Expert: "Dinh Bac needs to adjust his behavior in the face of the allure of fame."

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Regarding the question of whether or not professional footballers should participate in many activities outside of football, former AFF Vice President Duong Vu Lam shared his accumulated experience.

Recently, when Dinh Bac appeared at an event, a famous artist advised the Vietnamese U23 team player to focus on his professional career and reduce his involvement in extracurricular activities. The conversation between the two celebrities naturally became a popular topic.

From the perspective of someone with experience managing major football organizations such as the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), and as the head of the Vietnam U23 team at the Asian Championship in Changzhou (China) in 2018, Mr. Duong Vu Lam has interacted with many very famous and talented players from all over the world.

On the morning of February 11th, Mr. Duong Vu Lam spoke with a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper about this issue, providing vivid examples both domestically and internationally, including those who stood firm amidst the spotlight from all sides, as well as those who were once unable to stand firm.

Former VFF Vice President Duong Vu Lam (far right) in his role as head of the Vietnam U23 delegation at the 2018 Asian U23 Championship (Photo: TH).

Protecting a talent

What is your opinion on the suggestion that Dinh Bac should reduce his involvement in off-field activities and focus more on his professional career?

- I believe the person who gave Đình Bắc the feedback had good intentions. The advice given was also reasonable. After shining at the U23 Asian Championship, Đình Bắc became famous and a hope for Vietnamese football. It's not surprising that famous people receive attention.

The person offering advice to Dinh Bac has probably witnessed similar cases of players going astray in the past, so their advice to the star of the U23 Asian Championship is sincere. It's a sharing of experience based on real-life observations.

And what does this experience actually reflect about players in similar situations, sir?

- I think football today is very different from a few years ago. It's almost inevitable that players, after achieving fame, will attract attention from brands and events. Brands and events also need the names of famous players to increase the appeal of their brands and events.

Dinh Bac is currently a rising star in Vietnamese football (Photo: AFC).

Eight years ago, after the Vietnamese U23 team's success at the U23 Asian Championship with the "snowy Changzhou" miracle, many of the players from that U23 team were sought after, much like Dinh Bac is now. Two of the most sought-after players eight years ago were goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung and midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai.

Up to this point, Quang Hai and Tien Dung's career paths have diverged significantly. Quang Hai remains a top football star in Vietnam, while goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung is no longer among the leading goalkeepers.

Opposite cases

What caused the difference between the aforementioned players after the glory of the "Changzhou Snow" miracle?

- First, let me talk about Quang Hai. To maintain his position as a top star like he is today, over the years, Quang Hai has gone through many ups and downs in his career. This means that Quang Hai is very strong and has an extraordinary will to succeed. Therefore, even though his career path hasn't always been smooth, Quang Hai has overcome difficulties to continue shining.

That's professionalism; a true professional player must know how to adjust. Before Quang Hai, there was Le Cong Vinh, also a very professional player. And on the international stage, there's Cristiano Ronaldo, someone who is both successful on the field and knows how to capitalize on his image off the field.

Goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung is not as strong as Quang Hai in that respect; before Bui Tien Dung, there was Pham Van Quyen, "stars who faded too soon," leaving the entire Vietnamese football community with regret.

Quang Hai is a star who has stayed at the top for a very long time (Photo: Do ​​Minh Quan).

On the international stage, there's Lamine Yamal, the Spanish football prodigy who plays for Barcelona. Lately, however, he's been embroiled in more off-field controversies than on-field brilliance.

What do professional players usually do to manage their professional and non-professional activities, sir?

- I can mention another example of someone who maintained perseverance and success both on and off the pitch: midfielder David Beckham (English, formerly of Manchester United). His wife is singer Victoria, a former member of the once-famous Spice Girls.

In other words, Beckham is deeply involved in the entertainment industry, but he still manages to balance his own life and his wife's life. Beckham achieves this thanks to a team of image managers and brand protectors surrounding him. They offer timely and appropriate advice to Beckham.

I believe that on the path to professionalism for Vietnamese football, players also need coaching staff similar to those David Beckham used to have.

Professionalization starts with protecting the players' image.

Does this mean that Dinh Bac already has enough role models and examples to help him adjust his professional and non-professional activities?

- If this team is competent, they will help players earn more money, increase their legitimate income, provide helpful advice, regulate players' schedules, and warn players if they show signs of neglecting their professional duties. This team must be the ones who understand best that, to maintain their popularity, players must first be good footballers.

As mentioned, football today is vastly different from football of many years ago. The younger generation of players are better trained and receive better advice than some of their predecessors.

Dinh Bac is luckier than some players of the previous generation, as he received good training and lived and played in a very good environment (Photo: AFC).

Dinh Bac and many other current U23 Vietnamese players belong to a generation that has received thorough training and is well-prepared in various aspects, enabling them to better cope with the fleeting glamour of life outside of football.

Thanks to these things, I believe that Dinh Bac will know how to adjust himself to the glare of fame, and I also hope that there will be someone by his side who is willing to remind him, someone who can speak up when he needs it, to help Dinh Bac maintain his balance.

The fact that someone dared to speak up and remind the stars was also a stroke of luck that David Beckham had when he was a player, wasn't it, sir?

- Years ago, this is what Sir Alex (former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson) did to David Beckham on the day the former football star publicly announced his relationship with singer Victoria Beckham. It's heartfelt advice from experienced people to the younger generation.

Therefore, as I said, the feedback given to Dinh Bac at this time all comes from good intentions. Those who dare to offer advice to Dinh Bac at this time also have good intentions. They dare to face public opinion and speak out because they want to ensure that a Vietnamese football talent can shine for a long time.

And as I mentioned, in order to gain attention in other fields, each player must first be a good footballer. Performance on the field is the primary factor that allows players to continue to shine in other areas.

If players and their star players understand this core principle, the players will go far. They will both maintain consistent performance over the long term and effectively leverage their individual image.

Thank you for the conversation!

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/chuyen-gia-dinh-bac-can-tu-dieu-chinh-truc-hao-quang-cua-su-noi-tieng-20260211153648563.htm