Van Hau says goodbye to Dutch football, heads home for V.League
Vietnamese defender Doan Van Hau will bid farewell to Dutch team SC Heerenveen and repatriate to play for V.League side Hanoi FC in the second half of the Vietnamese top flight season, according to an official announcement from Hanoi FC on Friday afternoon (July 10).
Van Hau will leave Dutch side SC Heerenveen to return to Vietnam to play for his local club Hanoi FC. (Photo: SC Heerenveen)
Van Hau's contract with the Dutch team expired on June 30 and Hanoi FC insisted on renewing his contract for another season, if both sides found common ground in the negotiation process. However, the biggest obstacle to the deal was the salary issue. The Dutch club are reportedly struggling to pay the defender’s 450,000 euro-a-year salary because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hanoi FC have confirmed that it would give its maximum support to help SC Heerenveen pay Van Hau’s salary and in return the Dutch side should make detailed plans to develop and use the Vietnamese defender next season.
“In recent months, Hanoi FC and SC Heerenveen have actively worked together for a positive outcome to the negotiations. However, the professional plan to use and develop Van Hau in the Dutch team has not convinced the Vietnamese side. In addition, the Dutch team’s budget is also an issue due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. In the end, Hanoi FC decided to repatriate Doan Van Hau and will create favourable conditions for him to play in the second phase of V.League 2020,” according to an announcement from Hanoi FC.
As the reigning V.League champions and the Dutch side failed to reach agreement on extending the contract for Van Hau, the left-back will soon return home to play for Hanoi FC. This will be a necessary addition for Hanoi’s squad in the context of their suffering the severe loss of several key players due to injury.
“Van Hau’s return makes a lot of sense for the club in this difficult period as we have lost several key players due to injury,” said Hanoi FC President Do Vinh Quang. “We are always ready to listen to other suggestions and create the maximum opportunity for Van Hau to play in a European football environment, but it has not been easy amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic,” Quang said.
“In addition, by the end of the year, the ASEAN Football Federation Championship (AFF Cup) will take place, and Van Hau’s return to the country to play and regain his form after a long absence due to the epidemic will be a significant boost for the Vietnamese national team,” the Hanoi FC president added.
Hanoi are reportedly seeking a flight to bring Van Hau home as soon as possible. The Thai Binh native will undergo isolation for 14 days as prescribed in the country’s COVID-19 preventive regulations, before reuniting with his teammates at Hanoi FC. After eight rounds of V.League 2020, Hanoi have surprisingly gained only 11 points and are temporarily ranked eighth, five points behind league leaders Saigon FC.
Van Hau will leave Dutch side SC Heerenveen to return to Vietnam to play for his local club Hanoi FC. (Photo: SC Heerenveen)
Van Hau joined the Eredivisie outfit in September last year under a one-year loan agreement from Hanoi. The 1999-born defender was expected to have a good opportunity to show his talents as one of the Vietnam’s best football players, as well as enjoy professional development in a European football environment. However, Van Hau only played four minutes for the first team in the Dutch Cup and mainly played for SC Heerenveen’s youth team.
Van Hau's contract with the Dutch team expired on June 30 and Hanoi FC insisted on renewing his contract for another season, if both sides found common ground in the negotiation process. However, the biggest obstacle to the deal was the salary issue. The Dutch club are reportedly struggling to pay the defender’s 450,000 euro-a-year salary because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hanoi FC have confirmed that it would give its maximum support to help SC Heerenveen pay Van Hau’s salary and in return the Dutch side should make detailed plans to develop and use the Vietnamese defender next season.
“In recent months, Hanoi FC and SC Heerenveen have actively worked together for a positive outcome to the negotiations. However, the professional plan to use and develop Van Hau in the Dutch team has not convinced the Vietnamese side. In addition, the Dutch team’s budget is also an issue due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. In the end, Hanoi FC decided to repatriate Doan Van Hau and will create favourable conditions for him to play in the second phase of V.League 2020,” according to an announcement from Hanoi FC.
As the reigning V.League champions and the Dutch side failed to reach agreement on extending the contract for Van Hau, the left-back will soon return home to play for Hanoi FC. This will be a necessary addition for Hanoi’s squad in the context of their suffering the severe loss of several key players due to injury.
“Van Hau’s return makes a lot of sense for the club in this difficult period as we have lost several key players due to injury,” said Hanoi FC President Do Vinh Quang. “We are always ready to listen to other suggestions and create the maximum opportunity for Van Hau to play in a European football environment, but it has not been easy amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic,” Quang said.
“In addition, by the end of the year, the ASEAN Football Federation Championship (AFF Cup) will take place, and Van Hau’s return to the country to play and regain his form after a long absence due to the epidemic will be a significant boost for the Vietnamese national team,” the Hanoi FC president added.
Hanoi are reportedly seeking a flight to bring Van Hau home as soon as possible. The Thai Binh native will undergo isolation for 14 days as prescribed in the country’s COVID-19 preventive regulations, before reuniting with his teammates at Hanoi FC. After eight rounds of V.League 2020, Hanoi have surprisingly gained only 11 points and are temporarily ranked eighth, five points behind league leaders Saigon FC.
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