Doan Ngoc Tan did not return home immediately after the final match in Thailand, why?

Why does Doan Ngoc Tan stay in Thailand?

Right after the AFF Cup 2024 ended, many Vietnamese players had to immediately embark on another journey, in their club colors. The most thrilling is probably the case of midfielder Doan Ngoc Tan. After the final leg of the AFF Cup 2024, on the evening of January 5 at Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok, Thailand), Doan Ngoc Tan did not follow the Vietnamese team back home. Instead, Ngoc Tan stayed in Thailand, waiting to join Thanh Hoa Football Club.

The Thanh team will have an away match on the field of BG Pathum United Club in Pathum Thani (Thailand), within the framework of the 2024-2025 Southeast Asian Club Championship. That means Doan Ngoc Tan will not be able to celebrate the 2024 AFF Cup championship in his hometown, in case the Vietnamese team wins the championship. Ngoc Tan will have to temporarily put aside this celebration to continue competing internationally for the Thanh Hoa team.

Not only Doan Ngoc Tan, many players in the current Vietnamese team almost immediately have to do duty with their clubs after the AFF Cup. The round of 16 teams of the National Cup will start from January 9 – 14. Most of the strongest teams in Vietnamese football, with current national players, all compete at this stage.

Xuan Son and the Vietnamese players played continuously like super soldiers

The match between Nam Dinh and Binh Duong Football Club will start quite early, from January 9. That means Nguyen Xuan Son and Nguyen Van Vi (playing for Nam Dinh) will soon clash with Nguyen Tien Linh and Bui Vi Hao (playing for Binh Duong) in the National Cup.

Nguyen Hoang Duc (Ninh Binh), Chau Ngoc Quang (HAGL), Nguyen Thanh Chung, Do Duy Manh, Pham Xuan Manh (Hanoi FC), Nguyen Quang Hai (Hanoi Police Football Club)… also competed in the round 16 teams belong to the National Cup. However, they will play a few days later than Xuan Son, Tien Linh and Van Vi, so they have more time to recover.

With Nguyen Xuan Son or Doan Ngoc Tan, these players have often played officially in recent times, with the Vietnamese team at the AFF Cup, they have experienced dense competition. In case they continue to complete their mission with their club right after the AFF Cup, players like Xuan Son and Ngoc Tan deserve the title “super soldiers”, or “iron men” of domestic football.