Minh Duc - 'rare' Vietnamese football

(Baonghean.vn) - If you look for a central defender who has played in the V.League for at least 6 consecutive years without receiving any direct or indirect red cards, and 3 consecutive years without a yellow card, then that is SLNA's "veteran" Nguyen Minh Duc.

"Duc, run slowly, let the kids follow!", Minh Duc is all too familiar with these teasing words from his colleagues when he comes to practice and prepare for competition at Vinh stadium.

In fact, despite being nearly 34 years old, the former captain of the Vietnam national team still runs like an elephant, practicing without any signs of aging. Commenting on his playing style on the field, SLNA foreign players all unanimously affirmed: "He plays football with his head." Meaning: "He plays football with his head."

Center back Nguyen Minh Duc just received the AFC B level coaching certificate during the recent Lunar New Year. Photo: Trung Kien.

Of course, for a player born in 1983, who has been on the SLNA first team since 2001 and has suffered many serious injuries, it is unreasonable to say that Minh Duc is still in good shape. Therefore, it must be admitted that this central defender is a smart, flexible player who knows how to distribute his strength.

“The older the ginger, the spicier it is”, that is also the reason why, when he was on the other side of his career, Minh Duc was still recruited by teams like HAGL or the 2016 V.League runner-up. If Van Vinh stayed at SLNA, he would only receive a salary without a signing bonus, but Minh Duc is different. This veteran central defender still plays an extremely important role in the Nghe An team’s defense system.

Not only that, he is a person with a professional lifestyle, a player who is considered perfect to become an example for his juniors to follow. On the field, although he is not "big" or has the ability to inspire like the previous leader Huy Hoang, but every time Minh Duc is on the field, the young defenders of SLNA admit that they feel much more secure and confident.

Nguyen Minh Duc when he was still playing for the national team. Photo: Internet.

However, if anyone assumes that SLNA defenders only know how to play rough and dirty, they will have to think again if they look at the statistics of Nguyen Minh Duc. No one remembers exactly how many yellow cards this player has received since 2011, but it is certain that he is one of the very few defenders who do not need to use too much strength to still be successful in 1-on-1.

Since V.League 2012, Minh Duc has not known what a red card is, whether directly or indirectly. Playing dozens of matches each season for many different clubs such as XT Saigon, Hai Phong or SLNA, this 1m73 tall center back has only received 3 yellow cards. It is worth mentioning that in Hai Phong's 2009-2010 season and in SLNA's 2015 season until now, Minh Duc has "no penalty cards".

The most recent yellow card was in the 2014 season in the match between SLNA and SHB Da Nang. Moreover, he has become a pillar of support for his teammates. Center back Hoang Van Khanh himself has also become more mature and calm when playing with his senior.

Looking for the secret to help Minh Duc "stay forever young" through the story of his teammates, we know. He is a player who eats like an elephant. The young SLNA player, whenever he loses a match, cannot swallow rice, but Minh Duc regularly eats 4-5 bowls/meal. If Minh Duc does not "finish" 2 more plates of raw vegetables, his teammates find it strange. Knowing that he is no longer energetic, Duc takes care of his health with extremely scientific methods.

Not only was he born to be a captain, from U14, U15 SLNA then U16 National, U18 SLNA, U20 National, U21 SLNA.... and the National Teams. Few people know that, when he was studying at Thai Lao - Hung Nguyen High School, Minh Duc was an excellent student in all aspects. That's why his English was also the best in the SLNA team.

Football players are prone to falling into social vices and bad habits. But not Minh Duc; even though he has spent his playing career in big cities like Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City. More importantly, the domestic audience needs to see fairly that SLNA is not only the birthplace of fierce defenders, but also has players who play football with thinking and efficiency like Nguyen Minh Duc.

This past Lunar New Year, Minh Duc completed his Asian Football Confederation B level coaching certificate and is aiming for an A degree. It would be great if a "virtuous and talented" player like Duc joined Huy Hoang and Nhu Thuat to become teachers at the SLNA youth team. So that the next generation of the Nghe An team can not only learn the passion in competition, but also learn how to play football and defend to make the opponent submit./.

Trung Kien