Brazilian coach reveals the truth about Đình Bắc after the 4-0 victory

Coach Mano Polking made notable remarks about striker Đình Bắc following the commanding 4-0 win of Công an Hà Nội FC (CAHN) against Tampines Rovers (Singapore) in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two round of 16.

In the match held on the evening of February 11, CAHN demonstrated overwhelming strength by controlling the game and scoring 4 goals, thereby securing a significant advantage ahead of the second leg. Immediately after the match, Coach Mano Polking expressed his satisfaction with his players. He shared: “Congratulations to my players, they performed excellently. We are a united team, always fighting for each other. The substitutes also contributed greatly, helping maintain control and score additional goals.”

Despite the big win, the CAHN coach remained cautious. He said: “This is a 180-minute tie and we have only completed the first half. The whole team must stay focused when we go to Singapore and continue to show fighting spirit to achieve our goal of progressing.”

Besides giving an overall assessment of tactics and gameplay, the spotlight after the match was also on Đình Bắc, the 2004-born striker who once again made an impression with a goal. Since joining CAHN, this young player has consistently delivered impressive performances, but has also faced considerable pressure from the public. Aware of this, Coach Mano Polking took the initiative to defend his player, affirming that the coaching staff will not rush to place too much expectation on Đình Bắc’s shoulders.

Coach Polking emphasized: “I understand that Đình Bắc has played very well at the U23 level and shown excellent form. But our task is not to push or rush him too quickly. He still has a lot to learn and develop, so we need to give him time.

Today, when he came on, he made great movements, fought hard, and showed his qualities. We know what we are doing and are creating the right conditions for his development. As I said months ago, I believe he will be the next to make a big impact.”

He added: “He is only 21 years old, ready but still with much room for improvement. I am very happy that Đình Bắc has experienced players around him like Quang Hải, Văn Hậu, Việt Anh,... people who have been in similar situations. I am confident they will help him understand that this is a process.

He is doing very well and we are very pleased. Today he scored again, a goal that showed great quality. The most important thing is to continue maintaining this progress,” Coach Polking affirmed.

The 4-0 win nearly guarantees CAHN a spot in the next round, but Coach Polking and his players must remain fully focused. The two teams will meet again in Singapore on February 18 (the second day of Lunar New Year), marking their third encounter within just half a month.