Football federation selects next national coach

Mai Duc Chung has become the No 1 option for head coach of the national football team.

The Vietnam Football Federation's (VFF) National Coaches Council on Feb. 21 officially made its final decision for the position that had been left empty since last December.

VFF leaders are expected to review their selection for approval on February 27.

In case of approval, Chung, in Brunei with the Under-19 team for the Hassanal Bolkiah Cup at present, will sign a two-year contract when he returns to the country. His salary has not been revealed, but rumour has it that it could be around 120-150 million VND (USD5,700-7,100 ) per month.

Chung would reap benefits if Vietnam could achieve good results at coming tournaments, the first one of which will be the Southeast Asian Football Championship – AFF Cup later this year.

After former coach Falko Goetz was fired, Chung became the favourite candidate for the position. The 61-year-old formerly worked as assistant for many foreign coaches in the past.

In 2008, Chung guided the U22 team to win the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia. He was also acting head coach of the U23 team who defeated Lebanon and Oman during the Beijing Olympic qualifiers in 2007. Chung was appointed head coach of the national women's team in 2003-05 when they won two gold medals at the 22nd and 23rd SEA Games.

The council also drew up an additional list of substitute candidates should Chung not sign the contract with the VFF.

dtinews.vn

Chelsea coaches to train Vietnamese junior footballers

Your coaches from Chelsea Soccer School will run a training course for 180 junior footballers in Ho Chi Minh City.

The course, the first of its kind in Vietnam, aims to improve professional skills for junior footballers selected from schools in the city.

This is part of a cooperation program between the English football club Chelsea and Samsung sponsor to develop the sports and physical training sector for young generations.

The program involves Vietnam, Ghana, Ivory Coast, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

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Top Vietnam football tournament to be called V-League again

The above logo will not be used for the country's top-flight football tournament from this weekend onwards. It will revert to its old name, V-League.

Vietnam's top-flight football tournament will revert to its original name V-League from this weekend onwards, when the 2012 season enters the fifth round.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tuesday asked the league organizing company, VPF, to effect the change in name from the current Super League back to V-League.

VFF made the decision after it was asked by the General Department of Physical Training and Sports to do so.

The department said it is important that the nation's top tournament indicates the name of the country.

VPF was mooted by leading national football clubs late last year. They criticized VFF for poor management of the country’s leagues and called for a revamp. Once the VPF was etablished with the VFF as a major shareholder, the company named the nation's leading tournament Super League. The earlier name, V-League, was used when the country’s top contests turned professional in 2000.

The name Super League was used in the first four rounds of the 2012 season; and from the fifth round this weekend, it will be called the V-League Eximbank 2012, named after its main sponsor.

VPF chairman Vo Quoc Thang said, “VPF is willing to listen to opinions from authorized agencies, the media and the fans so that the organization of the league gets better and better. Changing the name is not complicated but we need to get opinions from the Board of Directors.”

Nguyen Hong Thanh, General Director of the Song Lam Nghe An football club, the league champions, said a change in the name of the league in the middle of the season will cause losses of money and time for the clubs as well as the stadiums’ organizers because many things like billboards, players’ shirts and tickets will have to be redone.

By Thanh Nien News

Barcelona FC opens new programme in Vietnam

The programme of football for society was opened in Hanoi on Jan. 30, under the witness of Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) President Nguyen Trong Hy and Barcelona FC’s representative Marce Xavi.

The programme of football for society was opened in Hanoi on Jan. 30. Photo by TTVH.

The programme aims to discover, train and upgrade football skills for Vietnamese children. All trainers are from Barcelona FC and two classes will be held, with the participation of 300 trainees.

Marce Xavi said the short training course will provide trainees with a philosophy to apply to Vietnamese football.

The three-year programme is expected to attract a large number of students from 6-14 years of age. Apart from studying football skills, the trainees will have the chance to play and exchange with participants from other courses in the country, as well as in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand , Indonesia , and Malaysia , Nguyen Lan Trung, VFF Vice President and Director of the programme said.

The programme may also lead to the discovery of talented players for Vietnam ’s football team.

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Vietnam to host U19 AFF football tourney

Vietnam expects to host the 2012 U19 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championships, according to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).

The VFF will invite a football team, from either Uzbekistan, Iran or Qatar, to take part in the tournament, which is scheduled to take place before the final round of the 2012 U19 Asia Football Championship (AFC).

The AFF tourney will see the participation of U19 squads from Vietnam, Thailand and Australia if they qualify for the AFC championship, and a visiting team.

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Vietnam to host Asian football Olympic playoffs

Vietnam will host the Asian football qualifying playoffs for the London 2012 Olympic Games, says the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

According to the regional governing body for football, Malaysia had previously been chosen to host the event but renovations to the proposed Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur made the AFC eye a new destination for the qualifiers.

As scheduled, runners-up in the three third-round groups will play each other in a round-robin format and the winner will face Senegal in a match for a ticket to London.

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Premier League club Everton eyes Vietnamese forward

England’s Premier League club Everton has shown interest in Vietnamese striker Le Cong Vinh, the club's representative has said.

Steve Darby, who is Vietnam’s former national female football team coach, was a spectator at the Hanoi’s Hang Day Stadium to watch Vinh play in Hanoi FC’s game against Khatoco Khanh Hoa in the third round of the country’s top-flight Super League on Saturday.

His club beat visitors Khanh Hoa 4-1 but the 26-year-old Vinh did not make a significant contribution to the home win.

Vinh, whose late header earned Vietnam the ASEAN Football Federation championship in 2008, moved from Song Lam Nghe An to Hanoi T&T in 2009.

He was introduced by Vietnam’s then national men’s football coach Henrique Calisto to Portugal’s top-flight Liga Sagres club Leixoes when the 2009 V-League (currently called Super League) season ended.

However, Vinh did not play very well for Leixoes and returned to play the 2010 V-League season for Hanoi T&T, who won the league championship that year without Vinh’s contributing much.

Vinh moved from Hanoi T&T to Hanoi FC at the end of the 2011 season.

By Son Tung, Thanh Nien News

Vietnam football hangs on to top ranking in Southeast Asia

Vietnam’s national football team has remained in the lead of Southeast Asian despite dropping two notches to 101st position in the FIFA January rankings.

According to the FIFA ratings, the second place in the region was secured by Thailand, which also fell two notches back to 124^th position in the world, followed by Indonesia (143^rd) and Singapore (147^th).

In Asia, Japan topped the list with its 19^th position in the world, followed by Australia and the Republic of Korea, while Vietnam ranked 14^th.

Spain are still leading the world, leaving behind the Netherlands and Germany.

FIFA will announce its next rankings on February 15, 2012.

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Defending champs held at home in Vietnam Super League

Song Lam Nghe An players (yellow) mark Nigerian striker Samson Kayode Olaleye of visitors Hanoi T&T in a Super League match in Vinh city Sunday.

Defending Vietnamese Super League champions Song Lam Nghe An were held 2-2 at home by Hanoi T&T in the third round Sunday.

Both teams played fast football from the start, and it was a see-saw contest.

Trinidad & Tobago striker Hector Hughtun Kerin took a Van Hoan throw and scored the opener for the hosts midway through the first half, but the visitors’ Nigerian striker Samson Kayode Olaleye canceled out that goal 10 minutes from halftime.

The two teams continued to battle on level terms through the second half before Cameroonian striker Bebbe Gustave Anicet’s scored SLNA's second goal with a header in the first minute of stoppage time.

SLNA fans were excited thinking a win was in the bag, but less than two minutes later winger Van Quyet snatched a point for the visitors by heading home from a Sy Cuong corner.

In other action, hosts Vicem Hai Phong were held 1-1 at Lach Tray Stadium by Dong Thap. Nigerian striker Felix Gbenga Ajala scored for the visitors two minutes before the break, but Jamaican striker Kavin Elroy Bryan scored the equalizer four minutes before the final whistle.

Ivory Coast striker Sanogo Moussa scored the opener for the visitors Vissai Ninh Binh 15 minutes after the break at Ho Chi Minh City's Thong Nhat Stadium.

Brazilian striker Ricardo Alves Pereira evened the score for hosts Navibank Saigon in the 84th minute before Moussa scored again to grab full points for Ninh Binh .

Earlier, on Saturday, hosts Thanh Hoa beat 2007-08 champs Becamex Binh Duong 2-1 at home.

Saigon FC earned a 2-0 away win over Kienlongbank Kien Giang. Hanoi FC and 2009 champs SHB Da Nang crushed visitors Khanh Hoa and 2003-04 champs Hoang Anh Gia Lai by an identical 4-1 score.

After three rounds, Da Nang are on top with seven points, followed by Hanoi T&T who are also on seven but with an inferior goal difference. Saigon FC, SLNA, and Thanh Hoa in third, fourth and fifth with five points each.

Thanh Nien News

Teams seek good results ahead of Tet

Football clubs in the Super League are determined to get good results this weekend so they can fully enjoy the Lunar New Year.

But it seems that home teams have the upper hand before the two-week break for the Tet holiday.

Among four early games today, third-place Da Nang will take on second-place Hoang Anh Gia Lai at Chi Lang Stadium. It will be a tight game as both teams are in good form, but the home team will likely take full points.

Ha Noi football club, who lost both games and are rooted to bottom place, have a good opportunity to earn their first win as they host Khanh Hoa at Hang Day Stadium.

Despite playing against Binh Duong, Thanh Hoa are aiming for nothing but three points.

Kien Giang is probably in danger of losing points to Sai Gon football club, who are considered the favourites over the home team.

The most intriguing game of the round is between defending champions Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) and runners-up Ha Noi T&T tomorrow.

This is a rematch of last season's final match between two teams that saw SLNA drawing Ha Noi T&T to earn enough points to lift the trophy after 10 years.

"It is a very interesting match," Ha Noi T&T's coach, Phan Thanh Hung, said.

"We have the strongest line-up for the match and are ready to face SLNA. We will leave Vinh Stadium with at least one point to enjoy a joyful Tet holiday," Hung said.

Hai Phong, who have had a stuttering start, will have a good chance to bag their first win as they face Dong Thap.

The Mekong Delta-based team significantly lost its strength after the departure of goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, striker Samson Kayode and coach Pham Cong Loc, key factors in the club's success in recent years.

Navibank Sai Gon are favourites over Ninh Binh, who has won just one point, and are in the bottom area

vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn

PM steps in on TV rights row

Football furore: Local television stations will be allowed to broadcast live the national football championship matches on Sunday. The Viet Nam Professional Football JSC claims the broadcasting contract between the Viet Nam Football Federation and the Audio Visual Global Company is illegal. — File Photo

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday provided direction to help settle disputes about television broadcast rights to timely reserve spectators' demand via television.

Dung asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to resolve the conflict so as to live up to spectators' expectations and then report to the Government.

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) signed a contract with the Audio Visual Global Company (AVG) from 2010-30 and recently released an official document stating that AVG has all broadcasting rights for the national football championship (Super League).

Meanwhile, the Viet Nam Professional Football JSC (VPF) said that the exclusive broadcast rights contract between the VFF and the AVG was illegal and television stations should be allowed to broadcast live the tournament's matches.

The VPF and organising board are required to respect that broadcasting rights now belong to the AVG, which means television stations can only broadcast matches with AVG permission.

During investigations, the Government leader allowed television stations to broadcast all matches under the management of the VPF.

After receiving PM Dung's direction, AVG sent a press release to affirm that it would strictly obey the PM's direction. — VNS

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Italian star to come to Viet Nam

In our midst: Fabio Cannavaro (left) is seen in action during the 2006 World Cup. The former Italian defender will meet fans and take part in a football training session for under-15s at Thong Nhat Stadium in HCM City. — AFP/VNA File Photo

HCM CITY — Former Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro will arrive in Viet Nam tomorrow at the invitation of Eximbank.

The 39-year-old will take part in a series of activities in HCM City, including a press conference at Caravelle Hotel, a football training session for an under-15 local team at Thong Nhat Stadium and meeting fans at the Youth Cultural House.

Cannavaro started his career in Napoli in 1992, before playing for Parma, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid. He retired at the age of 37 last year due to a persistent knee injury while playing at the Al Ahli club in the United Arab Emirates. During his 19-year career, Cannavaro played in four World Cups and holds an Italian record of 136 international appearances, in which he scored two goals.

In 2006, which is seen as his most successful year, the defender helped his national team win their fourth World Cup. He later won the European Golden Ball award and was named footballer of the year.

Cannavaro is not the first high-profile international player to visit Viet Nam. In 2005, David Beckham went to HCM City to present the FIFA Gold Cup to the public and popular footballers Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato from the Brazilian Olympic team played against Viet Nam's national team in Ha Noi in 2008.

Last year, Manchester United's South Korean Park Ji-sun teamed with his friends competed against Navibank Sai Gon in a friendly match in the Asian Dream Cup charity football tournament. — VNS

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VFF to limit foreign players in football league

HA NOI – The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) will limit the number of foreign players in the national football league from 2013 to help boost opportunities for local football talent, the federation's vice chairman Pham Ngoc Vien said in an interview.

Each team in the Super League (formerly known as the V-League) will be limited to recruiting three foreign players from next year, and only two of them will be able to play for their team at any given time.

Teams in the lower First Division will not be allowed to hire any foreign players from 2013.

"The limit on foreign players in the First Division championship will provide young players more opportunities to compete," Vien said. "The federation also requires teams in both the Super League and First Division to build their football training centres by 2014."

Vien, who helped draw up Viet Nam's professional football system in 2001, added that each Second Division team will have to include three young squads for competition in youth championships from 2013.

The vice chairman said teams that have yet to set up their own youth squads will receive a fine of at least VND200 million ($10,000).

"We want teams to invest more in training young talent rather than hiring foreign players or using training facilities abroad," he said.

There are over 100 foreign players competing for 28 teams in the Super League and First Division this year. -- VNS

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Super League makes impressive start

The derby between Saigon FC (Blue) and Navibank Saigon ended in a 2-2 draw at Thong Nhat Stadium on Sunday.

Twenty goals from seven matches were not many, but the first round of Vietnam’s top-tier Super League on the weekend was generally thrilling.

The most exciting match on Sunday was perhaps the scoreless draw at Vinh Stadium between visitors Thanh Hoa and the league champ Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA).

Despite having sold several of their favorite players, Thanh Hoa was still a strong, united team thanks to the management of coach Trieu Quang Ha.

The host SLNA had more scoring chances, but Thanh Hoa’s goalkeeper To Vinh Loi was excellent, and defenders were tough and stood firm until the final minute.

Another visiting team that was very good was Dong Thap, which had sold several of its best players while coach Pham Cong Loc moved to Navibank Saigon.

Dong Thap's young players nevertheless were in high spirits and were bold throughout the match, helping them to come back from two goals behind to earn a 2-2 draw with host Ninh Binh.

The derby between Navibank Saigon and Saigon FC was a see-saw game before ending in a 2-2 draw at Thong Nhat Stadium.

The 2010 champ Hanoi T&T beat neighbor Hanoi FC 1-0 at Hanoi’s Hang Day Stadium, while the 2009 champ SHB Da Nang struggled to defeat Khatoco Khanh Hoa 3-2 at Chi Lang Stadium.

In early matches on Saturday, the 2007-2008 champion Becamex Binh Duong beat visitor Kien Long Bank Kien Giang 2-0 at Go Dau Stadium. The 2004-2006 champ Hoang Anh Gia Lai won 3-1 against visiting squad Vicem Hai Phong at Pleiku Stadium.

By Thanh Nien News

Watch V.Ninh Binh vs TĐCS Đong thap live Super League 2012

Super League Round 1 - Eximbank 2012
01/01/2011 16h10 GMT +7 days: V.Ninh Binh vs TĐCS Đong thap

V. NB: Manh Dung, Lung Ngoc Hoang Vissai, Thanh Tung, Literature Review, Yellow Dam, Mota, Manh Dung, Tien Thanh, Gustavo, Moussa.
CS.DT: Ngoc Buu, Van Hung, Thanh Hao, Sydney, Van Hau, Hai Duong, Van Loi, Hai Anh, Van Wood, Felix, Devon.

Prediction: 2-1

Live:

Watch Navibank Sai Gon vs Sai Gon FC live Super League 2012

Super League Round 1 - Eximbank 2012
01/01/2011 16h10 GMT +7 days: Navibank Sai Gon vs Sai Gon FC

N. SG: The Anh, Quang Long, Anh Tuan, Vincent, Vietnam strength, is Em, Aniekan, Duy Khanh, Khanh Lam, Fonseca, Quang Hai

SG.FC: Tan Truong, Van Tuan Hai Anh, Family Law, Trong Binh, Moses, Rogerio Nguyen, Phu Trong, Antonio, NSI, Huynh Kesley

Prediction: 1-1

Live:

Watch SHB Đa Nang vs Khatoco Khanh Hoa live Super League 2012

Super League Round 1 - Eximbank 2012

01/01/2011 16h10 GMT +7 days: SHB Đa Nang vs Khatoco Khanh Hoa

SHB.DN: Thanh Binh, Tan Dien Phuoc Vinh, Krist, Hoang Quang, Alex, Minh Phuong, Nguyen Sa, Hung Son, Merlo, Ngoc Thanh.

K. KH: Hoang Tuan, Literature, Issifu, Anh Tuan, Tan Dat, Tan Tai, Huu Phat, Justis, Ngoc Dieu, Agostinho, Le Van Tan.

Prediction: 1-1

Live:

Vietnam football hit by row over TV rights

A cameraman recording live a football match in Ho Chi Minh City.

Controversy has broken out regarding television broadcast rights for the Super League (formerly V-League) matches, the country’s top-tier football tournament, with the newly established Vietnam Professional Football (VPF) JSC at loggerheads with the company that has bought the telecast rights.

Vietnamese football had undergone a major change early this month with the task of organizing national football competitions passed on from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to the VFP, which has on its board officials of the federation as well as owners of the nation’s football clubs.

Before the mantle passed on to the new company, the VFF had early this year sold television rights to Super League matches to the Audio Visual Global (AVG) JSC. The two sides signed a 20-year agreement for VND6 billion (US$286,000) per year.

Officers of the VPF, which was established early December, found the agreement unreasonable. They wanted to shorten the time and raise the agreement’s value to VND20 billion a year.

AVG has contended that although VPF has the right to organize national football competitions, it cannot unilaterally terminate the agreement or force it to raise the value from VND6 billion to VND20 billion a year.

AVG president Pham Nhat Vu refused to change the terms and conditions in the agreement during a talk with VFF vice chairman Pham Ngoc Vien and general secretary Tran Quoc Tuan (Tuan has since resigned and will leave office on January 1, 2012) on Wednesday, December 28.

Vu said the agreement AVG signed with VFF was guaranteed by officials of the sports department and authorized agencies, so it must remain unchanged for the term agreed to at the beginning.

He said AVG would not agree to the VND20 billion per year that VPF has informed the press it is demanding.

According to Vien, AVG has all rights to air the matches on television as mentioned in the agreement, so VFF can do nothing about it. However, he said, VPF and AVG should discuss the issue and come to an agreement that is beneficial to both parties.

VPF board members are also unhappy that the AVG plans to choose the matches that will be aired live, instead of airing all of them.

Nhat Vu said 40 local television stations have asked for the right to rebroadcast live the football matches that AVG owns the copyrights to, but the company requires that they also show AVG’s logo and advertisements.

Meanwhile, the major television stations in the country, VTV, VTC (Vietnam Cable TV) and Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV) have not reached agreement with AVG because they are not pleased with the company’s choice of matches to be aired live.

They say this would not only narrow down the areas to be televised but also badly affect the interests of the Super League sponsor, Eximbank. The bank, which invests VND30 billion in the tournament, is entitled to ask that the league matches be broadcast on as many television stations as possible to promote its image.

A source said Wednesday that the VPF Board of Directors still planned to negotiate with broadcasting television stations like VTV, VTC and HTV the possibility of showing matches and images of the Super League as much as possible on their sports channels. The VPF has said it would not accept any company holding exclusive television telecast rights, and would sell them to different TV stations.

According to a member of the VPF’s Board of Directors, if VTV pays for the right to televise live four or five matches of the Super League a week to broadcast on its different channels including VCTV channels and satellite channel K+, VPF can earn up to VND12-15 billion.

The VPF has also said it would support VTV in exploring income earning options through advertising. It would also offer similar deals to VTC and HTV.

It is not clear however, how the VPF can circumvent the VFF-AVG agreement and negotiate these deals.

By Quang Tuyen - Lan Phuong, Thanh Nien News (The story can be found in the December 30th issue of our print edition, Thanh Nien Weekly)