Dien Chau Children's Hospital, the 'unknown factor' of the tournament

(Baonghean.vn) - Entering this year's tournament, the Phu Dien football team's teachers and students are determined to reach the final match. Will they be able to do it?

It can be affirmed that before each tournament, ND Dien Chau is always highly appreciated because of the consistent quality of players. However, many seasons have passed, ND Dien Chau has not been able to stand on the highest podium. This is a great disappointment for a locality with a very developed football movement for all ages. Experts believe that the reason why ND Dien Chau has not achieved the highest results is due to a bad competitive mentality against teams considered candidates and a bit of bad luck.

NĐ Diễn Châu (red shirt) completely dominated NĐ Con Cuong in the 2016 season with a 10-0 victory. (Photo courtesy)

To prove this statement, let's go back to the 2016 season. Considered the stronger team, but right in the opening match, ND Dien Chau regretfully lost to ND Nghi Loc with a score of 1-2 even though they created a very good game, even at times they were superior to their opponents. Being doused with cold water right in the opening match touched the pride of Phu Dien team, so right in the second match, they "tortured" ND Con Cuong with an unbelievable score of 10-0. Not only dominating in terms of score, in this match, ND Dien Chau demonstrated a beautiful attacking style with evenness between the lines and flexibility and intelligence in movement.

Entering the quarter-finals as the third team with the best record (+8) and a fiery playing style, ND Dien Chau was expected to create a shock against ND Thai Hoa - one of the most successful teams in the Youth - Children's Football Tournament of Nghe An Newspaper Cup. However, once again, bad mentality caused ND Dien Chau to stop.

Mr. Vu Duy Hieu - Head of Dien Chau football team recalled: "The failure in last year's season was clearly regrettable. We consider it a lesson to have more careful preparation, especially in terms of the players' mentality when the opponent is behind."

Striker Bui Quang Huy observes his team's players before receiving the ball during a practice match. This is a very basic skill for players. Photo by Thanh Cuong

Indeed, witnessing the training session of ND Dien Chau from beginning to end on the last day before the departure ceremony, one can feel the careful preparation of this team. When letting the players perform defensive exercises, Coach Le Hong Chung always shouted, reminded his players to stay calm, alert and closely observe the movements of the opposing players to mark them. When any player made a mistake, the coach immediately called them out to remind and guide them. In attack, this coach asked his students not to overuse personal techniques, even players with good ball handling skills such as right midfielder Pham Dinh Truong, or striker Bui Quang Huy...

Coach Le Hong Chung requires his players to handle each situation quickly and decisively. Photo by Thanh Cuong

The coach will then spend 15 minutes for the players to express themselves on whether their marking, movement without the ball and kicking were appropriate. What surprised us was that despite being very young, the players were very proactive and bold in self-assessing and evaluating each situation that had occurred before. For example, defensive player Tran Le Giap said that in the face-off with attacking player Bui Quang Huy, he lacked determination, allowing this player to push the ball down the sideline and then pass it inside. "I will have to mark more closely and more decisively in situations that occur in front of the home team's goal" - Tran Le Giap drew his own experience.

ND Dien Chau practices finishing when there is space in front. - Photo by Thanh Cuong

Coach Le Hong Chung said: Letting the players learn from their own experiences first, then the teacher will analyze the right and wrong in each specific situation can help them remember longer. These are all players of the amateur gifted class, they have practiced and played a lot of football so they need to know how to recognize each specific situation where the mistake is, why it is wrong. This will increase the players' initiative to avoid regrettable mistakes when competing in the upcoming top tournament.

With careful and serious preparation, ND Dien Chau will be one of the forces, an unknown factor of the 21st season of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth - Children Football Tournament.

PV Group