Coach Nguyen Hong Viet - the first teacher of SLNA U9 team

In his first year in charge of the team, the coach born in 1989 was with U9SLNAexcellent winNational U9 Championship Championyear 2022.

On this occasion, Nghe An Newspaper reporter had an interview with the young coach to learn about the job he is pursuing.

Coach Nguyen Hong Viet took a souvenir photo with the coaching staff and students in SLNA's traditional room. Photo: Duc Anh

PV:How did you feel when, for the first time as a head coach, you led a team to win the championship for your home province, as well as for SLNA Club?

Coach Nguyen Hong Viet:I am extremely happy to have won the championship for the first time as a coach for the SLNA U9 team, at the 2022 National U9 Tournament. This championship is a way to show gratitude in response to the trust that the SLNA Club Board of Directors has placed in me. This is also a premise for me to continue to strive on the path of coaching.

When we won the championship, I saw the bright smiles on the faces of the children and this made the coaching board very emotional. This is the priceless gift that I wish to receive in return. In addition, when we returned, we were welcomed and congratulated by the leaders of Nghe An province and the club. It was a feeling of great honor and pride for the efforts of the teachers and students during the months of hard training.

Before the tournament, there were times when we could not practice due to the impact of the epidemic. But with the encouragement and support of the Sports Department and the Club leaders, we overcame it.

PV:This is the first time the national U9 tournament has been held. How do you evaluate the benefits of the tournament?

Coach Nguyen Hong Viet:I think this is a very meaningful tournament as it creates a useful playground for the children. At the same time, it helps young players have the opportunity to develop comprehensively from intelligence to football skills.

In addition, the establishment of the SLNA U9 class is a premise for the SLNA Youth Football Training Center to be able to quickly discover, nurture, and develop young players, helping the Club have a good source of athletes for the future.

PV:What impressed you most on the journey to the championship?

Coach Nguyen Hong Viet:I was particularly impressed with the final match. There, I saw that the children's will and fighting spirit were very high. Although they were still very young, they showed the fiery fighting spirit of the people of Nghe An. Meeting U9 Binh Duong, a strong team, in the group stage match we could only beat them on penalties. However, in the final match of the tournament against this team again, we learned from our experience, the children tried harder and won overwhelmingly 3-1.

Authorized by the Provincial People's Committee, the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports presented 50 million VND to U9 SLNA. Photo: Duc Anh

PV:How difficult is training very young children compared to training older children? What is most important in training this age group?

Coach Nguyen Hong Viet:U9 is the youngest team in the SLNA Youth Football Training Center. Therefore, the children do not have uniform professional skills. Therefore, the coach has to work hard to train the children in each basic movement. However, I do not force the children to follow pre-set exercises, but want them to use their sensitivity and innate talent to form their own way of playing. However, the coach still has to be the one to train the children in each basic movement, providing appropriate lesson plans to help them develop in the right direction.

Comrade Tran Thi My Hanh - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism presented flowers to the young players. Photo: Duc Anh

To guide the children who are only 9 years old, requires the coach to be very diligent. We have to practice each exercise many times so that the children can remember it. And from those tactics, we can help the children apply it in each specific match.

PV:You have been a player who has played in many different environments. How do you think that advantage will help you in coaching?

Coach Nguyen Hong Viet:As a player, I was very fortunate to play in many different clubs. In each environment, I accumulated a lot of knowledge in both professional and personal life. Training and competing in the top clubs in Vietnam has supplemented my knowledge of different techniques and tactics. These are very good lessons, helping me to be more confident in coaching. I will use all the knowledge I have accumulated to pass on to the children.

PV:Every coach wants to build his own different coaching style. What kind of philosophy have you developed for your coaching style for your students?

Coach Nguyen Hong Viet:Talking about style is a bit grand, but I want to be a coach with the identity of Nghe An football. From that identity, I will pass on to my students a fiery competitive spirit, always having the desire to win. And above all, it is necessary to build players with personality, ethics in lifestyle as well as in career. Coaches who can do these things will be able to help their students be more steadfast on the path to becoming professional players.

PV:Thank you Coach Nguyen Hong Viet for this interview!