VFF Congress: Look, listen and think

According to the plan, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) was supposed to hold the 8th Congress in April 2018, but "due to procedural reasons" it could not be completed. On November 24, the 13th VFF Executive Committee Meeting of the 7th term was held and the date for the 8th Congress was set to take place on December 8.

Timing calculation

The congress will take place 3 days after the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2018 and 6 days before the final. If as expected, fans and public opinion will continue to focus on Coach Park Hang-seo and his team, the VFF Congress will therefore receive much less attention. Vietnamese football officials will have more space and quiet time to discuss and elect a new Executive Committee, new faces to steer the Vietnamese football ship in the next 4 years (2018 - 2022).

Scene of the 7th Congress of VFF. Photo: VFF

During the past term, fans can summarize the typical achievements of Vietnamese football as winning the right to participate in the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2016, the FIFA U20 World Cup 2017, winning the runner-up position at the AFC U23 Championship 2018, winning the right to participate in the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the Vietnam Football Federation received the award for the best football federation of the year in Southeast Asia 2016, the award for the best football federation of the year for developing countries in Asia 2017. Recently, the National Football Championship (V.League 1) was also honored for the first time to receive the Gold award in the category for the Best Development Tournament in Asia 2018 voted by AFC and awarded by SPIA Asia (Asia's Sports Industry Awards and Conference).

Hot personnel

VFF congresses usually do not have much debate about the summary assessment or direction of activities in the coming time in the report presented, all eyes are focused on personnel work. Usually, there will be many "blockbusters, bombs" and "smoke bombs" that will be launched before the opening day, with many very professional and dramatic tricks with the help of the media.

In the 7th term, VFF officials were involved in many scandals, from the fact that President Le Hung Dung, after being elected, was hospitalized for a long time and could not closely manage. Vice President of Finance Doan Nguyen Duc asked to leave the organization after U22 Vietnam was eliminated from the group stage of the 2017 SEA Games, to Vice President of Communications Nguyen Xuan Gu being involved in a scandal related to prostitutes in Ho Chi Minh City and had to resign and withdraw from running for the 8th term.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Le Khanh Hai is the only name running for the position of VFF President. Photo: VFF

VFF has now finalized the list of candidates for key positions including President (1 person), Vice President in charge of professional affairs (3 people), Vice President in charge of finance and sponsorship (4 people) and Vice President in charge of communications (5 people). Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Le Khanh Hai is the only name running for the position of President of VFF. In addition to the 4 positions mentioned above, VFF term VIII will elect 13 other people to the Executive Committee from 32 candidates. It is not difficult to guess that Mr. Le Khanh Hai will win the position of President of VFF, the remaining two vice positions will be difficult to slip away from the hands of Tran Quoc Tuan and Cao Van Chong.

Apart from the issue of “having a profession”, Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan and Cao Van Chong are both supported by both the top and the bottom. It is not for nothing that Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan withdrew from the list of candidates for the position of VFF President and Cao Van Chong quickly left VFF even though Mr. Tu had invited him to stay. More fierce is the competition for the position of Vice President in charge of finance and sponsorship among the names Tran Van Liem, Nguyen Hoai Nam, Can Van Nghia, Le Van Thanh. Former Director of the My Dinh National Sports Complex Can Van Nghia is being questioned quite a lot.

Under Mr. Can Van Nghia, My Dinh Sports Complex often caused controversy because of its activities of renting premises to open beer halls, beer houses, massage services... causing loss of urban beauty, and was warned many times by local authorities. According to recent research, the financial activities of My Dinh Sports Complex also have problems that have not been clarified.

Dong Luc Football Company owner Le Van Thanh is a strong candidate, but VFF has witnessed many figures who have been "mentioned a lot" by the press making spectacular sprints. Although not participating, Mr. Park Hang-seo is still the decisive factor for VFF's success at this congress.

List of candidates for key positions:

- Chairman: Le Khanh Hai (Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

- Vice President in charge of expertise: Tran Quoc Tuan, Duong Vu Lam, Pham Ngoc Vien.

- Vice President in charge of communications: Cao Van Chong, Luong Hoang Hung, Nguyen Van Phu, Nguyen Lan Trung, Phan Anh Tu.

- Vice President in charge of finance and fundraising: Tran Van Liem, Nguyen Hoai Nam, Can Van Nghia, Le Van Thanh.