VietNamNet Bridge - The 2013 football season will surely be held, but the draw schedule will be postponed.

In the conference reviewing the 2012 football season on October 7, Vice President of the Vietnam Professional Football JSC (VPF), Mr. Le Hung Dung, admitted that the owners of many football teams are in miserable situation.

Specifically, Navibank has just announced to withdraw from football and return Navibank Saigon FC to the HCM City authorities. Meanwhile, boss Do Quang Hien also disinvested in Ha Noi T & T and SHB Da Nang FCs. Many football clubs also face difficulties.

"This is a common situation in the context of the current economic recession. So, I suggest that VPF should delay the draw for the 2013 football season. When the situation is improved, the draw is still not too late," Dung said.
As Chairman of Eximbank, Dung pledged VND40 billion ($2 million) for the V-League 2013. This guarantee of funding makes VPF officials less worried.

The Vietnam Football Association’s (VFF) Chairman Nguyen Trong Hy also suggested that VPF should postpone the draw for the 2013 season.

"From now to the beginning of football tournaments, we still have about 3 months, which is enough to determine how many teams are in difficulties. I suggest VFF and VPF to hold a workshop with the participation of the chairs of FCs, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, of the People’s Committees and the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the provinces that having FCs playing at the V-League and the First Division Tournament and economic experts," Hy said.

According to VPF Chair Vo Quoc Thang, before this meeting, VPF had received registration for the 2013 season from 14 FCs of the First Division Tournament and 14 others of the V-League, including Navibank Saigon.

However, the registration dispatches were signed by Executive Directors, not the owners of the FCs so the presence of these teams in the following season is not ensured.

"The case of Navibank Saigon FC has not been solved. Therefore, we have decided to cancel the draw," Thang said.

Talking on the sidelines of the conference, VFF Secretary General, Mr. Ngo Le Bang, said that VFF had not received any official letter from FCs about their absence from the 2013 season.

Bang said, VFF and VPF would together learn the difficulties of FCs to provide the necessary support.

"We believe in the VPF’s management. If one or two clubs do not participate in the next season for any reason, it is their rights. The tournament (V-League) will continue with 10 or 12 teams," Bang said.

VPF’s Chair Thang said in the next season, each V-League team will have to pay fee of VND500 million ($25,000) and First Division FC will pay fee of VND250 million.

However, VPFwill open its pocket to support all teams.

"FCs will only get 100 percent of the finance if they do not violate the rules of the organizing board", Thang said.

Nam Nguyen