Hoang Anh Gia Lai is to terminate the contract of Vietnamese American football star Lee Nguyen.

HAGL’s Chairman Doan Nguyen Duc and Lee Nguyen.

The move has been revealed by club chairman Doan Nguyen Duc.

According to Tuoi Tre Daily, after a recent training trip to Arsenal in the UK, Lee Nguyen was allowed to return to his home in Dallas, USA, for two weeks. However, five weeks have passed and Hoang Anh Gia Lai has not seen nor heard from him despite having tried contact both Lee Nguyen and his family.

Chairman Duc said: “Hoang Anh Gia Lai needs good players but for me, our player must have both talent and a sense of morality. Though he is a star, Lee Nguyen’s indiscipline is unacceptable”.

This club also has issues with Lee Nguyen’s agency which they say makes his future employment impossible.

Several days ago, Lee Nguyen’s parents went to Pleiku City, where Hoang Anh Gia Lai club is based, to collect their son’s belongings without giving any explanation to the team.

Timeline of Lee Nguyen at Hoang Anh Gia Lai club

17/1/2009: Halfback Lee Nguyen, 23, signed a 3-year contract with Hoang Anh Gia Lai, with monthly salary of $10,000.

1/2/2009: Receives adulation for scoring a hattrick for Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the match against Saigon United.

8/3/2009: He scored his first goal V-League goal contributing to Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s victory against Hai Phong Cement. Lee Nguyen was voted as the Best Player in May 2009.

After a football season with Hoang Anh Gia Lai, he scored 12 goals, including 9 at V-League 2009, 3 at the National Cup and 16 goal-making passes.

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre