The ups and downs with football of former midfielder Ho Thanh Thuong

Talent 'refuses to grow up' at Vinh stadium

Joining SLNA's first team at the age of 19, Ho Thanh Thuong immediately won the National Championship in 2000. In his first season playing for SLNA's first team, the player born in 1981 was only a backup option for the famous striker duo Van Sy Hung - Van Sy Thuy. Anyway, this was a great experience for Ho Thanh Thuong in the most prestigious arena of Vietnamese football.

After winning the National Championship with the Nghe An team in 2000, Ho Thanh Thuong was added to the SLNA U21 team to participate in the 4th Thanh Nien Newspaper U21 Finals. At the tournament held at Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Thanh Thuong proved his class.

With a double goal in the final match, Ho Thanh Thuong contributed greatly to helping U21 SLNA have an unbelievable comeback against U21 Long An (U21 SLNA was down 0-2, but the final score was 3-2).

Former midfielder Ho Thanh Thuong (left) in SLNA jersey. Photo: tienphong.vn

Returning to SLNA's first team for the 2001 season, Ho Thanh Thuong continued to play the role of "super sub" for his more experienced seniors. Every time coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh put him on the field, Ho Thanh Thuong not only played as a striker, but also tried his hand at the role of winger.

Thanks to his strong physical foundation and innate goal-scoring ability, especially his ability to use both feet skillfully, Ho Thanh Thuong became a versatile player in the SLNA squad that year. When needed, Ho Thanh Thuong could play as a striker, left winger and right winger. The 2001 V.League championship of the Nghe An team (the second consecutive championship in the National Championship) was largely due to Ho Thanh Thuong.

At the national team level, Ho Thanh Thuong is also often used by coach Dido, coach Calisto, coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh (interim), coach Alfred Riedl...

However, various injuries prevented Ho Thanh Thuong from participating in major tournaments such as the 2001 SEA Games, 2003 SEA Games or the 2002 AFF Cup.

Don't forget, Ho Thanh Thuong was the only player to score a goal for U23 Vietnam at the Norcia Winter Cup (Italy) in 2003. That was Ho Thanh Thuong's most memorable mark in the national team's jersey.

Former SLNA player Ho Thanh Thuong in daily life. Photo: FBNV

At the end of the 2003 season, captain Ngo Quang Truong decided to leave Vinh Stadium to join HAGL, the left-back position of SLNA was assigned to Ho Thanh Thuong. Unfortunately, the player born in 1981 could not fill the void left by his senior Ngo Quang Truong.

Objectively speaking, Ho Thanh Thuong did not meet the expectations of experts and football fans in Nghe An. In 2004, Thuong "ec" was even disciplined by SLNA for his negative behavior in some matches of the Vinh team.

A difficult journey in a foreign land and an unexpected ending

At the end of 2006, the contract between Ho Thanh Thuong and SLNA officially expired. Not being retained by his hometown team, Ho Thanh Thuong decided to join Hanoi ACB, with a 5-year contract and quite attractive benefits (salary 12 - 15 million/month). At Hang Day Stadium, the former SLNA player still could not show much. After leaving Hanoi ACB, Ho Thanh Thuong joined Hanoi Club (in 2008) and Quang Nam (in 2009). Perhaps, the best things in his football career, Ho Thanh Thuong left at his hometown team SLNA. Injuries have ruined almost the entire football career of the midfielder from Vinh city.

Unsuccessful in playing for Quang Nam in the 2009 National First Division, Ho Thanh Thuong had to pack his bags and leave Tam Ky Stadium to seek new challenges. His next destination was the Second Division team V&V United. When the 2010 National Second Division officially ended, Ho Thanh Thuong suddenly announced his retirement from football. At that time, Thuong "ec" was only 29 years old, the ripe age of most professional football players.

Coach Ho Thanh Thuong (third from right) at the launching ceremony of Tuan Tu Phu Tho Club. Photo: baophutho.vn

Not long after ending his passion for "football", Ho Thanh Thuong focused on the restaurant business. But after a while, realizing that he was not suitable for the role of a businessman, Ho Thanh Thuong returned to the football field. In 2013, Ho Thanh Thuong joined the T&T - VSH Youth Football Training Center (Cua Lo town).

Since then, the 39-year-old coach has quietly traveled more than 30 km every day (total round trip distance between Vinh city and Cua Lo town) to train quality players for the country's football. Typical examples include Nguyen Van Cong, Ngan Van Dai, Tran Van Kien (Hanoi Club), Nguyen Huu Son (Sai ​​Gon Club), Sam Ngoc Duc (Ho Chi Minh City Club)...

Receiving a request from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho, the T&T - VSH Youth Football Training Center decided to appoint Ho Thanh Thuong as the "captain" of Tuan Tu Phu Tho Club in the 2019 National Third Division. Under the leadership of coach Ho Thanh Thuong, the team of the "Hung Vuong ancestral land" has excellently won the promotion ticket. A very impressive achievement of Thuong "ec" as a coach.

If in the near future, Ho Thanh Thuong appears in the coaching staff of a team in the V.League, it will not surprise many people. Simply put, Ho Thanh Thuong has the potential to become a coach in the top arena of Vietnamese football.