The silent hero behind Nam Dinh's V-League championship: Without him, then…

Not everyone who participated in Nam Dinh FC’s V-League championship journey this season was a scorer or an assist maker. There were those who were not in the starting lineup, but were still silent pillars throughout the season. For Nam Dinh FC, Pham Thanh Tai is such a person.

Joining Nam Dinh , a wise decision

Pham Thanh Tai has a bachelor's degree in Sports Biomedicine and has completed his master's degree in Sports Science . He worked at Juventus Vietnam Academy (2019 - 2022), then moved to Ho Chi Minh City Club, in charge of both the first team and the youth team. In the 2023 - 2024 season, Tai accompanied Ho Chi Minh City Youth Club to promotion from the second division to the first division. But it was not until he joined the reigning V-League champion Nam Dinh at the beginning of the 2024 - 2025 season that Tai truly experienced a harsher environment, where every behind-the-scenes detail could impact the team's final result.

There is no concept of weekends or off work.

Tai's title is sports doctor, but his work does not stop at examination and treatment. Tai and his colleagues are responsible for the entire rehabilitation process for players, from the initial injury stage to their return to competition. "The goal is that when a player recovers from an injury, he can be ready to practice with the team as soon as possible, but still in the safest way," Tai said.

Doctor Pham Thanh Tai (left cover) always closely monitors the health of Nam Dinh players.

PHOTO: TA

"There was a period of 4-5 days of playing a match. V-League, National Cup, and AFC Cup. The schedule was tight, traveling was hard. The players were tired, but my colleagues and I didn't rest. There were days when we worked until 11-12 midnight to finish recovering the players," the young man from the coastal area of ​​Phan Thiet shared.

For those in the team's medical team like Tai, there is no concept of weekends or off work. Whenever a player is hurt, the doctor will be there. Working between time pressure, performance pressure, and the invisible pressure of trust. "People believe that doctors will help players get up at the right time. The closer to the end of the season, the greater the pressure. There are some key players who get injured right at the sprint stage. The coaching staff asks the medical team to shorten the recovery time as much as possible, to have enough players to maintain the tactical system. That is the time when doctors have to work day and night," Thanh Tai expressed.

Doctor Tai and Vietnam national team striker Nguyen Xuan Son

PHOTO: TA

One of the most "suffocating" situations was Lam Ti Phong's injury. Before the championship-deciding match against Quang Nam Club in round 25, Phong suffered a strained calf muscle during a training session. "I was scheduled to rest. But the coaching staff told me to do my best. From that day on, Phong practiced rehabilitation twice a day, with each movement adjusted. Right before the match, Phong was able to go on the field, then scored the winning goal 2-0, successfully defending the championship for the team," Tai recounted with eyes shining, not because he was proud of himself, but because he saw the collective effort had paid off.

Wrong choice will greatly affect the player

Not everything goes smoothly. There are times when doctors have to go against the player's feelings. Like in the match against The Cong Viettel on February 28, goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh suffered a strong head impact in the 85th minute. "Mr. Manh was a bit dizzy but still wanted to continue playing. But I saw that something was wrong. I proactively signaled for a substitution without hesitation," Tai said.

Making such a decision is not easy. It is a tense, last-minute match, and Nam Dinh need points. But sports doctors cannot afford to make mistakes. A wrong choice can cause long-term damage to the player, even affecting his career.

Although not widely known, the medical team is an indispensable component, contributing greatly to the team's achievements.

PHOTO: TA

Not only is he attached to the players in the club, Tai also carries with him worries when the players play for the national team. The 30-year-old sports doctor confided: "I still remember the night Xuan Son was injured while playing for the Vietnam team. The whole team was nervous. I could only sleep for 2-3 hours. I received continuous calls from fans asking about Xuan Son. Only then did I realize that sports doctors also face pressure from... society."

Pressure but also love. Because to Tai, every player is a relative, a younger brother that he needs to protect.

In a small room at Thien Truong Stadium, where there are a few massage beds, electric shock machines, bandages, ice packs and the smell of essential oils, Tai is still working hard as usual. No reporters chasing him, no bright halo, no public praise,... But every player understands that in order for him to be able to run for 90 minutes on the field, behind him is the effort of a patient, thorough and dedicated sports doctor.

For Nam Dinh Club, the glorious journey in the 2024 - 2025 season would not be complete without the silent dedication of doctor Pham Thanh Tai, who is always there at the right time to keep the players' legs healthy, and football dreams continue to be written.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-hung-tham-lang-phia-sau-chuc-vo-dich-v-league-cua-nam-dinh-khong-co-anh-ay-thi-18525062315372069.htm