Wednesday, December 16, 2009

A Tale of Two Asian Teams in FIFA Club World Cup

Two teams are flying the flag for Asia in the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The champions of the host nation Al Ahli and AFC Champions League winners Pohang Steelers of Korea Republic experience contrasting fortunes in the tournament though.

The former crashed out in the first game of the tournament as they succumbed 2-0 to Oceania champions Auckland City in the play-off to reach the quarter-finals. The result only highlighted how much more the Emiratis need to work to bring their football to be among the best in the continent.

UAE have the financial muscle to compete among the big players in world football (although the recent Dubai crisis has put a slight dent to that) and their football facilities are simply second to none, comparable to the best footballing nations in the world.

While their oil money can help turn Manchester City into an ambitious, serious outfit in the Barclays Premier League and attract star names to ply their trade on their shores, it is unable to translate into success at continental level, be it for club or country.

Their clubs suffered badly in the 2009 AFC Champions League group stage as all crashed out. One of them even went on to withdraw from the competition with four games played, putting a severe dent on the prestiege of the competition. That club in question was subsequently banned from the next two editions of the tournament with the added option of extending into a third.

Meanwhile, precocious talents have been running through the youth ranks in UAE over the years, but they have not been able to translate their success at age group into senior level. Al Ahli boast their latest teen prodigy in Ahmed Khalil who won the Asian Youth Player of the Year in 2008.

Their opponents Auckland do not boast the same financial muscle or the talent that can compete among the world's best. They come from a country that had recently qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup since 1982 and boasted one professional team playing in the Australian A-League.

Yet these paupers showed the shiekhs how to play football as they outplayed and outfought the hosts to triumph. They demonstrated money could buy almost everything, but not instant success which is often built over some time.

Perhaps the Dubai club could take a leaf out of the Koreans. Pohang are kings of Asia just one year after they were knocked out at the first round group stage in 2008.

Sometimes failure to reach the next round of the most prestigeous club competition in the continent could mean the end of the coach's tenure. But the Steelers board apparently saw something in Brazilian tactician Sergio Farias to keep him in the hot seat.

Their faith was rewarded when they beat Saudi Arabian giants Al Ittihad to be crowned champions of Asia and subsequently put on a creditable performance in Abu Dhabi. They came form behind to beat African winners TP Mazembe of Congo 2-1 in the quarters before losing by the same score to South American kings Estudiantes La Plata while being reduced to eight men.

By reaching the last four, the Steelers repeated the showings made by Gamba Osaka of Japan and Al Ittihad in previous editions of the tournament. Their influential Brazilian forward Denilson might not be in Dunga's sight for the Selecao for the World Cup, but his predatory instincts showed he could match against the best clubs in the world.

While not as cash-rich as their UAE counterparts, Pohang demonstrated their strengths in tactical discipline and maturity to punch above the weight and do the continent proud. They made Juan Sebastian Veron and company work for their win in the semis and could proudly lift their heads high for their commendable performance against the odds.

The shortcomings the Asian sides showed in the Club World Cup only further highlights the need for all Asian clubs to step up their level of professionalism on and off the pitch, from investment of facilities and youth development to scouring around the world for quality import signings that will not only boost their home league's profile, but also of the standard of football in their country.

Until the day comes when an Asian club can adequately rise up to stretch the top European and South American clubs to their limits, AFC Pro League and AFC President Mohammad Bin Hammam still have much work to do to bring the diverse continent up to speed in professional football.

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