Mr. Doan Nguyen Duc answered an interview with VnExpress newspaper on 21/1/2025, at Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duc Dong

Since his involvement with football, Doan Nguyen Duc, Chairman of HAGL, has experienced many ups and downs, from successful years with the "mountain town team" (HAGL FC) to paying the price for investment decisions. He once served as Vice President of Finance for the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and is known as one of the entrepreneurs who has dedicated significant passion and resources to Vietnamese football.

Ahead of the VFF Congress for the 2026-2030 term, Bau Duc hopes Vietnamese football will advance further, despite recent successes with titles from U23 to the national team level. According to him, to "reach the World Cup or continental level," the mindset towards football development must first change, especially in mobilizing social resources and long-term investment.

"The general trend in world football is professionalization and commercialization, requiring substantial financial resources. Therefore, the VFF, a socio-professional organization, needs entrepreneurs who know how to generate cash flow, manage effectively, and especially, are willing to spend money," he said. "With them, the VFF will have the best financial conditions and a strong enough foundation to nurture long-term plans for the next 5 to 10 years."

This approach is also what Bau Duc chose in his football journey. Over 20 years ago, when he began investing heavily in football, he not only focused on immediate results but gradually shifted his emphasis to building a foundation. In 2007, the HAGL Arsenal JMG Academy broke ground in Pleiku, marking one of the largest and most notable youth training projects in Vietnamese football at the time.

Bau Duc welcomed coach Park Hang-seo at Ham Rong, HAGL JMG Academy, Gia Lai on 2/2/2018, after U23 Vietnam won runner-up at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship. Photo: Duc Dong

The collaboration model with Arsenal and JMG aimed to systematically train young players, combining football with culture and foreign languages. Subsequently, many players who developed at the academy, such as Cong Phuong, Xuan Truong, Tuan Anh, Van Toan, Van Thanh, Hong Duy, became prominent figures in Vietnamese football.

For Bau Duc, this process shows that football investment cannot be measured by a single season. Youth training requires many years, even a whole generation, to yield results.

However, according to him, the current challenge for Vietnamese football cannot rely solely on a few academies or a few private investors. Corporate resources need to be mobilized more systematically, from youth training and facilities to nutrition and expertise. "Without money, there's no talk of reaching a higher level," Bau Duc stated.

He believes that entrepreneurs who directly invest will be motivated to seek suitable management models, experts, and methods to enhance efficiency. From Bau Duc's perspective, socialization is not merely about finding money for football but also about introducing new management practices and investment mindsets into the sport.

Another proposal from Bau Duc is to elevate Vietnamese football's international standing not only through team achievements but also through the individuals within its administrative apparatus.

He believes Vietnam needs influential individuals with credibility, capability, and reach to participate more actively in international football organizations such as FIFA (International Federation of Association Football), AFC (Asian Football Confederation), and AFF (ASEAN Football Federation). When Vietnamese individuals hold influential positions, he argues, Vietnamese football will have better opportunities to protect its interests, access new development trends, and expand international relations.

After over 25 years directly involved in football, Bau Duc continues to speak plainly about what he considers fundamental: to go far, there must be resources; to use resources effectively, management methods must change; and to reach the world stage, those in football must also possess an international vision.

The World Cup dream, therefore, according to Bau Duc, is not solely dependent on the players' feet. "It needs to start with how Vietnamese football is invested in, managed, and built for many years to come. If Vietnamese football wants to go further, those involved in football must first dare to think further," he asserted.

Quang Dung