Striker for the ages
Published: 09/06/2009 05:00
Mention the name Nguyen Cao Cuong to older Vietnamese football fans and their faces are sure to light up. | |||||||
Remembered as the greatest striker Vietnam has ever seen, the 55-yearold ex-forward is most known for leading the powerful front line of Hanoiâs The Cong club to three national championships in a row 1981-1983. Back in the day The top-flight A-1 League, now V-League, number one scorer in 1982- 1983 said his keys to success were fairly simple: âPassion for the sport, hardship and constant improvements.â Cuong said it took keen instincts to play during his prime as there were no videos of games and certainly no instant replay. He had no chance to watch his opponents until game day, forcing him to predict their strategies and improvise how he would deal with each defender without the time players now have to prepare against opponents theyâve seen dozens of times on TV. âI had to be energetic, fast and tough to get rid of sweepers. The rules didnât protect players as well as they do these days.â As a young player, Cuong used to run long distances with lead tied to his ankles and he practiced hurdles constantly to gain the kind of speed and power he would become known for. âWe collected used bicycle tubes to build into obstacles to increase our arm, leg and abdominal muscles. âWe were spiritually strong. We did our best on and off the field and we were not afraid of bigger rivals like western players.â Football is an art Cuong had more difficulty coaching than he ever did as a player. After hanging up his cleats in 1990, Cuong coached The Cong into relegation from the V-League in 2004, which even prompted rumors that the club would soon dissolve. Though the team still lives on, Cuong said the relegation was not easy. âI have been in this sport for 40 years. I have been with The Cong all my life.â But he said that expectations that he would lead the team to glory because he was âthe bestâ were unfounded. âSome people say I am at the top; but Iâm not.â âI have always believed that football is an art; and there is no âbestâ in art. I did my best and achieved the best I could and my efforts and achievements were recognized. That is satisfying enough for me.â Times change âIn my day, Hang Day Stadium was a paradise for fans. They would sell their watch or even a bicycle to get a ticket to watch The Cong play,â said Cuong. But now Hanoians and The Cong fans are different, he said, noting that on his one visit to the stadium this year he was hardly recognized. Cuong reminisced of his friendship with the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, perhaps Vietnamâs most famous football fanatic. Cuong said when he and Kiet met for the last time just two months before the leader passed away last year, they talked about the importance of training the younger generation of talent properly. âOnly five or six trainees out of a thousand can make the best teams,â said Cuong. He added that players needed to be trained young and also needed to have a general education before they went pro. Like so many things, Cuong said it was about balance. Training junior players is extremely hard and it takes a lot of time and patience, just like growing plants, he said. âToo much pressure slows growth, but easy training never leads to success.â Reported by Thanh Luong |
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