The Vietnam Professional Football Company (VPF) intendeds another fact-finding ‘study-trip’ to Europe as part of research to improve the Vietnamese football environment, despite the scant results of previous trips.

VPF officials and representatives of local clubs visit South Korea

30 people including VPF officials and representatives of local clubs will participate in this trip. However, many people questioned the effectiveness of the trip.

According to VPF Vice Chairman Pham Ngoc Vien, they spent over VND1bn (USD45,000) on a one-week study trip to South Korea. A week in Europe for 30 people would cost even more.

After the 2014 V-League, the VPF visited Japan and South Korea the following year but little in the way of results followed from the trips.

The domestic football scene is still plagued with match-fixing accusations and weak management, eroding fans' trust.

Last year, Vietnam co-operated with its Japanese partners in various aspects from introducing new coaches to drafting a management plan and developing domestic tournaments.

A year has passed and the VPF are already making visits to South Korea and now Europe without clear direction and model.

Last year, when being asked about the study trip to South Korea, football coach Le Thuy Hai said that the trips were for fun and couldn't solve anything.

He suggested infrastructure was the main problem and the training facilities in Vietnam left much to be desired.

He said, "The leaders of the Vietnam Football Federation and Vietnam Professional Football Company may gain something. The economics of Japan and South Korea are different from us. Their football clubs are mostly funded by big corporations and they get huge help from the local authorities from training fields to transportation."

Dtinews