I read a younger sister's confession on social media that she was both happy and worried that her son had not been given a professional football center to look forward to after some matches. Happy, because children do not have to leave their family early, do not get caught up in the cycle of professional football - where children can grow up quickly, but are also easily disappointed if they stumble. Worrying, because their passion is still burning, and who knows, that is the path of fate.
Many people also understand that to become a professional player, it requires a fierce trade-off - not only for the child himself, but also for the whole family. The schedule is closed from Monday to Friday, and there may be competition on weekends and they will not be home for a long time. Childhood is a series of days spent on the pitch, in a dormitory, and doing heavy exercises in the sun, even having to sign a contract to become a center-level person until the age of 26 and being "sold out" at any time.
I am going to comment that if those prices are exchanged for the dream of wearing the national team jersey to become a reality, being one of the top star players such as Quang Hai, Cong Phuong, Hoang Duc... is it worth it? But thinking back, the dream is not for the majority. And moreover, Vietnamese football has been famous for being professional for more than 2 decades, but many clubs are still in a state of "living abroad", healthy thanks to the money of their owners and businesses.
Therefore, players have contracts, salaries, but the majority are only willing to spend frugally - if they are not outstanding, not famous, not a brand. Not to mention unpaid wages, disbanded teams... Then the bigger worry is, after hanging up their boots, what will they do? Many people do not intend to develop their careers early to prepare for degrees (to become coaches), or other professional skills, nor does anyone give them instructions.
The glory is brilliant, but the road there is too difficult. In a half-all professional environment, adults need to be even more alert. No one can stop children's passion, but they cannot leave their lives to an incomplete system. Perhaps, like that mother, being happy that her child was not chosen is also a way to keep a peaceful inner life - at least for now.
