Pity for a talent
Doan Van Hau has not actually "disappeared". He is still present at sporting events and is quite active on social media platforms. However, the defender born in 1999 is out of the loop of Vietnamese professional football.
Members of the Hanoi Police Club no longer meet Van Hau with regular frequency. At the national team level, from the World Cup qualifiers, the Asian Cup finals, international friendlies or the upcoming AFF Cup 2024, the name Doan Van Hau no longer appears in the coach's plans.
The injury that lasted for the past 14 months has caused Van Hau to lose many opportunities in his football career. Even the position of the number 1 left-back in Vietnam that was "nailed" for him from 2018 to 2023 has gradually fallen into... the past.
The Vietnam national team or the Hanoi Police club cannot wait forever for Van Hau. At his home team, Jason Quang Vinh is the optimal choice on the left wing. The Vietnamese-American player who has played in Europe for many years also promises to be the number 1 left-back of the national team in the near future, after obtaining Vietnamese citizenship.
In addition, coach Kim Sang-sik has also gradually found a suitable option on the left wing. Khuat Van Khang is playing better and better, while Van Vi has become a potential name after a 10-point performance in Nam Dinh in the past 2 months.
While Van Hau has stagnated due to not being able to play for over a year, other players in the same position have made significant progress.
Why hasn't Van Hau recovered yet?
Over the past 14 months, Van Hau has been visiting hospitals and physical therapy centers regularly. The player himself may wonder why his heel attachment injury has not healed.
1-2 months ago, when he put on his shoes and entered the field, Van Hau still felt pain when running. That was also the reason why he and his wife decided to go to Korea to continue treatment. However, up to now, Van Hau has not returned to the professional field as desired.
Back 14 months ago, Van Hau could not concentrate on the Vietnam national team as requested by his predecessor Troussier. He was assessed to have heel spur inflammation and could be off the field for 3-6 months.
Van Hau then went to Singapore for treatment but did not have to undergo surgery. Instead, a specialized device will be worn by Van Hau for a period of time, in addition to physical therapy and medication. However, after half a year of treatment with the above method, with more than 3 flights to Singapore for check-ups, Van Hau still did not recover.
It is worth mentioning that in the end, Van Hau still had to undergo surgery in March 2024.
Nearly a month after the surgery, Van Hau shared with the press at that time: "My injury is progressing quite slowly, my leg is still a bit painful. Although I really want to return to competition soon, the doctor said I need more time to fully recover. I will almost certainly miss the entire V.League 2023-2024. Because it is likely that it will not be until August this year that I can train hard and compete again."
August has passed, and this is even the last milestone of 2024. However, Van Hau is still standing outside the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese football. 14 months is too long in the process of recovering from an injury.
Even with the nightmare of a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a professional player with proper care would only need 8-9 months to return to competition. However, the seemingly uncomplicated problem of the Achilles tendon attachment point has caused Van Hau to miss so many tournaments.
