55-year-old The Cong club eliminated

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Defense has crossed off the name of The Cong (or the military club), a famous football team in Vietnam.

The Defense Ministry made the decision on September 25, saying that the team had fallen down in recent years, although it received up to 70 billion dong a year in investments.

The team’s name has been in existence for 55 years and fans are pained by its loss. The team will continue, however, as Viettel Telecom will take over the club, complete with a new name.

Before The Cong, Saigon Port, a famous football club of HCM City also changed its name to HCM City Club after many failures. The team has fallen from V-League to the First Division tournament.

PV

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Vietnam ranks second at int’l Muay Thai tourney

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam won four gold medals to finish second at the six-day Pre-Asian Indoor Games Muay Thai Tournament, which concluded in Ho Chi Minh City on July 20.

Thailand took first with five golds, while Vietnam and Laos secured four golds each at the tournament attended by 79 boxers from Thailand, Mongolia, India, Laos, Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam.

Thailand, Vietnam and Laos dominated all 13 weight categories of the Thai boxing event.

Vietnamese athletes have been acquainted with the sport only for a short time but have made a good impression thanks to their quick adaptation and varied combat techniques.

Santiphap Intarapharnt, President of the Asia Federation of Muay Thai, said Vietnamese boxers have good basic technique and modern ways of fighting but need additional practice to improve their stamina and their ability to withstand attacks in competitions.

He predicted that Vietnam will grab some gold medals at the 25th SEA Games and medals at the upcoming Asian Indoor Games.

After this tournament, the Vietnam national Muay team will train for two months in Thailand before competing in the Asian Indoor Games to be held in Ho Chi Minh City.

VietNamNet/VOV

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SPORTS IN BRIEF 16/6

Ha Noi dominate sepak takraw tournament with two golds

Ha Noi men’s and women’s team won gold medals at the National Sepak Takraw Championship in Bac Ninh province on Sunday.

The women’s team beat Public Security team 2-0 in the final at Sports College No 1’s Gymnasium, while the men’s team edged HCM City to win the gold.

Minh eyes top badminton ranking at Indonesia Super Series

Vietnamese top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh will compete in the Super Series Indonesia this week, which he has set his sights on a top ten placement of World Badminton Federation’s rankings.

Minh, who shocked world No 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in the second round of the Aviva Singapore Super Series on Thursday, failed to beat Chinese Bao Chunlai in the round of eight on Friday.

As draw, the HCM City-born athlete will meet P. Wancha of Poland in the first round today.

VN juniors grab 76 golds at aged-group chess champs

Vietnamese chess players bagged total 76 gold medals to take top in tally at the Southeast Asian Aged-groups Chess Championships in Hue City on Sunday.

The championships drew 254 chess players from 10 countries in the region competing in six aged-groups of between under-8 and under-20.

Players contested in the boys’ and girls’ in the event of standard chess, rapid and blitz.

According to Viet Nam Chess Federation, Viet Nam will host the World Chess Championship qualifiers – 3.3 Zone next month, of which two winners of the men’s and women’s will qualify for World Championship.

Viet Nam contest six sports at Singapore Asian Youth Games

Viet Nam will send 32 athletes to compete in six sports at the Asian Youth Games in Singapore on June 29, the National Sports Administration said on Sunday.

The team will compete in table tennis, shooting, athletics, swimming, bowling and diving events. At the event, athletes will also battle for their berths at the Youth Olympics to be held in Singapore next year.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

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Enterprising sportsman

Disabled swimmer Tran Van Dieu before a relay competition at the national paragames in Quang Tri Province in May.

VietNamNet Bridge - From small beginnings, training for his province’s disabled swimming team in a river, Tran Van Dieu, has progressed to win more than 60 medals and own his own business.

The 30-year-old from the central province of Quang Tri who began swimming competitively in 2003, was born to poor farming parents with four siblings in Gio Chau Commune, Gio Linh District. His parents had to battle to raise enough food to feed their children in the barren soil ruined by wars.

Before he was one year old, Dieu’s legs became paralyzed from a disease.

“I grew older but couldn’t do anything to help my parents. I had a burning desire to leave home to make a living on my own, to make it easier for my parents,” Dieu said.

“In 1995, I went to Ai Tu Town (also in Quang Tri) to work. After two years, I had saved some money. I learned carpentry and handicrafts and came back home to establish a handicraft factory and got married.”

Dieu said he started swimming by chance in 2003 – an official from the district Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism came to ask if he wanted to train to compete for the province.

Dieu agreed but the province’s sport budget was so low that there was no pool to practice in – so they trained in the Hieu River.

“It was very hard for the disabled swimming team because the river was wide and the current was strong,” Dieu said.

“At times, I thought I would quit and go home, but then I looked at everyone else. They were in the same situation but still training hard. It encouraged me to try harder.”

Dieu practiced tirelessly and later that year won three gold medals in a provincial competition.

It was very encouraging for him and soon after that Dieu grabbed four golds in a national swimming competition for disabled people and three silvers at the Southeast Asian Paragames the same year.

Training disabled workers

Dieu said training with the team in the Hieu River was the first time he had spent a lot of time with other disabled people. It inspired him to help underprivileged people.

“I realized I was luckier than many of them as I was earning a living on my own and taking care of my family.”

After building up his carpentry and handicraft business for about a decade, his factory had gained a good reputation in the province.

“I wished to help disadvantaged people get a job and a stable life like me,” he said.

His dream came true in 2007 when he had saved enough money from his business and cash prizes from swimming competitions to set up Xuan Dieu Enterprises.

He now employs 16 workers including eight disabled people and orphans. Dieu said he is happy to help them but would like to be able to afford to pay them more. It’s fortunate his wife and family support him, he said.

Some of the people he has trained have established their own businesses.

At the national paragames in Quang Tri earlier this month, Dieu took two golds, one silver and one bronze. He said he is passionate about swimming because it keeps him healthy and has helped him make friends who have disabilities like him.

VietNamNet/TN

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VN to pit newbies against Greeks

VietNamNet Bridge – Henrique Calisto has three days to put together a squad for the friendly match against Greek champions Olympiacos at Ha Noi’s My Dinh National Stadium on Thursday.

The team had their first training in Ha Noi yesterday. (Photo: VNN)

The team had their first training in Ha Noi yesterday with half the squad injured during the national championship.

Captain Nguyen Minh Phuong has not yet recovered from a hamstring injury and his teammates Le Tan Tai, Nguyen Minh Chau, Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Dinh Luat, Le Cong Vinh and Le Phuoc Tu are also out with injuries. But team doctor Nguyen Trong Hien said some of them will be recovered for the clash against Greece.

"Only captain Phuong’s injury is serious. The others’ win not keep them from competing at their best," said Hien.

Phuong, who has played for the national team since 2002, came off the bench and played his best 45 minutes in recent games.

However, the Portuguese coach has young stars on the squad, which he will test against the powerful European opponents before recruiting them for the Olympic team. Hopefuls include goalie Dau Ngoc Tan from black horse Military Zone 4; Phan Thanh Hung and Tran Van Hoc of SHB Da Nang; Nguyen Thai Duong and Vu Anh Tuan from Hoang Anh Gia Lai.

The friendly game will mark the first-ever appearance of goalkeeper Dinh Hoang La and Dinh Hoang Max, who took Vietnamese citizenship, in the national team jersey.

As scheduled, the Greek team will arrive in Ha Noi today and have two days to train and pay a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

According to the latest roster, Olympiacos will not include Argentine Luciano Galleti, the season’s top scorer, Fernando Daniel Belluschi or Sebastian Eduardo Leto.

Goalie Antonios Nikopolidis, who won the European Championship in 2004, was named in the 18-member squad along with national team members Christos Pasatzoglou, Antzas Paraskevas, Torosidis Vasilelos, Brazilian Alexandro Sousa Dudu, Slovakia’s Pavel Kovac and Polish Michal Zewlakow.

Ticket sales

An advance allocation of nearly 30,000 tickets in the cheaper price categories of VND150,000 and VND180,000 (US$10) are now on sale, according to Pham&Partners Company, the sole distributor in Viet Nam.

The company is also offering tickets on the website www.olympiacos.com.vn. and will set up stalls at various sites in Ha Noi for cash only purchases.

But the number of fans buying tickets is limited.

According to a tout at Hang Day Stadium, it’s very hard to sell out tickets for the game because the organisers issue many tickets in the high price categories of VND500,000 ($28) and VND350,000 ($19).

Meanwhile, the game is not as popular as the game between Viet Nam and Brazil Olympics last July.

"Olympiacos don’t have big stars like Brazil, which is the main reason Vietnamese fans aren’t rushing to buy tickets," said Hanoian Nguyen Minh Hai.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

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FIFA helps work on women’s footie

VietNamNet Bridge - FIFA consultant on women’s football Monika Staab held talks with the chairman of the Vietnam Football Federation, the general secretary and representatives of VFF’s Womens’ Football Depertment on April 24.

VFF chairman Nguyen Trong Hy thanked Staab for her comments and said he hoped women’s football would go from strength to strength and compete successfully on the international stage.

Staab said to improve the quality of women’s football, the VFF should increase the number of matches in the national football tournament as well as develop women’s football in school.

Staab said the VFF should coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training and related ministries and departments to organize mini-football events at festivals for young girls. She said the VFF should not wait until girls reached 15 to introduce them to the sport. Instead, six-to eight-year-old should be encourage to play.

Staab acknowledged that U-19 women’s football had improved as a result of the VFF’s decision to allow teams of 11 players to participate instead of seven.

In terms of coaches, Staab, who is head coach of Myanmar’s U-19 team, said there should be more training schools for coaches. She also said more attention should be paid to diet.

Staab said the VFF should invite FIFA – the international football body – to participate in the training.

Hy and VFF general secretary Tran Quoc Tuan thanked Staab for her comments and said the VFF would act on her advice.

VietNamNet/VNA

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Quan wins Tanimex 2009 tourney

VietNamNet Bridge – Number one Vietnamese tennis star Do Minh Quan won yesterday the Tanimex International Tennis Tournament 2009 title for the second time in a row.

He’s a winner: Top player Do Minh Quan holds the trophy of the Tanimex International Tennis Tournament in HCM City. He beat Le Quoc Khanh 6-1, 6-0 in the men’s singles final yesterday.

Quan left the court victorious with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Le Quoc Khanh, who conceded the second set because of thigh injury.

As top seed and defending champion, with an easier-than-expected victory over seventh seed Andrean Raturandang of Indonesia in the semi-final, Quan broke in the third game but won the next four games to win the first set.

Khanh, who called for medical care in the sixth game of the first set, decided to drop out and concede the men’s singles title.

"I am very happy to take the title for the second time in succession," Quan said after the match.

"Before the tournament I didn’t think it would be easy for me to win the title, but the unexpected early elimination of foreign players made it easier for me to grab it," added Quan.

"Even though I won the tournament, I still must work to improve my serving ability and my physical strength."

"Finishing the tournament in second place is an unexpected success, considering I only returned to practice a month ago," said Khanh, who always plays very aggressive.

In the men’s doubles, Hendri Susilo Pramono and Andrean Raturandang of Indonesia overcame hosts Quan and Khanh to win the men’s event for the first time and received US$1,500 in prize money.

"We played well in the final; we equalized the score twice in the first set and in the decider to seal the win. We are very happy to win the men’s doubles title and hope that we will be here for the next tournament," said Pramono.

Quan received US$2,950, including $2,500 for the men’s singles title and $450 for the men’s doubles second place win.

Khanh pocketed $2,150, including $1,700 for second in the men’s singles and $450 for the men’s doubles runner-up.

Third place in the men’s singles event was shared between Ngo Quang Huy and Andrean Raturandang.

Malaysian duo Adam Jaya and Yew Ming Si and Pongsiri Niroj and Kong Lertchai from Thailand came in third in the men’s doubles event.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

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Vietnam joins World Taekwondo Team Championship

VietNamNet Bridge - The national taekwondo team will leave for Azerbaijan on June 11 to compete at the World Taekwondo Team Championship in Bacu City.

The tournament will attract the participation of 24 teams of six men and women who have been selected on the strength of their performances in World Taekwondo Federation competitions. They will compete in a round-robin format, and the finals are scheduled for June 14.

Vietnamese officials and coach Kim Jae-sik, of the Republic of Korea, will name four to five women fighters early next month to compete in Azerbaijan.

VietNamNet/VOV

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4 Oranges company becomes main co-sponsor for national male football squad

VietNamNet Bridge - 4 Oranges, a wholly foreign-invested paint manufacturer, on April 13, signed a contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (CFF) to provide sponsorship for the national men’s football team.

Under the one-year sponsorship contract, 4 Oranges will become the main co-sponsor for the national squad from 2009 to 2010 with a total donation of VND2.1 billion. In return, the Boss paint brand of the 4 Oranges company will appear on the uniform of members of the national football squad during their coaching and competing process.

Earlier, the company sponsored the 2007-2008 Binh Dinh football season and become the main sponsor for the 2008 Golden Ball Awards – the titles for the best female and male players of the year voted by football experts, coaches, reporters and media organizations.

4 Oranges marketing director, Chalermask Pilmolsri, said: “It’s an honour for us to have our brand name on Vietnamese footballers’ uniform. This will help us to promote our trademark in Vietnam, as well as other markets in the region and the world.”

“We plan to organise many activities to provide a boost for Vietnam’s U-23 football team at the upcoming 25^th SEA Games and further promote the image of the Vietnamese football,” he said.

According to the VFF, the sponsorship agreement contributions will create more impetus for the national football squad to play their best in 2009.

VietNamNet/VOV

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The Cong, Da Nang and Song Lam Nghe An secure semis berths

0:17' 05/04/2009 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge - The Cong, Da Nang and Song Lam Nghe An defeated Hanoi ACB, Khanh Hoa and Military Zone IV respectively, to reach the National Cup’s semifinals.

The Cong stunned Hanoi ACB in an attractive game at Hang Day stadium on April 4. The first half ended in a 0-0 draw. After the break, both teams had several chances to score but failed to convert any of them into goal.

Francois Endene scored the opener for The Cong with his powerful shot in the 76th minute. But two minutes later Hong Phong levelled the score with his quick strike from a close range.

It was Aloy Nyom who scored the winner for The Cong in the last minute. He broke ACB’s offside trap to have one on one’s with ACB goalkeeper and netted, sending The Cong into the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Da Nang hammered hosts Khanh Hoa 3-0 at Nha Trang stadium and visitors Song Lam Nghe An beat Military Zone IV 3-1 following a penalty shoot-out.

As a result The Cong will take on Song Lam Nghe An in the semis and Da Nang will play against the winner from Hoang Anh Gia Lai- Binh Duong match which was postponed until April 25.

VietNamNet/Nhan Dan

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Khanh Hoa determined to defend title

07:17' 23/03/2009 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge - Defending their championship titles at Tien Phong newspaper’s annual marathon is not only the duty of Khanh Hoa Province’s runners, but also an order from their provincial leader.

"Maintaining our achievements is the top task of all our athletes," said deputy director of the provincial Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, Nguyen Van Hoa.

Khanh Hoa dominated last year’s competition with two golds in the men’s professional and amateur teams, one silver in the men’s youth and two bronze medals in the women’s youth and amateur events.

With these results, Khanh Hoa stepped onto the podium for the fourth time in a row in both the professional and amateur categories.

Top athlete Nguyen Dang Duc Bao, who topped last year’s men’s professional 10km event, will again head the team.

The national defending champion, who played a key role in Viet Nam’s fifth place finish in the Greatest Race on Earth (GRoE)’s South and Southeast Asia regional competition last month, will join teammates Pham Ngoc Hoang, Hoang Van Hien, Nguyen Vinh Thien and Le Canh Minh.

"We are in the final days of training and will do our best on Sunday to protect our titles," said coach Hoang Thi Huyen Nga.

Nga and her athletes wake up at 4 o’clock every morning to begin training. They run dozens of kilometres everyday.

The final members of the team will be selected two days before the race based on their results and spirit, said Nga.

According to Nga, Khanh Hoa’s athletes are young and inexperienced this year, making individual titles a tough-get, but they promise to place high in team events.

Last year, only Khanh Hoa’s professional women’s 5km team failed to grab a medal. They have made remarkable progress this year and Nga said that while first place may be out of reach, making it into the top three is in their grasp.

The three possible names for the team are Nguyen Thi Xuan Tot, Nguyen Dang Thanh Thuy, Bao’s younger sister, and Do Thi Hoai Tram, whose recent results attracted her coaches’ attention.

Khanh Hoa are nurturing a young generation of champions, including 13-year-old Pham Dinh Diem Doan and Nguyen Thi Y Tien, 16, who both were born to families with a history of running.

Nga’s athletes will have to face strong rivals from Thai Binh, Ha Noi, the Army and Gia Lai.

"Thai Binh are determined to take the women’s professional individual title, especially with the participation of Pham Thi Hien, the national 42km marathon champion, who is at her peak after winning third place at the GRoE’s Hong Kong leg," said Nga.

"Ha Noi are home to Nguyen Thi Dong, a veteran 42km race competitor. The team is even stronger now that Ha Noi and Ha Tay Provinces have merged. Gia Lai are also a potential winner in both the men’s and women’s classes. They had two representatives at the GRoE series. Their female runner, Nguyen Thi My Lien, the national runner-up in 2007, is an obstacle on our way to complete our target," Nga said.

Two unexpected disappearances from the Quang Ngai and HCM City rosters have pushed Khanh Hoa closer to their goal.

Defending champion Truong Thanh Hang cannot compete because rules don’t allow free agents to enter the competition and national 42km runner-up Pham Thi Binh is sidelined due to a leg injury.

VietNamNet/VNS

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SPORTS IN BRIEF 20/3

Hanoi top national swimming and diving championships

With 25 golds, Hanoi team ranked first at the National 25m Short Course Swimming and Diving Championships which concluded in Hanoi yesterday.

Six national record were broken in the swimming category. The Ho Chi Minh City team topped in this category with 17 golds, followed by Da Nang and Hanoi with nine and eight golds respectively.

In the total of 36 events of the diving category, 20 national record were set. Hanoi was on top with 17 golds, Da Nang stood second with three golds. Ho Chi Minh City only earned one gold in this category.

As a result, in the overall rankings, Hanoi took the lead with 25 golds, Ho Chi Minh City ranked second with 17 gold and Da Nang was in the third place with 13 golds.

National women’s football championship 2009 to attract 6 teams

The National Women’s Football Championship 2009 will kick off on March 24.

The tournament this year draws six teams including Hanoi, Hoa Hop-Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phong Phu Ha Nam, Thai Nguyen and Vietnam Coal and Minerals.

The teams will compete on a round robin basis. The first-leg will be held in Thai Nguyen from March 24 to April 11 and the second-leg will take place in Hanoi from April 18 to May 6.

The champions will receive a cup and a prize of VND 80 million while the runners-up and the third-place will get silvers and bronzes together with VND 60 million and VND 30 million respectively.

AFC Cup 2009: Binh Duong win first game

Vietnam's V-League defending champions Binh Duong won their first three points at the AFC Cup 2009 after having defeated Maldives' Valencia 3-0 yesterday.

Binh Duong's Luong Minh Trung helped his team take the lead in the 12th minute before Philani widened the gap with a powerful shot in the 34th minute.

Kesley set the score of 3-0 for Binh Duong in the 63rd minute.

This win helped Binh Duong regain their confidence after several unsuccessful matches at the V-League and the AFC Cup as well.

In another match in group H, Provincial Electrical Authority (Thailand) beat Home United (Singapore) 2-1.

In group G, Hanoi ACB, another representative from Vietnam, lost to hosts Eastern Athletic 0-3 at Mongkok stadium in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Chonburi had their 1-0 victory over Kedah from Malaysia.

VietNamNet/ND

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Follow the Champions League draw on Friday

Arsenal's next Champions League opponents will be revealed when the draw for the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals of the competition is made in Nyon on Friday, March 20.

Arsène Wenger's side reached the last eight after a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Roma. They are one of four English clubs in the Quarter-Finals after Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool also advanced.

No team in the draw will be seeded and sides from the same country can play each other. The strong Premier League contingent means there is a 43 per cent chance that Arsenal will play English opposition. Their other possible opponents are Bayern Munich, Porto, Villarreal or Barcelona, who beat Arsenal in the 2006 Final.

Friday's draw begins at 11am (UK time).

The Quarter-Final first legs will be played on April 7 and 8 with the return matches on April 14 and 15.

Chelsea
Chelsea overcame Claudio Ranieri’s Juventus in the last round after Didier Drogba’s strike handed the Blues the first-leg advantage at Stamford Bridge before the Ivorian swooped in Turin to secure a 2-2 draw on the night. The West Londoners were beaten finalists last season after penalty shoot-out disappointment against Man United.

FC Barcelona
Arsène Wenger named the Catalan giants ‘favourites’ for the competition after their Thierry Henry inspired progression at the expense of Lyon in the last round. Barcelona are three-time Champions League winners and last lifted the trophy in 2006 when Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti scored to deny Arsenal at the Stade de France.

FC Bayern Munich
Bayern emerged as real dark horses after their 7-1 second-leg victory over Sporting Lisbon fired them to a record 12-1 aggregate scoreline. Fronted by German international duo Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski, Jurgen Klinnsman’s men are gunning for the third European Cup in the club’s history.

FC Porto
FC Porto squeezed into the last eight of the competition on away goals after two draws against Atletico Madrid. The Dragons have lifted the trophy on two occasions, most recently under Jose Mourinho in 2003/04. The Gunners faced Porto in the Group Stage, beating them 4-0 at Emirates Stadium before losing out 2-0 at the Dragao Stadium.

Liverpool
Rafa Benitez’s men booked their place in the Quarter-Final in emphatic fashion beating Real Madrid at the Bernabeu before dispatching the Galacticos 4-0 at Anfield a fortnight later. Arsenal met Liverpool at this stage last season but were denied by a controversial penalty in the second-leg on Merseyside.

Manchester United
Like Chelsea, Cup holders Manchester United swept aside Italian opposition in the last 16. After a goalless draw against Internazionale at the San Siro in the first leg, goals from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo put Sir Alex Ferguson’s men’s in the hat for Friday’s draw. The Red Devils have never faced Arsenal in the Champions League.

Villarreal
Villarreal secured their place in the draw with a 3-1 aggregate victory against Panathinaikos in the last 16. Arsenal met the Yellow Submarine in the 2006 Semi-Final, beating them 1-0 at Highbury before Juan Romain Riquelme's missed penalty in the second leg set up Arsenal’s first ever Champions League Final appearance.

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Almunia set to return for Newcastle Utd trip

By Richard Clarke

Manuel Almunia is likely to return for the trip to Newcastle on Saturday evening.

The Arsenal keeper damaged his ankle in the 4-0 win over Blackburn last weekend and was unavailable for the FA Cup Quarter-Final victory over Hull in midweek. However, after a positive training session on Thursday, he is likely to be given the all-clear from the medical staff.

Cesc Fabregas and Eduardo also took part in that session. For the Spaniard it represented his first full contact training since he damaged knee ligaments against Liverpool on December 21. However neither will be on the bus to St James’ Park.

“Almunia could be back,” Wenger told Arsenal TV Online. “He had a good training session today so it looks like he will be available.

“Fabregas and Eduardo have come back into full training today but I think they will be short for Saturday.

“It is the first time back for Cesc. He is physically fit but he needs a few training sessions. So it will be after the international break for him.

“Silvestre is fit and available but Adebayor is not ready yet.”

Arsenal TV Online subscribers can see the full video interview with Arsène Wenger on Friday. In it, the manager talks about:

• The fall-out from the FA Cup tie with Hull
• The allegations against Cesc Fabregas
• His considered thoughts on the winning goal
• Accusations of ‘tapping up’ over Rafael and Fabio
• Newcastle’s troubled season
• The chances of them going down
• His letter of support to Joe Kinnear
• The Champions League draw

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Short-term contracts, foreign players depart

VietNamNet Bridge – According to the Vietnam Volleyball Federation, the number of foreign players on local teams has decreased considerably this year.

Thai player Kitsada (green) of the Vietnamese Steel club.

There are 16 foreign players participating in the first round of the National Volleyball Tournament for Strong Clubs 2009, most of whom are female players.

As a distributor of foreign players for volleyball clubs, Nguyen Thi Nhat Thanh, PR manager of the Vietnam Volleyball Federation, said that there are two major reasons for the reduction of foreign players this year: restricted financial sources and clubs only signing short-term contracts.

Coach Nguyen Thuy Oanh of the High Command of Information team, agreed, saying that top volleyball players of Thailand have signed with Turkish and Indonesia teams instead of Vietnamese teams because they were able to get long-term contracts, though the pay is lower than in Vietnam.

This year, foreign players in Vietnam are elderly or very young players from Thailand. The most outstanding player is Kitsada Somkane, 19, of the Vietnamese Steel club in HCM City.

One year ago, Kitsada, 1.92m, helped Vietnamese Steel enter the top six clubs in Vietnam. Kitsada currently has a short-term contract with this club with monthly pay of $2,000.

VietNamNet/TT

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Local coaches disagree with Calisto’s plan

17:19' 23/02/2009 (GMT+7)

Coach Henrique Calisto.

VietNamNet Bridge – Members of the Coaching Council don’t agree with the plan for the national football team and the U-23 team submitted by chief coach Henrique Calisto.

According to this plan, the national team will convene for the first time on May 19, with half of the players being U23 players. After that, the national squad and the U-23 team will gather at the same time for subsequent gatherings.

The period from September to November will be the busiest time for both teams and for the coach as well.

According to the Coaching Council, it is risky to convene the two teams at the same time because it will be difficult for Calisto to work with two teams at once. This year, the U-23 has to concentrate its strength for the SEA Games while the national squad aims to enter the final of the Asia Cup 2011.

Calisto’s plan shows that the U23 and the national squad will have the same coaching board and the same chief coach. The Coaching Council didn’t agree, saying that one coaching board is unable to take care of two teams.

The Coaching Council also questioned the absence of coach Mai Duc Chung from the coaching board of U23 team. Last year Chung led U22 Vietnam (the core of this year’s U23) to the championship of the Merdeka Cup 2008.

The Coaching Council will directly question Calisto about his plan on March 4.

Calisto spoke with the local media about his plan.

Could you tell us the major contents of your meeting with VFF about the plans for national teams in 2009?

We sat together to work out the plans for the national squad and the U23 team at the upcoming qualifier round of Asian Cup 2011 and SEA Games 2009. We will make adjustments while we implement the plan based on the actual situation.

In May 2009, the national squad will convene with around 30 players, including U23 footballers. After a short time of practice, I will choose the official team for a friendly match against the Bahrain team on May 31.

In early September, U23 will take a 10-day training tour abroad.

In October, the national team will take part in the HCM City Cup. In November, the U23 team will join the VFF Cup while the national squad will play two matches in the qualifier round of the Asian Cup 2011. In December, U23 will attend SEA Games 2009.

We also plan to arrange one or two friendly matches against overseas clubs for the national squad and send the U23 team to the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia.

We know that you will not call for any player of Binh Duong or Hanoi.ACB clubs for the gathering of the national team in May, why?

Binh Duong and Hanoi. ACB will participate in AFC Cup 2009 in May so VFF decided to not call up any player from the two clubs.

If the national team attends official tournaments, we will have to call for the best players but the team will only play friendly matches then so we don’t need to do so.

How many players do you plan to call for this gathering?

I’m considering choosing some new players for the national squad and U23 team but I haven’t made a final decision yet.

On this occasion, I would like to say that I didn’t say that I would change the “blood” of the national team or I would choose a massive number of new players for the team as some newspapers reported.

Do you feel heavy pressure?

It is not accurate to call it pressure because pressure only comes when we have tournaments. At this moment, I only see that we need to be more responsible, because we are the current Southeast Asian champion. We have to be more careful and serious.

VietNamNet/VNE/TP

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