./.