BINH DUONG FC EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT

Under the newly revamped AFC Champions League 2009 (ACL), only clubs which are considered as viable commercial entities will be allowed to take part in the competition.

And even though, Binh Duong had played in the AFC Champions League last year, they have been informed that they will have to play in the lower AFC Cup for 2009.

The Vietnamese club could not even make the play-offs which will see three teams from the Asean region – Provincial Electricity Authority FC (Thailand), Singapore Armed Forces FC (Singapore) and PSMS Medan (Indonesia) – taking part.

“The VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) should support the club by complaining to the AFC,” said Tran Van Duong, the managing director for Binh Duong FC.

“It is a contradiction. While some clubs, including those from Indonesia, haven’t performed as well as Vietnam, they have up to two clubs qualified for the ACL.”

Nguyen Kim Phung, the Deputy Director for Binh Duong Province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that he had petitioned the VFF about the unreasonable disqualification.

“Why can’t Vietnam have a representative (in the ACL) like other countries including Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia?” he asked.

Under the new ACL Champions League, prize money for the champion team and the runners-up have been increased to USD1.5 million and USD 750,000 from last year’s USD600,000 and USD400,000 respectively.