Lee Williams: Harry Kane, Robbie Fowler advise to move to V-League
The 18-year-old striker of Ho Chi Minh City Police scored his first goal against Ninh Binh on November 9 and revealed that he received advice from Harry Kane and Robbie Fowler to choose V-League, impressed with the intensity and quick transition.
Just a few days after scoring his first goal for Ho Chi Minh City Police in the match against Ninh Binh on the evening of November 9, Lee Williams revealed the reason he chose to return to Vietnam to play: advice from Harry Kane and Robbie Fowler that V-League is a suitable environment to gain experience and develop himself.
Advice from Harry Kane and Robbie Fowler
“I am only 18 years old and my professional football career is just starting, so it is very important for me to seek advice from famous players and former players. Harry Kane and Robbie Fowler are legends of English football so what they share and give advice is extremely important.”
Lee Williams added: “According to Harry Kane and Robbie Fowler, tournaments like the V-League are great for me to gain football experience and develop myself. From this analysis, I decided to come to Vietnam.”
First goal and confidence boost
In the match between Ho Chi Minh City Police and Ninh Binh on the evening of November 9, Lee Williams scored his first goal for the Thong Nhat Stadium team, which was also his first goal since returning to Vietnam to play. This goal immediately brought the striker born in 2007 into the spotlight of fans and the media, marking an early milestone in his journey to start his professional career.
V-League: high intensity, quick transitions and opportunities for strikers
After 5 matches and a training period, Williams admitted that the speed and intensity in the V-League is a real test: “The intensity in the V-League is very high, both in training and in competition. This caused me many difficulties in integrating. However, this is also what helped me develop myself more.”
He was particularly impressed with the strong transition rhythm: “I am impressed and very excited by the fast transition style of play that teams in the V-League, including Ho Chi Minh City Police Football Club, are implementing. As a striker, I like this, because that way I will have more opportunities to score more goals.” From the 18-year-old player’s own experience, it can be seen that an environment that emphasizes transitions opens up space behind the opponent’s defense – the type of situation where a striker’s instinct is clearly brought into play.
Integration in Ho Chi Minh City Police: Tien Linh and Coach Le Huynh Duc
Williams’ adaptation did not only come from the pitch. He emphasized the role of captain Nguyen Tien Linh: “Not only on the pitch, but also in daily life, captain Tien Linh has helped me a lot. Now that I have been here for more than a month, I see the bond between us getting better and better.”
The role of the coaching staff is also very clear. Williams expressed his gratitude: “Coach Duc helped me a lot. In particular, he is a legend of Vietnamese football, so we had many conversations and exchanges, which helped me improve and adapt quickly in training and competition. I am very grateful to Coach Duc.”
Personal goals and their significance to the attack
At the threshold of his career, after 5 appearances and a pivotal goal, Williams clearly defined his goal: “My personal goal in V-League is to score as many goals as possible and constantly improve every day to continue contributing to the team's best results in Vietnam's highest tournament.”
In the context of Ho Chi Minh City Police focusing on quick transitions, a striker who prefers vertical movement like Williams – who is confident with his cutting rhythm when the team accelerates – promises to add a competitive difference to the attack alongside the guidance of Nguyen Tien Linh and the discipline of Coach Le Huynh Duc. That is the foundation for him to accumulate experience, perfect his finishing skills and wait for more decisive moments like his first goal at Thong Nhat.
