AFF Cup 2008 hero talks about Huy Hoang and U22 Vietnam defenders

(Baonghean.vn) – Former player Vu Nhu Thanh, the best central defender of Vietnamese football in recent years, admitted that Huy Hoang is the type of central defender he appreciates the most.

In Vu Nhu Thanh's exchange program on On Sport at noon on July 31, Vu Nhu Thanh shared a lot about himself as well as his assessment of U22 Vietnam.

Vu Nhu Thanh talks about his best partner when he was a player - Screenshot

In particular, when asked about the player he most appreciated in recent years, Nhu Thanh shared: “Each player has his own playing style, Huy Hoang himself also plays with passion, I also play with passion but there are differences. I play center back with Phuoc Tu and Huy Hoang and we get along very well. Huy Hoang has a great ability to cut. When playing with them, I often cover and predict situations while Huy Hoang and Phuoc Tu always go up to cut the ball. In my opinion, in the past 10-15 years, Huy Hoang is the best center back. He has outstanding qualities compared to Vietnamese players. In terms of physical and mental strength, Huy Hoang is excellent.”

Commenting on the current U22 Vietnam defense and central defenders, the steel central defender, hero of the 2008 AFF Cup, commented: “Some people think that Hoang Van Khanh plays without passion, but I think Van Khanh is a technical player. However, when someone handles the ball technically and gently, we cannot say that they play without passion, we have to look at it from many aspects.

Regarding the defenders, I want to mention Tien Dung, he has all the qualities of a leader. Coach Huu Thang gave him the captain's armband, which was very reasonable. He has enthusiasm, composure, and technique. Full-back Van Thanh is great. Dinh Trong, Van Khanh, and Van Hau also made the defense play very well. They kept a reasonable distance, had good thinking, and had smooth support. If they needed to be quick, they were quick, if they needed to handle the technique, they had it all. In my opinion, the U22 Vietnam defense is a strong defense in Southeast Asia. In the midfield, Tuan Anh and Xuan Truong seem to be the lungs, the bridge for the whole team. Tuan Anh is a creative player and it can be said that they are rare in Vietnamese football."

Center back Vu Nhu Thanh when he was playing for the Vietnam national team - Photo: Internet

Sharing a bit about the path to becoming a world-class center-back, Nhu Thanh said: “Regarding defensive techniques, I learned a lot from center-back Alessandro Nesta (Italy), I often tackled to block the ball instead of tackling. I learned his playing style but at a lower level.

To become a steel center back, the most important thing is thinking. To become a steel center back, you have to go through a training process, a development process, learning and listening to those who have gone before. In general, to become a good center back, you need thinking, strength, and most of all, confidence." - Vu Nhu Thanh concluded.

Vu Nhu Thanh was born in 1981 in Nam Dinh and is considered one of the best central defenders in Vietnamese football. He contributed greatly to the 2008 AFF Cup championship and the V.League championships with B.Binh Duong in 2007 and 2008. Currently, he is working as a coach in Tay Ninh and holds an A-certified coach certificate - Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Trung Kien