Le Manh Huy - from a struggling player to a promising coach

A BAD FOOTBALLER'S CAREER

Before entering the coaching profession, Le Manh Huy was a player who grew up at Song Lam Nghe An. In 2003, Manh Huy was officially promoted to the first team to compete in the V.League. However, he was later loaned to Hoa Phat by his home team.

At the new team, the player born in 1983 had a brilliant performance, thereby helping Hoa Phat to be promoted to play in the highest football league in Vietnam. With that success, Le Manh Huy was brought back by coach Nguyen Huu Thang to Song Lam Nghe An to play in V.League 2004.

However, when returning to his hometown team, Manh Huy often suffered serious injuries. In 2010, when he felt that he had no chance to recover from his knee ligament injury, Manh Huy decided to retire from the field. However, the passion for the king sport still burned in the veins of the player born in 1983. Therefore, he decided to pursue a career as a football coach.

Entering the Song Lam Nghe An training center in 2014, coach Le Manh Huy was fortunate to be an assistant to coach Le Ky Phuong. And it was this senior who helped Le Manh Huy shape his own coaching style and philosophy.

“I have learned many lessons from coach Phuong. How to manage athletes, how to train each player's ethics, how to impart professional knowledge to each student... I must affirm that coach Le Ky Phuong is one of the people who has had a great influence on my coaching work later on” - Le Manh Huy said.

After 2 years as an assistant to coach Le Ky Phuong, Le Manh Huy continued to be coached by coach Nguyen Van Thinh. This was the time that helped Manh Huy accumulate experience in reading tactics, how to break the opponent's play, how to choose the right time to "strike"... Later, Le Manh Huy also received additional support from other coaches such as Quang Truong or Van Tien.

Le Manh Huy confided: “I am lucky to have received dedicated guidance from my seniors. That is also the foundation that helps me firmly step on the path to becoming a professional football coach.”

Before becoming the head coach of U13 Song Lam Nghe An, Manh Huy had also tried his hand as the head coach of the U11 and U17 Song Lam Nghe An teams. However, he only stopped at the Bronze Medal achievement...

THE FIRST TIMES...

The atmosphere at the 41st anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers' Day (November 20) organized by Song Lam Nghe An Club was even warmer, because after a series of days of tirelessly nurturing dreams, the coaches at Song Lam Nghe An felt happier when receiving affection and gratitude from their own students.

Also at this celebration, many coaches from Nghe An were awarded Certificates of Merit by Nghe An province. Among the coaches receiving that honor was Le Manh Huy - who brought home the Gold Cup for SLNA at the 2023 National U13 Tournament. This was also the first time this coach stepped onto the pinnacle of glory.

After 9 years of working as a coach at SLNA, in 2022, Le Manh Huy was trusted by the leaders of the Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center to lead the U12 team. After more than 1 year of training in expertise, ethics, and lifestyle for each student, the Song Lam Nghe An youth team has made great progress.

This team is always united, unanimous, and supports each other in training and competition. This is the foundation for U13 Song Lam Nghe An to win the championship in the 2023 season with an undefeated record, reaching the pinnacle of glory in the satisfaction of many Nghe An fans.

“The moment U13 Song Lam Nghe An became the new champion of the 2023 National U13 Championship will forever be a beautiful memory in my coaching career. It was not only the first time I won the Gold Cup as head coach of a youth team, but also because my students always trusted and followed my instructions and tactics. In my coaching philosophy, I always want my students to play with dedication, actively attack and defend flexibly. And I think that is the key to our success” - Le Manh Huy shared.