Courtesy: Viet Nam News

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Training priority for athletes over holiday

by Tien Thanh

HCM CITY — Many athletes and footballers have to cut short or even forgo their Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays to prepare for some major events that are around the corner.

Snooker player Dang Dinh Tien is preparing for the World Cup in South Korea in April and Asian Billiards&Snooker Championship in July by honing his skills at Phan Dinh Phung Gymnasium in HCM City.

"After returning from the SEA Games [last December] I immediately returned to practice. I will practise through the Tet holidays, only being with my family at night," the 50-year-old said.

Although Tien has been involved in the sport for over 30 years, he has yet to acquire his own house, and lives with his wife and two children in a small apartment in Phu Nhuan District.

Tien earned more than VND200 million (US$11,000) last year but could still not afford a house. "I am practising hard, hoping to have another successful year and enough money to buy a house."

He had a highly successful 2009, winning gold in three major tournaments – the National Billiards&Snooker Championships, the Third Asian Indoor Games in Viet Nam, and the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos.

The country's top badminton player, Nguyen Tien Minh, said he would have little time for Tet and would return to practice the day after New Year to prepare for the Thomas Cup qualifying round in Thailand from February 21 to 28.

The national futsal team, which is training in Thailand, and its Italian coach Sergio Gargelli will have to celebrate Tet abroad while preparing for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Futsal Championships Southeast Asian qualifiers in Indonesia from February 20 to 25.

The team hopes to finish in the top three to qualify for the AFC Futsal Championships to be played in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 23 to 30.

Some other footballers are enough luck to have some time to celebrate Tet with their family. Brazilian-Vietnamese footballer Phan Van Santos, original name Fabio Santos, who has lived in Viet Nam since 2002, plans to take his family to Mui Ne Beach during Tet.

Lee Nguyen, an American who recently began playing football in Viet Nam, will celebrate first Tet with his family in HCM City before visiting Nha Trang and Da Lat.

Many football teams will have to cut short their Tet holidays and summon their players early in the new year.

To prepare for their away matches against Khatoco Khanh Hoa in the National Cup on February 19 and Selangor FA of Malaysia in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup four days later, Becamex Binh Duong players will gather on February 15, according to a club spokesman.

Like Binh Duong, V-League defending champions SHB Da Nang also have a tight schedule.

The club will host First Division club Can Tho in the National Cup on February 19 before visiting Thai Port five days later for an AFC Cup match.

Other clubs also have to prepare for the last 16 round of the National Cup to be held on February 21. — VNS


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com