President Nguyen Minh Triet visited the HAGL-Arsenal-JMG Football Academy on March 31.
At the meeting, the chairman of Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC, Doan Nguyen Duc, reported the development and operation of the academy after it was set up two years ago to provide training for talent players.
Mr Duc said the academy will enroll students for its second course in June of this year. The candidates will be selected by Arsenal coaches.
Mr Duc believes that after seven years, HAGL-Arsenal-JMG will provide a large number of talented football players.
President Triet asked students about their home towns, family and study.
He later visited their housing and training pitches, and watched players practice.
President Triet was pleased with the standards of housing and training, and encouraged students to train and study hard to become good players.
After visiting the academy, President Triet also visited the Laos national team, which is training at the academy. He wished the coaches and players success at the upcoming SE Asian Games in Laos.
The five-hectare academy, about 10 kilometers from Pleiku City, when complete will have two training grounds, 30 twin rooms for trainees, coaches and experts, as well as dining rooms and a health club.
The first training courses started in September 2008.
Experts from Arsenal selected 16 candidates among some 10,000 applicants for training in line with the standards of the English club.
The Arsenal coaches said that the players trained at the academy would be able to play for Vietnam.
The academy is part of the strategic cooperation agreement between HAGL Corp. and Arsenal.
