Tran Dinh Dong the silent hero

(Baonghean) - Having accepted losses twice to stay with his hometown team, Dinh Dong deserves praise from fans. But more importantly, in his role as a pillar in the defense, Dinh Dong has quietly tried to help SLNA stand firm and have a favorable start after the last two matches.

As one of the highly anticipated young talents of Nghe An football, but the path to success

Dinh Dong in SLNA shirt.

Faced with public criticism, Dinh Dong fell into crisis and at one point he considered retiring.

However, with the encouragement of his family and friends, Dinh Dong was determined to start over. The 2009 V.League season was considered a success for Dinh Dong as he was a strategic player in coach Nguyen Van Thinh's scheme. The versatility of this player helped SLNA's coaching staff have many options. Dinh Dong can play well as a defender, midfielder, or even an attacking midfielder. At the end of the 2009 V.League, this SLNA defender had 5 goals, contributing significantly to the bronze medal of the Nghe An team.

Along with a few other faces at SLNA, Dinh Dong also aspires to be in the U.23 Vietnam squad attending the 25th SEA Games. However, the road to Laos for this defender is not simple, although he has tried very hard, with the hope of getting a wild card. Within 2 months, Dinh Dong has worn the jerseys of 3 different U.21 teams: SLNA, SHB Da Nang and U.21 Vietnam. However, despite his great efforts and leaving many impressions, this 22-year-old player was still not included in the "favorite list" by coach Calisto. It was only when the U.23 Vietnam defense had problems before the departure to Laos that Dinh Dong was called.

Although he arrived at My Dinh 2 months later than his teammates at U.23 VN, with the experience accumulated in SLNA's shirt through several ups and downs in the V.League, Dinh Dong still managed to make an impression on the Portuguese coach. As an attacking defender, Dinh Dong created a new feature in the U.23 VN's tactical scheme in that year's tournament. The wing attacks of Calisto and his team proved to be very effective, and Dinh Dong's contribution on the left flank was not small.

Dinh Dong was in the starting lineup in 5/6 matches of U.23 Vietnam at SEA Games 25. Of which, the match against Singapore was considered the most successful of this player. The Portuguese coach himself also realized that this was a rather interesting new discovery. That's why the player in the same position, left-back Chu Ngoc Anh at that time, only played a supporting role for Dinh Dong when he was on the field. The success at SEA Games 25 helped Dinh Dong's name become more known to many people. Not only that, right before the final match against U.23 Malaysia, he was also on the list of the Vietnamese national team.

It was thought that Mr. Calisto only called Dinh Dong up to the national team so that he could gain experience, but unexpectedly, in the match against Lebanon in the 2011 Asian Cup qualifiers, Dinh Dong was named in the starting lineup, alongside other veteran defenders such as Phuoc Tu, Nhu Thanh, and Dinh Luat. Dinh Dong played the entire 90 minutes, and showed an extremely impressive performance.

In the following years, Dinh Dong was present at every national team gathering. As a big name, he was noticed by many people and received attractive offers, but because of his love for his hometown team, Dinh Dong refused all of them to stay. In the 2014 season, while people praised young players like Ngoc Hai and Manh Hung, Dinh Dong still tried his best quietly. In the role of left back, this player born in Anh Son district discouraged countless opposing strikers, contributing significantly to the success of his team.

Evaluating Dinh Dong, Coach Nguyen Huu Thang said that, in addition to sacrificing his interests for the club, Dinh Dong is also an irreplaceable pillar in the defense. Quietly, Dinh Dong is a shining example for many to follow.

Vinh Liem