VietNam Culture: football championship

Showing posts with label football championship. Show all posts

Saturday, January 22, 2011

V-League season promises drama, greater professionalism

Game on: Le Tan Tai of Khanh Hoa (left) tries to get past Tran Tuan Anh of HCM City team in their V-League match last year. Khanh Hoa meet Hai Phong team in their V-League opener away today. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Nhut

The new season of the national football championship, V-League, begins this weekend. It is the first time all clubs are now operating as official businesses. It also marks the biggest-ever prize money for the victory team as well as a TV broadcast deal with a private company. Viet Nam News spoke to Le Hung Dung, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF), about the new season, the use of sponsorship money and the plans to improve the quality of V-League and make it more professional.

The new V-League football season will begin today. The tournament definitely has new features compared to the 2010 season. Could you tell us what they are?

This is the first season all 14 participating clubs are recognised as businesses, according to regulations of the FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Besides that, this year's V-League also has other new features. The quality will improve because of the bigger prize money, which is strong motivation for clubs to play their best. I think there will be many aggressive matches.

There are also more matches to be broadcast live than in previous seasons and this will help further enhance the brand and image of the V-League.

Are there any changes in the regulation of the number of foreign players on the pitch at one time?

National football championship kicks off with Ha Noi derby

The new season of the 2011 national football championship, Eximbank V-League 2011, will start this weekend with seven matches across the country.

Some notable first-round matches include defending champions Ha Noi T&T vs Hoa Phat Ha Noi, Becamex Binh Duong vs Ninh Binh, SHB Da Nang vs Hoang Anh Gia Lai.

The champions will receive a total of VND3 billion ($150,000), thrice higher than that of 2010. The runners-up pocket VND1.5 billion ($75,000) and the third team gets VND750 million ($37,500).

In addition, the organisers will also award a fair play prize of VND200 million ($10,000), and a prize of VND20 million ($1,000) for the best coach of the season.

The best scorer also pockets VND20 million ($1,000), the best fan club, VND20 million ($1,000), and the best team of the month, VND30 million ($1,500).

This year, the federation will apply the 4-3 rule. Each club will be allowed to register four foreign players on the team list and they are allowed to field a maximum of three on the pitch at once instead of last year's 5-3 rule.

I support the use of foreign players in the V-League. Not only is it an inevitable trend but it also brings benefit to Viet Nam football.

Foreign players help improve the quality of local players, which, in turn, contributed to the increasingly improved quality of the national team. The evidence is that Viet Nam are playing well in recent years.

The team no longer fears taller opponents and can even play with many strong teams from the Middle East on an equal footing. We have the disadvantages of size and physical strength as well as a poor training facility.

I think that V-League is the best foundation for the national team. However, we limit the number of foreign players playing on the pitch for the sake of the national team. I support players of Vietnamese origin like American player Lee Nguyen The Anh, who could receive Vietnamese nationality and play for the national team.

Does VFF has any policy to encourage clubs to give talented young players more opportunities to play in order to create sources for the Olympic team in the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia this year?

VFF will create a legal framework to encourage and allow clubs to do that but it is the owners and coaches who have the right to field the players on the pitch. The federation does not have the right to tell clubs which players they should field.

The Viet Nam Export Import Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Viet Nam Eximbank) decided to sponsor V-League for three successive seasons, with the sponsorship value of VND90 billion (US$4.5 million). How will VFF use the money to make the V-League better?

I need to make it clear that Viet Nam Eximbank will sponsor V-League three successive seasons, with sponsorship value of the next season being higher than the previous season by 10 per cent. So the total sponsorship value of all three seasons would be VND100 billion ($5 million).

After every season, Viet Nam Eximbank and VFF will sit down and talk about how VFF used the money and what Viet Nam Eximbank gained from this sponsorship.

The sponsorship deal will be stopped if it does not bring the desired effect in terms of the promotion to the bank and if the quality of V-League declines.

The federation will have plans to use the money it gets from V-League. I am responsible for financial issues of the federation, so I will ask the general secretary and related divisions to carefully use the money to ensure that it is used efficiently and for good purposes. — VNS

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

VTV agrees broadcasting rights

Viet Nam Television (VTV) and Viet Nam Cable Television (VCTV) have reached agreements concerning V-League's broadcasting rights after two weeks of negotiations with cable TV provider Audio Vision Global (AVG).

As scheduled, VTV will broadcast live 20 of total 91 matches in the first leg of the national premier football championship, V-League, while VCTV said it will telecast 38 matches.

However, Viet Nam Multi-Media Corporation (VTC) and Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV) have yet to finalise their negotiations with AVG.

Last week, AVG said it had sold V-League's 91 broadcasting rights of first leg matches to local television stations for VND40 million (US$2,000) each.

AVG won a 20-year contract with the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) last December to broadcast V-League matches worth VND6 billion (US$300,000) per year.

AVG, which is licensed to operate a satellite and digital television service, plans to officially launch a 70-channel TV package late this year.

The V-League will kick off on January 23, and Vietnamese fans will be able to watch matches on VTV's channel 3 and VCTV's Football TV.

The national football championship has been a money maker for the VFF since 2004 when VTV paid VND4 billion ($200,000) to broadcast V-League matches.

Under the deal, the VFF and its sponsors take 40 per cent of the fees, while the two participating teams share the remainder. The host team takes 40 per cent and the visiting team 20 per cent.

Footballer banned for quitting

Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF)'s disciplinary committee has banned striker Hoang Danh Ngoc from football for 18 months and fined him VND2.4 billion (US$120,000).

Ngoc will be banned from official matches starting from the first day that he signs a contract with another club.

The 21-year-old said that he wanted to leave after Nam Dinh was demoted to lower First Division, which led to financial problems for the club.

Nam Dinh had not been able to pay Ngoc's salary for a few months.

The VFF said Ngoc breached clause 55 in VFF's disciplinary law.

Due to unilaterally ending his contract before it expired, Ngoc also must compensate Nam Dinh football club for the eight-year training fee, which totals $120,000.

VFF said that Ngoc could appeal the decision with the VFF's appeals committee within seven days. — VNS

Monday, January 17, 2011

VTV agrees on V-League's broadcasting rights

HA NOI – Viet Nam Television (VTV) and Viet Nam Cable Television (VCTV) have reached agreements concerning V-League's broadcasting rights after two weeks of negotiations with cable TV provider Audio Vision Global (AVG).

As scheduled, VTV will broadcast live 20 of total 91 matches in the first leg of the national premier football championship, V-League, while VCTV said it will telecast 38 matches.

However, Viet Nam Multi-Media Corporation (VTC) and Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV) have yet to finalise their negotiations with AVG.

Last week, AVG said it had sold V-League's 91 broadcasting rights of first leg matches to local television stations for VND40 million (US$2,000) each.

AVG won a 20-year contract with the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) last December to broadcast V-League matches worth VND6 billion (US$300,000) per year.

AVG, which is licensed to operate a satellite and digital television service, plans to officially launch a 70-channel TV package late this year.

The V-League will kick off on January 23, and Vietnamese fans will be able to watch matches on VTV's channel 3 and Football TV.

The national football championship has been a money maker for the VFF since 2004 when VTV paid VND4 billion ($200,000) to broadcast V-League matches.

Under the deal, the VFF and its sponsors take 40 per cent of the fees, while the two participating teams share the remainder. The host team takes 40 per cent and the visiting team 20 per cent. – VNS

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Thailand the worst in the last two decades

Former captain of Thailand, Kiatisak Senamuang

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Managing to make two ties at the Southeast Asian Football Championship, Suzuki Cup and facing risks of being eliminated for the first time at the tournament, the national team of Thailand are judged the worst squad in the last two decades of the nation.

Kiatisak Senamuang, Thai former captain international and coach of Vietnam’s top-flight club Hoang Anh Gia Lai, confirmed it to Tuoi Tre. He attributed the failure to fitness and preparations.

Thailand, the nine-time champions of Olympic-level Southeast Asian Games and three-time champions of Southeast Asian Football Championship, were held to 2-2 and 0-0 draws with Laos and Malaysia on December 7 and will play the last game in group A against hosts Indonesia with six points after two wins.

Malaysia and Laos, each holding a point, will face each other in the last group stage

Thai players are not in their best form and fitness, Kiatisak admitted.

“They played fouls 15 times with Malaysians due to their failure in fighting for the ball,” he admitted.

“In the last 20 years, Thai football has never fallen in such a trouble at such a regional tournament,” Kiatisak added.

Poor performance of Thailand was also attributed to preparations when players started their training camp around two weeks before the tourney.

“I will discuss why Thai football is on the decline later,” Kiatisak told Tuoi Tre.

Group A Standings:

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Points
Indonesia	2	2	0	0	11	1	6
Thailand	2	0	2	0	2	2	2
Malaysia	2	0	1	1	1	5	1
Laos	2	0	1	1	2	8	1

Group B Standings:

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Points
Vietnam	1	1	0	0	7	1	3
Philippines	1	0	1	0	1	1	1
Singapore	1	0	1	0	1	1	1
Myanmar	1	0	0	1	1	7	0

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Team honoured before AFF Cup

Defending honour: Striker Nguyen Viet Thang takes the ball while coach Henrique Calisto (top left) urges players to train harder yesterday. Viet Nam meet Myanmar in the ASEAN Football Championship on Thursday. — VNS Photos Quang Thang

HA NOI — The Viet Nam football team has been awarded the Labour Order, Third Class, for winning the ASEAN Football Championship-AFF-Suzuki Cup two years ago.

Portuguese coach Henrique Calisto and six members of the winning team, Le Cong Vinh, Duong Hong Son, Phan Van Tai Em, Vu Nhu Thanh, Nguyen Minh Phuong and Le Tan Tai, were among 18 players and assistant coaches to receive the certificates in Ha Noi.

The honour is expected to encourage the team before they play Myanmar in the opening match of this year's ASEAN Football Championship.

The group B contest will be played at Ha Noi's My Dinh Stadium on Thursday.

Viet Nam won the AFF-Suzuki Cup – co-hosted by Thailand and Singapore – with a 3-2 victory in a two-legged final against Thailand.

Viet Nam will play with Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore in a round-robin in group B between Thursday and December 8.

The top two will qualify for the semi-finals. Last week, the AFF council decided to change the venue for the competition's second match from Ha Noi's Hang Day Stadium to Nam Dinh's Thien Truong Stadium.

Indonesia hosts group A which includes Thailand, Malaysia and Laos from December 1-8.

Viet Nam and Indonesia are co-hosting the regional football championship that ends on December 29.

Two countries have co-hosted since 2002 with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals and final that is played in a home-and-away format. — VNS

Monday, November 29, 2010

Viet Nam honoured before AFF Cup

HA NOI – Viet Nam football team received the Labour Order, Third Class from the State for their ASEAN Football Championship, AFF-Suzuki Cup, two years ago.

Portuguese Henrique Calisto and six players, Le Cong Vinh, Duong Hong Son, Phan Van Tai Em, Vu Nhu Thanh, Nguyen Minh Phuong and Le Tan Tai were awarded the honour orders in a ceremony in Ha Noi.

Eighteen players and coach assistants were also honoured the certificates of merit from the Government.

The honour award will encourage the team before the ASEAN Football Championship playing Myanmar in the opening match in group B at Ha Noi's My Dinh Stadium on Thursday.

Two years ago, Viet Nam won the AFF-Suzuki Cup, which was co-hosted by Thailand and Singapore, after a 3-2 win in a two-legged final against Thailand.

Viet Nam will play with Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore in a round-robin in group B on December 2-8. Two tops will qualify for semi-final.

Last week, the AFF council decided to change the venue for the competition's second pitch from Ha Noi's Hang Day Stadium to Nam Dinh's Thien Truong Stadium.

Indonesia hosts group A, which includes Thailand, Malaysia and Laos on December 1-8.

Viet Nam and Indonesia will co-host the regional football championship on December 1-29.

Since 2002 the AFF Cup has been hosted by two countries, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals and final, which is played in a home-and-away format. – VNS

Monday, October 18, 2010

Dong Nai wins U.21 trophy after penalty shootout

Dong Nai wins U.21 trophy after penalty shootout Dong Nai took the 2010 National U.21 football championship after beating powerhouse Nghe An 5-4 in a penalty shootout at Gia Lai Province’s Pleiku Stadium on Sunday.

They had already beaten Nghe An 1-0 win in their group’s opening match, but this was a much closer match.

Nghe An played with lots of caution, but had to pick up after conceding the first goal just five minutes into the game.

They succeeded in scoring an equalizer just 10 minutes later, Trong Phi firing a shot that goalkeeper Thanh Diep could not reach.

Charged up by the equalizer, Nghe An’s young players launched more attacks, putting Dong Nai under great pressure. The team showed why it was able to three consecutive national U.21 championships from 2000 to 2002.

The team capitalized on one of the opportunities they created to take the lead midway through the first half.

After the break, Dong Nai’s striker Tuan Anh collected a neat pass from The Hung and made the score 2-2 after taking a neat pass from The Hung.

However, the team fell behind shortly afterwards, with Nghe An’s fast counterattack paying off. Trong Phi and Dinh Bao combined beautifully before striker Dinh Bao beat goalkeeper Diep with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area.

Dong Nai refused to give up, and just minutes from full time, they found the equalizer when Thanh Tan scored from a free kick.

No more goals were scored in the match, and the champions had to be chosen after a penalty shootout.

Both sides were successful in their first four tries but Nghe An’s Trong Phi failed to get his shot past the Dong Nai custodian, while Van Quyen fired in Dong Nai’s fifth shot without fuss.

Dong Nai’s victory in the National U.21 football championship is all the more impressive considering it is only the second tie that they were participating in the event.