Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Son, Cham take Golden Balls

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Son, Cham take Golden Balls

ED NOTE: Something I don't have.

National team goalkeeper Duong Hong Son and striker Do Thi Ngoc Cham on March 23 won their first Golden Ball awards for outstanding contributions to Vietnamese men’s and women’s football in the year 2008.

The prestigious award was instituted by the Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper.

Son, a 27-year-old native of Nghe An province who plays for the T&T Hanoi football club, beat his national teammates in the running: defender Vu Nhu Thanh and striker Le Cong Vinh to win the award for the first time.

Becamex Binh Duong Football Club defender Vu Nhu Thanh ranked second for the Silver Ball while striker Le Cong Vinh came third for the Bronze Ball award.

Hanoian striker Do Thi Ngoc Cham, 24, from Hanoi, won the Golden Ball for the first time.

The Silver Ball went to Dao Thi Mien of Hoa Hop Hanoi, while winger Tran Thi Kim Hong from HCM City bagged the Bronze Ball.

Earlier this month, the winners of Junior Footballer and Foreign Player of the Year were announced, with midfielder Pham Thanh Luong of Hanoi ACB and Brazilian striker Almeida Jose De Emidio of SHB Da Nang taking the honours.

The 15th anniversary of the Golden Ball award will be celebrated next year. The first award was won by the national team’s former striker, Le Huynh Duc, in 1995, when he played for former HCM Police team.

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.