One of the U.S.’s top young soccer star, a Dallas-born Vietnamese-American, is trying out to play in Vietnam for the country’s champion club, reports Sports Illustrated here.
Lee Nguyen, 22, one of USA soccer’s hottest young stars, is trying out to join Hoang Anh Gia Lai, the V-League’s championship team.
According to SI, “Nguyen is currently on trials at the Gia Lai club with technical director Nguyen Van Vinh assessing his ability to carry the club challenge next season.”
And the forward blasted in three goals for a 5-1 win over Binh Dinh in a friendly match.
The team’s technical director was quoted as saying “I am very pleased with Nguyen’s excellent performance. He’s not exceptionally strong, but he is technically skilful, creative and accurate. 
He is powerful enough with both legs and can get round an opponent wonderfully.”
Hoang Anh Gia Lai is named after its home province and the team’s financial backer Hoang Anh – a lumber and furniture company. Its lineup is notorious for being stacked with players from Thailand’s national team. With two V-League championships, the club is considered the country’s powerhouse.
Nguyen calls the opportunity to play in Vietnam “a dream come true for me.”
Nguyen, however, may want to check out the club’s finances. Hoang Anh’s owner is plunked a huge portion of his fortune into real estate, and with the land market in Vietnam going down the tube, rumors are swirling that Hoang Anh will be the first house of cards to fall. Maybe Lee should make sure his pay is deposited in an escrow account or something.
In 2005, when he was 18, Nguyen (whom fans call by his first name Lee) became the only high school player to be named in the USA under-20 team for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. As a senior, he was named the 2004-05 Gatorade National Boy Soccer Player of the Year.
After high school, Nguyen declined pro offers and moved from Dallas to Bloomington to play for NCAA powerhouse Indiana University. He was named Freshman of the Year by Soccer Times and Soccer America magazines.
After his freshman year, Nguyen went pro and joined the Dutch team PSV Eindhoven, where he was coached by Guss Hiddink, the former coach of Real Madrid who has also led the national teams of South Korea and Australia and is currently coaching Russia’s national team.
In January of this year, Nguyen joined the Danish club Randers FC. That contract is set to expire in summer 2009.
Good job Lee Nguyen….you make us proud.
Lee Nguyen- Hope you play for HAGL… Keep it up.
Football: Vietnam shock Thailand 2-1 in first leg of Suzuki Cup final
Vietnam have had a fairy tale run in the on-going AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 where after falling to Thailand in the first game of Group B in Phuket, the team went on to beat Malaysia and then Laos, the winning team from the qualifiers.
In the semi-final, they outclassed an over-confident side from Singapore while last night, they proved that they can play anywhere when they beat Thailand 2-1 in Bangkok.
But Calisto is not about to be too overjoyed with the win where he wants the players to put their feet firmly on the ground and realised that they still have a job to do.
“The secret to the Vietnam team is unity. We have that sense of belief in the team and we play with a lot of heart,” added Calisto.
“The morale in the team is good and I believe that only in the game of football can a lesser team beat a stronger team.
“But I think that Thailand will not give up that easily where I believe that they will play with everything they’ve got for the return tie in Hanoi.”
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1276/south-east-asia/2008/12/27/1029402/vietnam-our-secret-is-team-spirit
stupid move! it is career suicide.