Song Lam Nghe An's innovative approach to youth training.
The U13 Song Lam Nghe An team had an impressive 2024 with many beneficial tours. These activities were seen as a springboard, helping coach Le Van Hung's players mature early. Through these tournaments, Song Lam Nghe An revealed many innovative approaches in youth football training.
Go to grow
Possessing strong internal talent, the U13 Song Lam Nghe An team has received special attention from the club's leadership. At the end of 2023, the team participated in the "58 Fighter Cup" international youth football tournament in Hunan Province, China. The tournament brought together eight teams, including one Japanese team, four Chinese teams, two European teams, and a representative from Vietnam.
The experience of competing abroad against strong teams from Asia and Europe helped the U13 team mature quickly both professionally and psychologically. As a result, U13 Song Lam Nghe An excellently won the tournament.National Youth Championship 2024.
Following their success at the national level, the team received further sponsorship to participate in the 2024 Mito Open International Youth Friendly Tournament in Japan. The tournament brought together 20 teams from J.League 3, J.League 2, and J.League 1. The U13 Song Lam Nghe An team was the sole representative from Vietnam and they impressively won the championship.
Mr. Le Van Hung, head coach of the U13 Song Lam Nghe An team, shared:"Participating in international tournaments helps players increase their confidence, hone their skills, and learn professional conduct from their international peers. This is a key factor for the team's success in 2024."
Not stopping there, on December 23rd, the team continued to participate in the Asia Youth Champions Tournament 2024, an international friendly tournament. The tournament brought together 12 teams from Vietnam, China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand. U13 Song Lam Nghe An played 6 matches and won the Group B championship.
In 2024 alone, the team played 24 matches in official and friendly competitions. This was a valuable opportunity for the players to quickly mature and open the door to future success.
In youth football training, the U13 and U14 age groups are a golden time for developing and honing skills. If these children want to make a breakthrough in the future, this is the time when they need systematic training and plenty of experience. The U13 Song Lam Nghe An team is fortunate to have this. With their inherent strength and the appropriate support from the club in recent times, this will be a springboard to help the U13 Song Lam Nghe An team go further in the future.
Mr. Tran Quang Dung - Director of Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center
Positive developments in youth training.
In Southeast Asia, Thailand is considered the country with the most developed football. To maintain this position, they always focus on youth development, especially through organizing regular competitions. Since 2020, the Football Association of Thailand has launched the Thai Youth League system with 5 age groups, from U10 to U19. A youth team in Thailand plays an average of at least 18 matches per year, with stronger teams potentially playing up to 24 matches.
Meanwhile, in Vietnam, each youth team plays a maximum of 15 matches in two years if they reach the finals of the national youth league, and only 8-10 matches if they are eliminated in the qualifying rounds. This creates a significant gap in playing experience between Vietnamese and Thai youth players.
Recognizing the importance of competitive matches, the Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center has undergone many positive changes since 2024. The center aims to increase the number of matches for its youth teams by participating in more national and international tournaments.
The club also plans to organize numerous friendly tournaments at both domestic and international levels, creating opportunities for players to learn and grow. Mr. Tran Quang Dung, Director of the Youth Football Training Center, shared: "We have connected with international organizations to send our youth teams abroad, and we also organize football festivals right here at Song Lam Nghe An. I believe this approach will help players maximize their potential and contribute to the development of Vietnamese football."