Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) asks JFA President to intervene in the case of Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh.

Vice President Tran Quoc Tuan revealed that the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is having to seek the intervention of the Japan Football Federation to quickly resolve the issue of Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh's future at the 2016 AFF Cup.

Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh (and also Xuan Truong) may all miss the 2016 AFF Cup. Photo: Thanh Ha.

Vice President Tran Quoc Tuan revealed that the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is having to seek the intervention of the Japan Football Federation to quickly resolve the issue of Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh's future at the 2016 AFF Cup.

Specifically, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and Hoang Anh Gia Lai had to seek the intervention of the President of the Japan Football Federation, Kozo Tashima. Mr. Tashima will directly contact the two clubs, Mito Hollyhock and Yokohama, to persuade them to allow Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh to join the Vietnamese national team to participate in the 2016 AFF Cup.

If everything goes smoothly, Mr. Tashima will arrange a face-to-face meeting between the VFF, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, and each club.

The VFF had to seek assistance from Mr. Tashima because the negotiations were at a standstill. The 2016 AFF Cup is not a FIFA-sanctioned tournament, so the two Japanese teams have the right not to release their players.

On the other hand, Mito Hollyhock and Yokohama do not want to break the rules and set a bad precedent within the team. Besides Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh, the teams still have other foreign players and national team members. Such actions could affect the overall discipline of the club.

Even if negotiations are successful, Mito Hollyhock and Yokohama will only allow Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh to return to Vietnam about half a month before the opening of the AFF Cup on November 19th. Vice President Tran Quoc Tuan affirmed that the VFF will do everything possible to ensure the Vietnamese national team has the services of this duo.

For now, Coach Nguyen Huu Thang's Vietnam national team will gather on September 24th in Ho Chi Minh City. In the previous training camp, Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh (and also Xuan Truong) joined the team late because their clubs did not release them in time.

According to Zing