Vietnam, RoK eye high football cooperation potential

Van Toan at the Seoul E-Land-Cheongju match on March 1 (Photo: VNA)

Seoul – The K.League 2 footbal tournament in the Republic of Korea (RoK) has freshly started with the participation of Vietnamese young players – Van Toan in the jersey of Seoul E-Land FC, and Vu Minh Hieu and Nguyen Canh Anh both in Cheonan City FC.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency in the RoK, Chairman of Cheonan City FC Ahn Byung-mo said that thanks to coach Park Hang-seo’s connections, Vietnamese football has become close to the RoK.

This is the first time Cheonan City FC has recruited two young Vietnamese players, he said, expressing his hope that Hieu and Anh will integrate themselves into the team well and grow with their Korean peers.

Ahn said that the presence of Vietnamese young footballers in the club is expected to bring about positive impacts on not only Vietnamese players but also Korean teammates, creating a chance for them to adapt to and learn from each other, thus completing themselves together.

Commenting on the skills of Vietnamese players, Ahn said that they have demonstrated high quality, and hardworking and discipline attitude, so having a new playing environment will help them perfect their skills.

On March 1, coach Park Hang-seo came to the stadium of Cheonan city to encourage Hieu and Anh, who have arrived in the RoK following their 1-year contracts, and then to Mokdong stadium in Seoul to watch Toan’s game in the jersey of Seoul E-Land.

CEO of Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC Nguyen Tan Anh, who was present at Cheonan stadium the same day, said that over the past 13 years, the club has sent many players abroad, including Xuan Truong, Tuan Anh, Cong Phuong, Van Toan and, most recently, Canh Anh and Minh Hieu. He said he hopes the young players will be successful abroad, sharpening the skills and bringing highly qualified football from leading Asian countries like the RoK and Japan and other countries to the national team, thus narrowing the gap between the football of Vietnam and these countries.

Anh also underlined the high potential of football cooperation and exchange between Vietnam and the RoK. Vietnamese players’ participation in Korean national football tournaments will give them great chances to learn and improve their capacity in a high-class environment, he added.