Huynh Kesley (R), a Brazilian striker with club Binh Duong, was granted Vietnamese citizenship early this year

Aggrieved Vietnamese nationals of foreign origin say they have raised football standards in the country and should not be treated like second-class citizens.

The Vietnam Football Federation’s latest move to give local players more opportunities to play and ensure that the nation’s youth are trained well has run into some criticism, particularly from those affected most – foreign players who have been granted Vietnamese nationality.

At a meeting in Hanoi on November 13, the federation said clubs were sometimes using too many expat players in a match, robbing local players of opportunities and seriously affecting the quality of Vietnamese football.

This practice would also slow down the process of youth player training, so the federation said it would limit the number of foreign players as well as foreigners who have been given Vietnamese citizenship that can take the field during a match.

The federation said it would ask clubs to have only one foreign player with Vietnamese citizenship on the field at any time in a game.

For instance, V-League club Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) has two Thai Vietnamese players Doan Van Nirut and Doan Van Sakda. Under the new rules, the club can have only one of them on the field during a match.

If they use both players, one of them would be considered a foreigner, which means the team can only have two more foreign players on the field at that time, (current rules restrict to three the number of foreign players on the field for a team).

At a meeting on Wednesday with VFF and representatives from the Government Office and the Ministry of Justice, a decision was passed on the situation.

According to the decision, from the 2010 season, each team can only have one foreign player with Vietnamese nationality at any time in a game.

In the 2010 season, each V-League club can register five foreign players and use three at any time in a game.

From the 2011 season till 2013, the number will go down to four and three respectively.

For the second-flight, each club can register three foreign players and use two at any time in a game from 2010 till 2013 (the end of the sixth VFF management).

Unfair, say players

Local papers reported several complaints from clubs and players.

Several foreign players with Vietnamese nationality voiced their unhappiness with the decision and hoped VFF would change its mind.

Huynh Kesley of V-League club Binh Duong, a Brazilian Vietnamese striker, said, “I have lived in Vietnam for several years. I have a Vietnamese wife and a son. Just look at Vietnamese football now. The presence of foreign players or foreigners with Vietnamese nationality like me has made the game more competitive and local players have to try harder. That is good, not bad. And it would not be reasonable if foreigners with Vietnamese nationality are not treated like Vietnamese.”

Doan Van Nirut of HAGL said, “I have lived in Vietnam for six years and have many Vietnamese friends. I can communicate in Vietnamese now. I have always fulfilled my duties as a Vietnamese citizen. I hope VFF will reconsider this issue so that we won’t see ourselves treated as second-class citizens. In Thailand, Vietnamese people with Thai nationality are treated as Thais.”

Doan Van Sakda, also of HAGL, said, “I am a Vietnamese citizen now and if VFF limits my interests, it will badly hurt me and other players like me.”

Phan Van Santos, a Brazilian Vietnamese goalkeeper playing for Dong Tam Long An, said, “I feel really sorry if this is VFF’s final decision. It was so hard for me to persuade my family to let me become a Vietnamese citizen. This limitation would rob me and other players like me of our right to work.

Huynh Mau, HAGL managing director, said, “Everything must be planned carefully. The V-League 2010 season will kick off in a little more than two months from now. We’ve prepared everything for the season months ago.

“We now have Nirut and Sakda. We have also arranged for two other players to be granted Vietnamese nationality. Now, it will damage our plan if it is VFF’s final decision. I suggest we shouldn’t decide this in such a hurry.”

Pham Phu Hoa, Dong Tam Long An’s managing director, said, “We have sent our complaints to VFF about this plan.

“It is not reasonable to have such a limit while Vietnamese football is developing. We should know that V-League is in the 41st place in the world for its excitement because of contributions from foreign players.

“Just look at the English Premier League, the clubs have many foreigners but England still has a lot of good players.

“Also, we must ensure the interests of citizens for foreign players with Vietnamese nationality. We can’t rob them of their legal right to work. I think VFF should be careful so that Vietnam won’t lose its strengths.”

On November 16, a VFF official said the rule limiting the number of foreign players with Vietnamese nationality would not be applied in the coming 2010 season because the federation has to ask for directions from relevant agencies.

Another VFF official said Vietnamese expats like American Vietnamese Lee Nguyen and Dang Van Robert will be considered local players despite their foreign citizenship.

Reported by Thanh Nien staff