Volleyballer Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa.— Photo thanhnien

HA NOI (VNS)— The induction of top Vietnamese women players into a foreign club has catapulted them into a league of their own by way of recognition and renown.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa, top attacker of the national team, and her two teammates will be the first Vietnamese female volleyball players to sign a working contract with a foreign club.

Hoa will be competing for Thailand's Ayutthay club under special regulations. She will leave for Thailand a day prior to the match and return to Viet Nam right after the competition. Her monthly remuneration, which includes a travel allowance, is US$3,000.

Besides Hoa, there are other women players who will be competing for foreign clubs too. Attacker Do Thi Minh and libero Nguyen Thi Kim Lien have joined Idea Khonhaen, the defending champion of Thailand. They will compete at the local national championships and draw a salary of up to $10,000 per month.

According to Huynh Quang Vinh, coach of the Binh Dien Long An club, the greatest advantage lies in the fact that his players get to practise in Thailand, which is one of the strongest volleyball centres in Asia. — VNS