On July 20, in the Beijing time zone, Vietnam's well-known media soha spoke out again, pointing out that our media has a belittling attitude towards Vietnam's national football team.
Recently, news about Vietnam's introduction of a Czech goalkeeper has been hotly debated among domestic media. Numerous media outlets have been cynical about Vietnamese clubs, arguing that it is difficult to attract the Czech goalkeeper with a monthly salary of 100,000 CNY. They believe that the goalkeeper will be able to earn a higher income if he joins the national soccer team.
The Vietnamese media consider such reports extremely impolite. The current level of the national football team deserves respect for all opponents.
A few days ago, news about Filipino player Nguyen circulated in the domestic media. In fact, as early as early last year, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) wanted to naturalize the Czech goalkeeper. However, the matter came to an end due to new domestic regulations and opposition from head coach Park Hang-su.
This year, Vietnam managed to reach the Asian Top 12. The team's main goalkeeper Dang Van Linh (a Russian-born naturalized player) lacked playing opportunities at Sakura Osaka, and with the serious injury of back-rower Do Hung Dung, Vietnam had to look for reinforcements.
However, when the news was picked up by the domestic media, the focus was not from the Czech naturalized goalkeeper, but the Vietnamese club that could only offer a monthly salary of 100,000 RMB.
The Vietnamese media has criticized an article in the country's leading media outlet for making a mockery of Vietnamese soccer finances by claiming that the highest monthly income of a Vietnamese team is only US$15,000. The writer argues that even if Phillip Nguyen manages to become a naturalized player, he is not very happy, earning only $1 million a year as a returning star from Europe (so humiliating). Phillip Nguyen may get a more desirable salary if he joins the national soccer team.
There are also articles that argue that the norm of playing for Vietnam cannot be measured by income alone. If Phillip Nguyen can play for Vietnam, he must be inspired by Vietnamese soccer, not money.
The article mentions Lippi and argues that he coaches the national soccer team purely for monetary reasons. They quoted Lippi as saying that there is a lack of creative and talented players on the national football team.In 2019, the national football team lost to Syria on the road and drew with the Philippines ultimately leading to the team's exit. Even though Coach Lippi can continue to collect a high income, he can no longer tolerate the current national football players. Even if he is paid more, he will have to leave.
The article also writes that the sponsors of the Super League clubs do not have enough money either, and the special situation in 2020 alone has scared off many investors. These domestic owners, too, have shown no more capital than the Vietnamese owners. (Total conceptually confusing nonsense here, Vietnamese owners are not even close to the size of domestic owners circa 2005.)
The article ultimately writes that Vietnamese players do not play for money, but truly love soccer.
But the truth is that the vast majority of players play soccer to make a living. Be it Brazil, Argentina, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, or Japanese and European players.
With the talent of Vietnamese players nowadays, none of them is as good as Kim Min Ja, who plays for Guoan. But it is such a young defender who now wants not only to leave the Chinese Super League, but also to go to Europe to get a higher annual salary.
Filip Nguyen is the goalkeeper for Liberec, who finished sixth in the Czech league last year. Despite wearing the No. 1 jersey, he played a few rounds less than his teammate Kloburoch, and the two are the same age. Its level, should not be as good as the former Philippine No. 1 goalkeeper Etheridge. Even if he joins the Vietnam team, the improvement of his strength will not be too high.
This might just be one of those rare surprises where Vietnam takes care of a naturalized player.
