Mr. Miura's determination
In 2014, Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh, Xuan Truong, Van Toan... were the core of the U19 Vietnam team, causing a big gap in the Southeast Asian tournament and a number of international tournaments.
The expectations for the Cong Phuong generation or more widely, the players of Hoang Anh Gia Lai - JMG Academy at that time were invisible, causing the names of their peers in other training centers to not be properly assessed for their abilities.
Along with Duc Huy, Van Duc... Duy Manh is one of the names "standing outside" of U19 Vietnam. Coach Guillaume Graechen still calls them up to the national team, but for a number of different reasons, these players cannot stay.
At that time, coach Toshiya Miura took on the task of leading U23 and the Vietnamese team. He recruited the Olympic Games in Vietnam with the age of 1991-1992 in the knockout round of Asiad in Incheon, South Korea. The Japanese strategist can save the media when it comes to U19 Vietnam, but still pays attention to a few faces in the squad. One of them is Do Duy Manh.
"Someone stopped me from calling him to the Vietnam National Team when I was only 19 years old and worried that I would lose my job if I trusted a boy who had not been called out and named. I understand the concern of my colleagues. But my experience in the profession shows me that if I don't try it, I don't know when I will be able to work with that promising young talent," Mr. Miura once shared.
Shortly after, Duy Manh joined the Vietnam National Team and that can be considered a brave decision by coach Miura. "I can't believe that I was given another opportunity by Mr. Miura. To try my hand at V.League 2015 was a dream for me. But that is the lever of confidence for me to truly trust and strive for my own career until now," Duy Manh recounted.
Belgium has been persistent for a decade
The confidence of coach Miura in the national team or Mr. Phan Thanh Hung at Hanoi T&T (the predecessor of Hanoi FC) is the initial lever for Do Duy Manh's professional career. In fact, the midfielder born in 1996 has made persistent efforts over the years, overcoming many difficult stages to achieve the success he has today.
The past 10 years can be compared to Duy Manh as a sinister map. He was once "disappeared" in the squad of coach Nguyen Huu Thang, then reached the peak when Mr. Park Hang-seo took charge. The image of Duy Manh placing the Vietnamese flag on a high snowboard in Changzhou (China) became a historical symbol of Vietnamese football.
"It will always be in my heart and mind. really, until now, when I look back at that image, I am still very moved and feel very proud of my love for the Fatherland," Duy Manh confided.
But after the success of 2018 and 2019, fate tested Duy Manh again when he had a torn anterior cruciate ligament just a few days after getting married. Other behind-the-scenes stories also appear on social media platforms.
"I never think about giving up. Thinking back, I am still in my twenties, my physical condition is still plump. Football will have wins, losses, successes, and failures. I didn't think luck could smile on us forever. The important thing is perseverance and effort to help us go the long way to success. I always appreciate that and tell myself to try my best," said the player born in 1996.
Duy Manh may not have made an impressive comeback like Dinh Trong and Van Hau at the age of 19, nor is he a "real-life" central defender like Que Ngoc Hai. However, his calmness on the field and in common activities, and his diligence in training helped Duy Manh gain the sympathy of many coaches.
Even with Mr. Philippe Troussier - who often prioritizes giving opportunities to young players, Duy Manh still found a place in the Vietnam National Team. This shows Duy Manh's value in many different aspects in his decade-long journey of "eating rice on the team".
With the captain's armband, Duy Manh and the Vietnam National Team were crowned the 2024 ASEAN Cup arena. Along with Tien Dung, Quang Hai, Van Toan and Tien Linh, he is one of the 5 rare names to have won the Southeast Asian championship trophy twice in the history of the country's football.
This is a great honor in the career of the player from Dong Anh, but he has not stopped. At the age of 29, Duy Manh is still persistent in continuing to write new pages of his career journey.
