A few weeks ago, Frank Tierney and sons Luke and Ryan travelled to Saigon on a holiday. While they were here, they had a training run with the Swannies. Below is an excerpt from an article that was published in north west Victoria’s Mildura Weekly on 11 March 2011.
There’s far more to Vietnam than meets the eye according to Mildura’s Tierney family.
During their recent trip to this exotic country… (they) ran into an Aussie Rules footy team!
“This is no spur-of-the moment team”, Frank said. “The Vietnam Swans have been around for some years and is made up of expat Aussies who hold some challenging positions in the country.
“Most are senior company executives. One was sent over there to set up a branch of the Commonwealth Bank and others work in various areas of the government…”
Frank paid tribute to one bloke who helps pull it all together, Aussie Glenn Nolan, an ex Wangaratta footy supporter who runs a classy sports bar, Tommy’s 3, in Vung Tau.
As well as helping the committee and the supporters to keep the footy team on the turf, Glenn organises Vietnam tours for Aussie visitors.
But more importantly, he and his committee and their football team members use their considerable talents and financial resources to undertake self help programs for the Vietnamese people including helping fund an orphanage and a learn to swim program that has the full backing of the Vietnamese Government.
To read the full article, click onto Training with the Vietnam Swans.
Also see their Tunnels of Cu Chi.
For more articles about the Vietnam Swans that have appeared in the media, click here.