Coach Viet Thang: 'Winning football brings countless pressures'

Over two straight seasons, Coach Nguyen Viet Thang led two distinct clubs to V-League promotion, earning him the reputation as Vietnam's "promotion expert." Yet beyond the cups and winning celebrations is a stressful path that he confesses frequently drove him to depression and burnout.

Fans usually only see the final results, but for Coach Viet Thang, every match over the past two years was a final. More than 40 matches also meant more than 40 times he had to tense up under the pressure of winning.

"Winning football is immense pressure. Many matches made my head feel like it would explode. Sometimes I'd come home to eat dinner with my wife, sitting blankly, staring at the sky for a long time, not hearing what she said. When losing, I always feel very guilty," shared the 1981-born coach.

The past season was even harsher as the technical level of the First Division improved. Ambitious teams like Bac Ninh, Quy Nhon, or HCMC all had strong squads and quality foreign players. Therefore, Dong Nai's championship journey was not as easy as many thought.

After achieving the promotion goal, the first thing he thought of was giving the whole team three weeks off to recharge. He himself also admitted he did not know how much longer he could endure the pressure of top-level football.

"I think I can only do football this way for about five more years. Then maybe I'll help my wife run the shop, play pickleball, play football with friends for passion. Life then will probably be lighter," he said with a smile.

One of the special factors behind Coach Viet Thang's success is how he built his coaching staff. Alongside him are former teammates from the "golden generation" that won the 2008 AFF Cup, like Phuoc Tu or Quang Hai. Notably, he never regarded them merely as assistants.

"They are my key collaborators," Coach Viet Thang emphasized when talking about his companions. Besides his associates, the 45-year-old coach also has special respect for Club Chairman Pham Huong Son.

He once shared that the name Truong Tuoi was named after Mr. Son's father. That filial piety made him and the players feel a greater responsibility when wearing the team's shirt.

Many times during the season, Coach Viet Thang reminded his players to remember their families, those who helped them achieve their careers today. He also understood the expectations that the club leadership placed when investing their heart into the team. The guarantee of salary and bonus schemes along with giving full professional authority to the coaching staff made him even more admiring and determined to complete the mission.

After two continuous years of bringing teams up to higher divisions, finally the opportunity to lead a V-League club also opened up for the 45-year-old coach. Last season, after helping Ninh Binh gain promotion, he unexpectedly had to part ways when the club chose Coach Gerard Castano for the new journey. That left many regrets and became motivation for him to continue proving his ability.

Now, Dong Nai will enter their first V-League season as a newcomer. The team certainly needs stronger investment, especially in foreign player positions. However, the current foundation is still promising with experienced players like Cong Phuong, Xuan Truong, Minh Vuong, Tan Truong, Huu Tuan, Tan Sinh, or Van Son.

More importantly, the love for football is strongly returning among Dong Nai fans. The image of packed stands on the day the team earned promotion shows the vitality of a locality rich in football tradition. That will be a huge motivation for Nguyen Viet Thang and his students to confidently face new challenges.

After two years living under the pressure of more than 40 "finals", Coach Viet Thang has finally enjoyed well-deserved results. But for a man always eager to conquer like him, the most anticipated journey may have only just begun at the V-League playground.