Mr. Polking's praise

Following their victory against Tampines Rovers in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two round of 16, coach Mano Polking showered praise on CAHN and especially on Dinh Bac – a name that has been at the center of Vietnamese football recently.

dinh bac cahn 4.jpg
Dinh Bac continued to deliver an impressive performance.

The German strategist praised Dinh Bac's excellent performance at the U23 level, highlighting his impressive form, including his goal, his substitute-based performance, his tactical adaptability, and his perfect fighting spirit in the victory against the Singaporean representative in the AFC Champions League Two.

What Mr. Polking said about Dinh Bac was not an exaggeration, because alongside senior players like Quang Hai and Alan, the vice-captain of the Vietnam U23 team is still one of the best players for CAHN Club this season, from domestic to continental and regional competitions.

A message for Dinh Bac

Dinh Bac deserves high praise, but coach Mano Polking also frankly told him that he "still has a lot to learn and develop."

This assessment might sound a bit harsh, but it's actually very accurate, at least when looking at Dinh Bac's role at CAHN Club currently. It's clear that the player from Nghe An province hasn't yet been able to consistently secure a place in the starting lineup.

dinh bac 3.jpg
But for coach Mano Polking, that was just the beginning.

Dinh Bac's role is undeniably important, but to secure a firm position in the team as assessed by Mano Polking, he still needs to learn and develop if he wants to go far in his career.

Therefore, Mano Polking's message , "we know what we're doing," is worth more than praise, showing that the CAHN club's coach is choosing a sustainable development path for Dinh Bac, instead of making his student have a false sense of his own abilities.

More importantly, in the context of Dinh Bac's constant appearances at events and in the media, becoming the focus of debates outside of his professional career, Mr. Polking's statement is like "pulling the brakes" and bringing the striker back on track.

More broadly, coach Mano Polking's statement is perhaps not only directed at Dinh Bac, but also serves as a reminder for Vietnamese football itself: let young talents mature at their own pace, keeping everything grounded not to stifle them, but as a launching pad, providing them with the foundation to fly further, more sustainably, and not get lost amidst the glory after a few successful tournaments.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dinh-bac-and-important-message-from-coach-mano-polking-2490256.html