In August 2022, Nam Dinh FC faced the risk of relegation, and coach Vu Hong Viet was brought in to act as a "savior," replacing veteran coach Nguyen Van Sy. Under immense pressure, the coach born in 1979 did a good job, helping the team from Nam Dinh reach safety.

Coach Vu Hong Viet recalled: “When I received the invitation from the Nam Dinh Club leadership, I was quite surprised and felt a little pressured, because the team's performance at that time wasn't good. However, leading a team playing in the V-League was a long-held dream of mine, so I didn't hesitate to seize the opportunity. I even accepted leaving my role as assistant to Coach Park Hang-seo and dropping out of the Asian Football Confederation's Pro Coaching course to focus on the job. I had that belief because Nam Dinh was a strong team, with decent players and amazing fans. Fortunately, I succeeded in helping the team avoid relegation.”

Coach Vu Hong Viet. Photo: Lam Thoa

In the 2023 season, Nam Dinh FC made significant investments, acquiring many quality players and changing its name to Nam Dinh Steel Green FC. In the early stages of the 2023 V-League, the team from Nam Dinh made remarkable progress, even leading the league table at times. However, after the ninth round, with three consecutive matches without a win, coach Vu Hong Viet's team temporarily dropped to fifth place.

With a heavily invested team and a squad full of outstanding players, many worried that coach Vu Hong Viet wouldn't be able to handle the task. However, the coach frankly stated: "This year, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh has received a lot of investment, so naturally the team's leadership has high expectations for results. This can be considered a huge pressure for me. However, I actually like it, because football without pressure would be very boring. The first goal for Thep Xanh Nam Dinh is to reach the top 8 after the first phase, and then we'll focus on each match to achieve the best possible results."

In a conversation with the writer, although not explicitly stating it, Coach Vu Hong Viet hinted at the Nam Dinh team's pursuit of the top spot. The coach, born in 1979, said: “When taking on the role of head coach, any coach wants their team to win the championship trophy at least once. I feel the same way and am striving for that. However, in football, it's difficult to predict anything, because besides strength, there's also the element of luck. We just know we have to try our best every day and focus on each match.”

DO TUAN