Le Manh Huy - from a struggling player to a promising coach
(Baonghean.vn) - After 9 years of coaching, it wasn't until 2023 that Coach Le Manh Huy finally won his first championship with the U13 Song Lam Nghe An team. This also marks a new milestone that will help him progress further in his coaching career at the Nghe An team.
A Turbulent Career as a Football Player
Before becoming a coach, Le Manh Huy was a player who rose through the ranks of Song Lam Nghe An. In 2003, Manh Huy was officially promoted to the first team to play in the V.League. However, he was later loaned to Hoa Phat by his parent club.
At his new club, the player born in 1983 had a brilliant performance, contributing to Hoa Phat's promotion to the top football league in Vietnam. Following that success, Le Manh Huy was brought back to Song Lam Nghe An by coach Nguyen Huu Thang to play in the V.League 2004.
However, upon returning to his hometown team, Mạnh Huy frequently suffered serious injuries. In 2010, feeling he had no chance of recovering from a knee ligament injury, Mạnh Huy decided to retire from football. However, his passion for the sport remained strong. Therefore, he decided to pursue a career as a football coach.
Joining the Song Lam Nghe An training academy in 2014, coach Le Manh Huy was fortunate to be an assistant to coach Le Ky Phuong. It was this senior figure who helped Le Manh Huy shape his own coaching style and philosophy.
“I have learned so much from Coach Phuong. His methods of managing athletes, instilling ethics in each player, and imparting professional knowledge to each student… I must affirm that Coach Le Ky Phuong is one of the people who has had a very significant influence on my coaching career later on,” said Le Manh Huy.
After two years as an assistant coach to Le Ky Phuong, Le Manh Huy continued to be mentored by coach Nguyen Van Thinh. This period helped Manh Huy accumulate experience in reading tactics, disrupting opponents' play, and choosing the right moment to strike. Later, Le Manh Huy also received assistance from other coaches such as Quang Truong and Van Tien.
Le Manh Huy shared: "I am fortunate to have received dedicated guidance from senior figures in the field. This has laid the foundation that has helped me confidently move forward on the path to becoming a professional football coach."
Before becoming the head coach of the U13 Song Lam Nghe An team, Manh Huy had also tried his hand as the head coach for the U11 and U17 Song Lam Nghe An teams. However, he only managed to achieve a Bronze Medal...
THE FIRST TIMES...
The atmosphere at the 41st anniversary celebration of Vietnamese Teachers' Day (November 20th), organized by Song Lam Nghe An Club, was even warmer because, after days of tirelessly nurturing dreams, the coaches at Song Lam Nghe An felt happier receiving the affection and gratitude from their own students.
Also at this commemorative ceremony, many coaches from Nghe An province were awarded Certificates of Merit. Among those receiving this honor was Le Manh Huy, who brought home the Gold Cup for SLNA at the 2023 National U13 Championship. This was also the first time this coach had reached the pinnacle of glory.
After 9 years of dedication to coaching at SLNA, in 2022, Le Manh Huy was entrusted by the leadership of the Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center to lead the U12 team. After more than a year of honing the professional skills, moral character, and lifestyle of each student, the Song Lam Nghe An youth team has made remarkable progress.
This team has always been united, supportive, and cooperative in training and competition. This is the foundation that enabled U13 Song Lam Nghe An to win the championship in the 2023 season with an undefeated record, reaching the pinnacle of glory to the satisfaction of numerous fans in Nghe An.
“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 wasn't just the first time I won the Gold Cup as head coach of a youth team, but also because my players always trusted and followed my guidance and tactics. In my coaching philosophy, I always want my players to play with dedication, proactively attacking, and defending flexibly. And I think that's the key to our success,” shared Le Manh Huy.
