Recently, the executive committee of Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has concluded that V.League 2021 will be halted due to COVID-19 pandemic. This conclusion has been well received. However, the plan to halt the tournament will depend on the discussion and agreement between V.League organization committee (Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company - VPF) and V.League clubs.
Recently, the executive committee of Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has concluded that V.League 2021 will be halted due to COVID-19 pandemic. This conclusion has been well received. However, the plan to halt the tournament will depend on the discussion and agreement between V.League organization committee (Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company - VPF) and V.League clubs.
The plan for V.League 2021 to resume in the last three months of 2021 and run until February 2022 proposed by VPF and approved by VFF in early August was fiercely opposed by many clubs, especially the clubs that had supported the option of halting the tournament, such as Becamex Binh Duong, Hai Phong, Saigon FC, and Song Lam Nghe An. The long postponement of V.League 2021 has caused many clubs to face a lot of financial difficulties; some clubs have had to stop training and practicing activities and end contracts with foreign players and coaches. For example, Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) said farewell to two foreign players namely Nguyen Trung Dai Duong and Memovic. At the beginning of August, Than Quang Ninh once again sent a request for help to Quang Ninh Province’s authorities.
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Acknowledging the difficulties of the clubs, VFF continued discussing the plan for V.League 2021. The opinion suggested by VFF President Le Hai Khanh, which is stopping the tournament, got the consent of many executive committee members. VFF and V.League 2021 clubs will discuss and deliberate on the specific plan to stop the tournament on the basis of common interests. According to the opinion of the majority of football fans, this is a reasonable decision of VFF when the whole country is straining to fight against the pandemic while VPF cannot guarantee that the tournament will continue as scheduled.
The halt of V.League 2021 will partly help the clubs relieve their difficulties such as finance and legal problems to maintain operation or extend contracts with foreign players just to wait for an uncertain return of the tournament. However, it is not easy to find a solution to stop the tournament while still balancing the interests of the clubs. The 2021 season hasn’t passed the first stage; there are still a long way in order to determine the champion, promoted and relegated teams, and the teams who will qualify for AFC Champions League 2021.
Some experts think that, HAGL is leading the table after 12 rounds, so this team deserves the 2021 championship title. The experts also suggested that no teams would be relegated. Instead, the first- and second-placed teams of V.league 2 will be promoted to V.League 1 next season. The supporters of Viettel have opposed this suggestion because they think it is not reasonable to crown HAGL the title when their team are just three points fewer than HAGL. There is a proposal for competitions among HAGL, Viettel, Saigon FC, and Song Lam Nghe An to decide the champion. However, this is not a feasible solution amid the complicated situation of COVID-19 in localities over the country. At present, most of the clubs have stopped their practicing activities.
In the time to come, VPF will hold an online meeting with the clubs to collect opinions, devise a plan and submit it to VFF. Responsibilities towards the sponsors and the teams who will represent Vietnam at AFC Champions League 2021 will be taken into account.
An Nhien
Translated by H.N
