Pham Ngoc Vien, Vice Chair of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) said that equitising football clubs is a compulsory step toward the development of professional football in Vietnam.

Vien said that financial transparency is one of the most important standards for building a professional football club. From now to 2011, Vietnamese football clubs must become truly professional, at the request of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The VFF Vice Chair said that if Vietnam doesn’t meet this standard, it will be rejected from football events organized by the AFC.

“AFC doesn’t set the same condition for other 45 members. They know that Vietnam has been preparing for equitisation for a long time so they put forward this condition,” Vien said.

“AFC asked Vietnam to conduct equitisation of its football clubs, if it wants to develop professional football. We will have three years to work out standards for professional football clubs. Vietnam’s plan to develop professional football coincides with the AFC’s plan to develop professional football in Asia”.

However, Vien remarked that equitising football clubs is not only to meet AFC’s request but also a necessary step to develop Vietnamese football.

According to him, Vietnamese football clubs have been preparing for equitisation for ten years. Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Dong Tam Long An, Hanoi ACB are good examples.

Though the above football clubs can’t live on income from football, Vien said that football clubs should firstly change their thinking and the way these clubs select players?.

The VFF also confirmed that financial transparency is the most important norm for a professional football club.

PV