Dinh Hoang La (R) and Dinh Hoang Max hope they will make the Vietnamese national men’s football team stronger

After each landing a spot on Vietnam’s football team, Ukrainian goalkeeper Dinh Hoang La and Nigerian striker Dinh Hoang Max hope their foreign background and presence will inject new energy and make the team stronger.

Hoang La said he will say “thank you” when he meets Coach Henrique Calisto of the national men’s football team, because of the Portuguese tactician’s belief in him.

He and Hoang Max said they would work hard to assure the public that Calisto made a sound judgment to bring them on the team.

“I agree with Calisto that the presence of expats like us will have a positive, rather than negative, effect on the development of Vietnamese football,” said Hoang La. “It will make the local players try harder.”

Hoang La recalled Calisto saying that a First Division club didn’t want foreign players, but the coach insisted that the Vietnamese players would not improve without a competitive environment. Hoang La said that is also true for the national team.

Hoang La, who plays for the northern second-flight First Division club Ninh Binh, said he’s aware of the fierce competition in the national team, especially for goalkeepers.

“The other two goalies are very good,” he said. “If I don’t prove to be superior, I will hardly get a chance in the starting line-up.”

He said he knows that Vietnamese fans prefer a pure Vietnamese player to play for the national team.

“Expats like us must try twice as hard,” he said.

His teammate Hoang Max said it’s an honor to join the national team as a striker and he aims to prove his worthiness as a team member.

Fresh life for the national team

It was not by mere that chance that Calisto chose the two players, said Hoang Max.

“We are not saying we’re better than the Vietnamese footballers but we will sure breathe fresh life into the national team,” he said.

Hoang Max said Calisto is not just focusing on the Southeast Asian region, but beyond.

“It’s about time Vietnam considered its chances in the 2011 Asian Cup as well as taking Vietnamese football to new heights,” he said.

Hoang La said he didn’t like being compared to Phan Van Santos, a Brazilian expat who failed to prove himself as a goalkeeper on the national team.

Hoang La also disputed popular claims that expats don’t fully dedicate themselves to the national team because they are not pure Vietnamese.

“I want to be treated like a Vietnamese person and I know the pressure is great on the national team, but I am happy for the challenges in my life,” he said.

Hoang Max said all expats are unique individuals with differing backgrounds and influences.

“I think Santos [of the V-League club Dong Tam Long An] wasn’t prepared spiritually when he was called up to join the national team last year,” Hoang Max said. “I don’t believe he didn’t want to devote himself to the national team, perhaps he didn’t have enough support.”

Hoang Max said expat players like himself want to do their best for the national team.

For now, they are looking forward to being in the starting line-up in a friendly match with the Greek club Olympiakos on May 14.

Reported by Dang Khoa - Lan Phuong