National footballer Indra was turned down in Vietnam and didn’t get contract

Contributed by reader Jon Tran, a Vietnamese football fan

indra

Indra Sahdan did not get a contract as reported in the Straits Times. He is now hoping to play for Sengkang-Punggol in the S.League. (Photo © Les Tan/Red Sports file photo)

Contrary to what was reported in the Straits Times (Saturday, January 3, 2009), national footballer Indra Sahdan didn’t turn down a contract to play in Vietnam.

He wasn’t even offered one in the first place.

According to a Vietnamese news report, the Vietnamese coach of Hanoi club Hoa Phat felt Indra was too small in build.

Indra is now hoping to continue playing in the S.League after he precipitously turned down a Home United contract to try his luck in Vietnam.

He was reportedly one of the best paid players in the S.League at $10,000 a month but at 29, he is not as fast as before.

In the last year, he has also lost his place in the starting XI picked by coach Raddy Avramovic.

Indra is currently with the national team preparing for the Asian Cup qualifier against Iran on January 14th in Tehran.

Given the injury situation of the national team – Noh Alam Shah (hamstring) and Aleksandar Duric (fractured fibula) – Indra is expected to start up front in Tehran.

Here is the translation of that Vietnamese article:

Singapore captain Indra Sahdan Daud's Vietnamese dream shattered

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh of Hoa Phat Hanoi said after 3 days with Indra: "He is a player with pretty good skills and strategic vision. He is serious about the job, hardworking, and can get on with teammates very fast, but the disadvantage is he's quite small built (Indra's 1.72m tall and 62kg-editor), so he often loses one on one. We have no choice but not to take him. It really is a pity, it would be wonderful if Indra were a local player. I have told him that, he understands and is happy about it."

Indra diplomatically answered the Viet media: "I know that in the past years Vietnamese football has been developing very fast, that explains why you got to the Asian cup quarterfinals and won the AFF title this year. The leagues in Vietnam has a very high quality and the environment is conducive for players. That's why I came here for a job trial with Hoa Phat instead of staying in Home United, although Home Utd is a very good club in Singapore. My family support my search for a new club, so there's nothing to be sad about when I don't succeed this time."