Pham Duc Anh - the journey from a poor goalkeeper to the position of young coach of SLNA

The 2000 AFC U16 Championship was the first and only tournament where the former goalkeeper from Thai Hoa town demonstrated his natural talent. Thanks to Pham Duc Anh's miraculous saves and impressive performances, coach Nguyen Van Thinh and his team stunned experts and football fans in the country when they finished 4th overall.

Few people know that 2 years ago, Pham Duc Anh was discovered by scouts from SLNA during a trip to Nghia Dan district to recruit players (in 1998). With his natural talent and tireless efforts, Pham Duc Anh gradually won the trust of coach Nguyen Van Thinh. The reward for Pham Duc Anh was a place to attend the 2000 U16 Asian Cup, where this goalkeeper was the main goalkeeper in all 5 matches of U16 Vietnam.

Pham Duc Anh (number 25) in the U16 Vietnam shirt in 2000. Photo: Archive

However, after the tournament held at Chi Lang Stadium (Da Nang), Pham Duc Anh did not have many favorable conditions in his career. In the first stage of joining the first team, Pham Duc Anh was loaned by SLNA to Hue Football Club to play in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Returning from the ancient capital team, Pham Duc Anh continued to be a backup for his senior Duong Hong Son. It was not until the 2008 season when Hong Son joined Hanoi Club (formerly Hanoi T&T), that the goalkeeper from Nghia Dan became the number 1 choice in the goal of the Nghe An team.

When mentioning Pham Duc Anh, experts and football fans of Nghe An still cannot forget the incident that happened in 2007, at Thanh Hoa stadium. At the end of the second leg match of V.League 2007 between Thanh Hoa and SLNA, Pham Duc Anh and some players of the away team were chased and beaten by the home team's overzealous fans. Fortunately, Pham Duc Anh was rescued in time by a Thanh Hoa couple, so he only suffered minor injuries. This is an unforgettable memory for the former goalkeeper born in 1983.

However, in terms of severity (impact on a player's career), the collision in Thanh Hoa cannot be compared to what Pham Duc Anh had to endure during SLNA's away match against the home team Dong Thap, in the 2009 season. In the 46th minute of the match, while rushing out to block, Pham Duc Anh collided very hard with the opponent's striker Timothy. As a result, the former SLNA goalkeeper suffered 2 broken tibias and 2 torn ligaments in his right knee. Pham Duc Anh almost had to retire from his "shorts and jersey" career at the age of 26.

The ball that led to Pham Duc Anh's injury on Cao Lanh field in 2009. Photo archive.

But with extraordinary determination, Pham Duc Anh returned to the field in the 2011 season, after 2 years of injury. No longer able to maintain his former form, Pham Duc Anh had to accept "wearing out his pants" on the bench. Even in many matches in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, Pham Duc Anh was not on the list of registered players for the Vinh Stadium team. What had to happen happened, at the end of the 2013 season, SLNA and Pham Duc Anh officially "went their separate ways".

Leaving Nghe An, Pham Duc Anh chose Sanna Khanh Hoa to seek new opportunities. After a trial period, the former SLNA goalkeeper only received a "head shake" from the coastal city's coaching staff. Returning to Vinh with heavy disappointment, Pham Duc Anh still could not give up his passion for the "king sport". For 2 years (2014 - 2015), Pham Duc Anh regularly appeared on the amateur football fields.

Pham Duc Anh won the National U15 Championship as a coach. Photo: FBNV

Finally, Pham Duc Anh's efforts were rewarded. At the beginning of the 2016 season, the former U16 Vietnam goalkeeper joined Dong Thap, with a 1-year contract. Before deciding to retire, Pham Duc Anh had 1 more season (2017) playing for Tay Ninh, a team in the National First Division. The career journey of the former goalkeeper from Thai Hoa town is encapsulated in 2 words "hardships". After 20 years of pursuing his passion, Pham Duc Anh received only pain and loss.

Leaving behind the years of wandering with the ball, Pham Duc Anh continued to be recruited by SLNA to do youth training work. Since 2018, in his new position, Pham Duc Anh has won 3 championships with SLNA youth teams (2 times with the children's team, 1 time with U15). Currently, the former goalkeeper born in 1983 is the goalkeeper coach of SLNA's U14 team.