Pink memories

(Baonghean) - Most of the young players aspiring to become professional footballers, currently studying and training in the youth teams of the Song Lam academy, have all grown up participating in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament. For Phan Van Lam, Nguyen Van Hanh, and Phan Van Duc, the vibrant days of that tournament remain vivid in their memories, serving as motivation for them to continue pursuing their dream of becoming professional players.

Born in My Son commune, Do Luong district, Phan Van Lam's talent was discovered very early. In the memory of coach Tran Van Son, the mentor of many generations of young players in Do Luong district, after Cong Phuong, Phan Van Lam was the one with the qualities of a "child prodigy". Lam participated in the Song Lam youth football academy located in Do Luong district from the age of 10. In 2009, Lam joined the Do Luong district youth football team to participate in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament. However, that season, Lam was a substitute, not getting a single minute of playing time. "It was very sad, because in football, everyone wants to be on the field. Seeing the stands full of spectators, I also wanted to go out and contribute, to show my skills, but at that time, I was still young, so the coaching staff had to prioritize the older players. My first tournament was a sad experience, but it was just a personal one," Phan Van Lam shared.

By the 2010 season, at the age of 11, Van Lam was a key player, an irreplaceable name in the Do Luong District Children's team. Thanks to Phan Van Lam's outstanding performance, the Do Luong Children's team reached the final. However, in the final, their opponent was the Tan Ky Children's team, a "powerhouse" at the time, so Phan Van Lam and his teammates had to accept defeat. Although they didn't win the championship, his excellent performance led to Phan Van Lam being recruited by the Song Lam academy immediately after the tournament ended.

Phan Văn Lắm (right) was the captain of the SLNA U.19 and U.17 teams that participated in the 2015 national championship.

In 2015, despite being only 16 years old, Phan Van Lam was the captain of the SLNA U.19 team participating in the National U.19 Football Championship. At that time, Lam was also the captain of the SLNA U.17 team participating in the national championship qualifiers held in Thua Thien Hue. According to the coaches at the Song Lam academy, Lam is a versatile player with a modern playing style. Lam's ability lies in his excellent control of the midfield and, most importantly, his ability to make a difference.

The special memories associated with the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament are unforgettable for Nguyen Van Hanh, currently the number one center-back of SLNA's U.17 team. Hanh was born and raised in Hop Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district. Passionate about football, Hanh participated in tournaments at the village and commune levels, and was later called by his teachers at the Cultural, Sports and Information Center to participate in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament in 2010. Wearing the Yen Thanh Youth team jersey, Hanh tried his best, but ultimately Yen Thanh did not advance beyond the qualifying round. Although the team did not achieve good results, with his superior physique (Hanh is currently 1.78m tall) and powerful playing style, Hanh caught the eye of SLNA's scouts. “The tournament was a failure, and I thought I no longer had a chance to join the Song Lam academy. Usually, only the teams with the best results get players a chance. But unexpectedly, after returning home for a while, I was informed by the coaches at the District Cultural, Sports and Information Center that the Song Lam academy had sent a notification and told me to report to the club at a certain time and date. The joy was overwhelming; I was so happy, and my whole family was proud,” Hanh said. Nguyen Van Hanh has developed very well physically, and his professional skills are also a highlight that has helped him score points. Like Phan Van Lam, this year, in addition to the U.17 National Championship, Hanh has also been selected to participate in the U.19 team of SLNA.

Another promising name among Nguyen Van Hanh's compatriots and seniors at the Song Lam academy is Phan Van Duc. Phan Van Duc and Ho Tuan Tai were two players from the Song Lam academy who created a sensation in 2014 and 2015. At that time, despite being only 19 years old, Duc had already received offers from many other teams. With the approval of SLNA's leadership, Van Duc recently joined a First Division team to gain more experience, with the goal of returning to play for SLNA's first team in 2016.

Van Duc also rose to prominence through the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament. While not very successful with the Yen Thanh Children's team in this tournament, his skillful play was recognized, and the Song Lam academy contacted him to sign a contract. "The tournament was a stepping stone, giving me the opportunity to be where I am today. I will always remember and express my gratitude to the founders and organizers of the tournament over the past nearly 20 years," Duc shared.

Vinh Liem