After 40 years of dedication, coach Mai Duc Chung officially said goodbye. It was a perfect ending for a talented strategist who was always dedicated and kind to Vietnamese football.
In the annals of Vietnamese football, Mr. Mai Duc Chung certainly has a very solemn position. First of all, he was the author of the opening goal in the "reunion match" between Saigon Port and the General Department of Railways in 1976, marking the reunion of football between the North and the South after the country was completely independent. unified.
In a match that was distorted by many hostile forces with words like "bloodbath" or "blood and tears", 25.000 spectators packed Thong Nhat Stadium, even spilling onto the sidewalk.
Mr. Chung, a historical witness, recalled fondly: "The General Department of Railways was chosen for a special reason, because at that time it was very strong, second only to The Cong, who was runner-up many times and had just won the position. Northern Trade Union champion.
Furthermore, sending a football team to represent railway workers was even more meaningful and reasonable when the North-South railway was about to inaugurate.
The feeling of being able to compete in the South is indescribable. There is both emotion and excitement, counting each day, but also anxiety. Before leaving, we were very excited because no one knew what Ho Chi Minh City was like, and even less so what Southern football was like, but had only heard of "copper pillar" Tam Lang, "golden arrow" Tu Le...".
"Sunday, November 7, 11 will forever go down in the country's football history as a milestone connecting North - South, connecting a long history," he emphasized.
Mr. Chung's voice seemed choked when talking about the moment the two teams stepped onto the field: "Players from both teams led each other from the tunnel to the thunderous applause of the audience, mixed with bustling singing along with the lyrics of the song. “Like having Uncle Ho on a happy day of great victory” was broadcast from the loudspeaker and tears rolled down because of the happiness of the audience when witnessing the two-region football festival for the first time.
When they came out on the field, everyone's eyes were red with emotion. To this day, I still cannot forget that historic moment, when referee Ho Thieu Quang blew the opening whistle...".
The match ended with a score of 2-0, but as Mr. Chung himself shared: “Neither we nor the audience cared about the goal and no one at Saigon Port team was sad with the defeat because that day was a difficult day. It was a real festival at Thong Nhat Stadium, but just being present in the atmosphere of that historic match was already a winner.
That day, many of our brothers cried when they walked onto the field thinking about how many people had laid down to have a historic football match between the two regions on the day of the country's unification...".
Also participating in the historic match and authoring the goal that set the score, the late coach Le Thuy Hai once emotionally shared: "All memories in life, there are memorable and forgettable things. But for me, the historic match that year was truly a lifetime. Football is about bringing people together.
I still clearly remember at the end of the 90-minute match, even though the home team lost 0-2, the Southern audience was very happy. The lyrics of the song "Like having Uncle Ho on a happy day of great victory" continuously rang out, along with cheers and cheers for the players of both teams. Now every April 30, I miss it...".
As a clever arrangement of fate, the authors of the two goals in the "reunion match" have become legends of Vietnamese football. Mr. Le Thuy Hai and Mai Duc Chung are rare figures who have won the national championship as both a player and a coach.
The two are close friends and interestingly have somewhat different personalities. Mr. Hai has a strong personality. Mr. Chung is gentle and affectionate. Personality also creates a different destiny and journey to success between the two men.
The late coach Le Thuy Hai worked for many years in youth training and women's football before taking charge of the V-League for the first time in 2004 at LG Hanoi ACB. Since then, he has become a prominent face inside and outside the field of domestic football. He has won the V-League 3 times and is the domestic coach with the highest salary.
Mr. Chung started his coaching career with men's football, serving as youth team coach and then as head coach of the General Department of Railways team.
In 1997, at a time when women's football did not have a national championship, he was suddenly appointed head coach of the Vietnamese women's team that was first established to participate in the competition. sea Games 19 in Indonesia, the tournament we won the bronze medal.
From being "born late" compared to Thai or Myanmar women's football, Vietnamese women's football rose strongly to become the "big sister" in the region. Coach Mai Duc Chung's impression illuminates that entire development journey.
He was the head coach of the Vietnamese women's team in 4 of the 6 SEA Games gold medal wins, the one who led the red shirt girls to the 2014 Asiad semi-finals, and the leader who brought "the girls in red to the semi-finals of the XNUMX Asiad". Diamond Girl" participated in the World Cup finals for the first time.
Before making a name for himself at the Railway industry football team, Mr. Chung started his football career at the Hanoi Xe Ca Enterprise football team. That's why he was nicknamed Chung "xe ca".
In addition, he is also called Chung "athletics", because of his tenacious playing style like a track and field athlete. Later, when he succeeded with the Vietnamese women's team, he was called Chung "girl". Rarely does any football legend own so many interesting nicknames.
However, before ending his fulfilling career at the age of 74, Mr. Chung's career faced many hardships. Unlike his close friend Le Thuy Hai, coach Mai Duc Chung once joked that he had trouble sleeping because he was paid too much when he agreed to lead Binh Duong Club in 2010, with a salary of nearly a hundred million dong.
Another unique detail is that Mr. Mai Duc Chung is probably the only coach above world once led both the men's and women's national teams at the same time.
Of course, that uniqueness also comes from the fact that almost any time Vietnamese football faces difficulties, even teams that no one dares to take on, coach Mai Duc Chung is always ready to step up to the plate. the beginning of the storm.
Mr. Hai himself said his close friend was "foolish". “For example, in 2017, when I took on the responsibility of being the interim coach of the Vietnamese men's soccer team, Mr. Le Thuy Hai said that I was too foolish, if the team was successful, people would forget me quickly.
If the team fails, I will be a target for public opinion to attack. He advised me honestly and sincerely. That year, Vietnamese football had just failed at the 2017 SEA Games, no coach wanted to replace Coach Nguyen Huu Thang to take over the team," Mr. Chung shared.
"Even that year, many people felt that the Vietnamese team was about to lose to Cambodia in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers," he continued. “VFF President himself at that time, Mr. Le Hung Dung, when he called me, also admitted that he had called many people before, and they all refused. He told me that he was very shy about inviting me in such a situation.
Personally, I thought that perhaps the head of the Vietnam Football Federation had expressed his feelings like that to me. If I refused to accept the team, it would be difficult for him. Besides, everyone quits the team, if I quit again, where will the team go? So I accepted the Vietnamese team. Fortunately, the team won both matches under my watch, overcoming the most difficult time."
Looking back now, it can be said that it was that fearlessness of hardship and suffering that helped coach Mai Duc Chung go on a different journey to become a monument of Vietnamese football.
Coach Mai Duc Chung decided to bid farewell to the Vietnamese women's team and retire at the age of 72. Sharing about Mr. Chung's decision, Coach Park Hang Seo, another monument of Vietnamese football, wrote: "Mr. Mai Duc Chung, a legend of Vietnamese football.
Since the day I met him, I have always had the highest respect when listening to the achievements and sacrifices he has made for Vietnamese football. Have a happy retirement, travel and enjoy life a lot. He deserves it. See you again one day soon."
Expert Steve Darby, who led the Vietnamese women's team to win the 2001 SEA Games gold medal, also praised his predecessor and successor: "Coach Mai Duc Chung is a great man.
I respect him very much both professionally and as a person. Anyone who stays with a team for a long time must have something special. I've always been impressed with the way he cares about his players. He is the teacher of his students!”.
The "special" thing about Mr. Chung as expert Darby mentioned is his kindness. That old general was so kind to each student that he was called "Uncle Chung" and "Dad Chung". Striker Nguyen Anh Duc said goodbye to the team, but only after listening to "Dad Chung's" call, he immediately set out and won the 2018 AFF Cup with the Vietnamese team.
It's not a surprise that the female players always bond and give their best under the guidance of "teacher Chung".
And that old general is kind to the development of football in the country, always ready to rush into boiling oil and fire without any hesitation. When asked about the formula for success, he asserted: “Not at all! I don't have any secrets, I just know how to work and work.
I work hard, always telling myself to try a little harder, for my work and for the people around me. When I work, I don't know whether that work will succeed or fail. I just try to do my best."
For many years, at the age of "seventy years old" when he should have rested and had fun, Mr. Chung still played with the Vietnamese women's team. In the midst of rain, wind, cold or scorching heat, even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, coach Mai Duc Chung still struggles with his students.
The image of the old general devoted to his country's football will forever be imprinted in the hearts of fans. That is the most cherished value of a person who works with kindness.
Dantri.com.vn
