Where does Cong Phuong's salary stand in the Japanese football landscape?

The $3,000/month salary that Cong Phuong could receive at Mito Hollyhock is low compared to the average in J.League 2, but quite high compared to other young players.

If Mito Hollyhock successfully avoids relegation from J.League 2, Cong Phuong will join the club on a one-year loan for the 2016 season. The Japanese team will pay HAGL $100,000 (over 2.2 billion VND) in transfer fees and a monthly salary of $3,000 (over 60 million VND) for Cong Phuong. This is not a huge amount, but Cong Phuong will receive additional payments if he performs well.

Cong Phuong was welcomed by fans of Mito Hollyhock FC.

Mr. Tan Phat, who led the Japanese U19 team to Vietnam for the 2014 International U19 Tournament, said: “In the J.League 2, players receive an average salary of $5,000-$10,000 per month depending on their skill level and how often they play. In addition, players also receive bonuses for winning matches or having a significant impact. Foreign players also receive financial support from their clubs for housing or living expenses.”

Mr. Tan Phat was a student in Japan for 10 years and has close ties with football experts in the Land of the Rising Sun, including Yoshika Matsubara – a former national team player and vice president of the J.League Players' Association. According to Mr. Phat, Cong Phuong will receive deserved compensation if he gains more popularity, helps the team attract more fans, and creates an influence in Vietnam…

He cited the case of Kazuyoshi Miura, a player currently playing for Yokohama FC – the team Tuan Anh is about to join. Miura is 48 years old but is still playing. He is a very popular player in J.League 2, creating a great influence, almost an icon of the team. Therefore, he earns an income of nearly 1 million USD per year.

Compared to other well-known young Japanese players, Cong Phuong's salary is not too low. According to statistics from the J.League organizers, Ryosuke Yamanaka (Kashiwa Reysol, J.League 1) receives a salary of $58,408 per year (over $4,800 per month). This left winger previously played for the Japanese U23 team against the Vietnamese U23 team in the recent U23 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Mr. Tan Phat (left) accompanied Matsubara when the famous former football star visited Vietnam.

Before Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh, Le Cong Vinh was the first Vietnamese player to play in Japan. He played for Consodale Sapporo on loan for 5 months at the end of 2013, receiving a salary of 7,000 USD/month. Mr. Tan Phat pointed out the differences surrounding these transfers.

“The two teams that recruited Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh did so purely for professional reasons. They have been closely following the two players for several years. The Cong Vinh deal, however, had an economic element to it. But professionally, the Japanese side still rated Vinh higher than Phuong due to his experience. Cong Phuong's weakness is that he sometimes plays too elaborately and overuses individual techniques,” Mr. Tan Phat said.

Besides Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh, Japanese football experts highly rate Nguyen Phong Hong Duy, especially for his footballing ability. This left winger could be the next player to go to Japan to play.

Regarding Cong Phuong's playing contract with Mito Hollyhock, a source said that the relevant parties will officially sign it in December.

According to Zing.vn