Asian Champions League battling for respect

Columnist

By Mike Tuckerman, 2 Jul 2009 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: ACL, Asian Champions League, football, World Football

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Adelaide United's Sasa Ognenovski beats Masato Yamazaki of Gamba Osaka to the ball during the Asian Champions League final match in Adelaide, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008. AAP Image/Rob Hutchison

Pohang’s 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle Jets last week may have ended Australian interest in the Asian Champions League, but the competition itself rumbles on towards the final.

All the talk this week has surrounded Luiz Felipe Scolari’s sensational decision to sign on as coach at Uzbek club Bunyodkor, but it hasn’t gone unnoticed elsewhere that two Korean sides have reached the quarter-finals.

Scolari’s return to management might have shocked the football establishment – what with Bunyodkor hardly being a household name (and a dubiously funded one at that) – but it’s not the first time that “Big Phil” has pitched up on exotic shores.

As a player he had a stint at Saudi side Al-Shabab, while early on in his coaching career he enjoyed a successful spell at Kuwaiti side Al Qadsia.

Money that oil-rich clubs like Bunyodkor can splash about might ultimately redress the balance of power in Asian football, but AFC officials will be pleasantly surprised to see two Korean clubs in the final eight.

FC Seoul did things the hard way, beating J. League champions Kashima Antlers on penalties to book a quarter-final showdown with surprise package Umm Salal of Qatar.

The Korean club received the rub of the green from Australian referee Ben Williams – who sent off Kashima playmaker Mitsuo Ogasawara just after the hour mark – but full credit to the capital outfit for triumphing in a nervy shoot-out.

I spent some time at the upwardly mobile FC Seoul earlier this year, but Pohang’s progression to the final eight comes as somewhat of a surprise.

The North Gyeongsang-based side are not regarded as one of the stronger teams in Korean football, although they did lift a shock K-League title in 2007.

Nevertheless the Steelers have traded in their usually mediocre league form for a decent run on the continent, and their reward is a match-up with none other than Big Phil’s Bunyodkor.

Scolari’s appointment is bound to make headlines in the European press, but it will take much more for those in Europe to take the Asian Champions League seriously.

Last April, ESPN Soccernet columnist Jon Carter penned a piece entitled “ACL facing uphill struggle against Europe” that I couldn’t quite get my head around.

In fairness to Carter, he made some decent points.

But it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a competition has flaws when it ensures that participants lose money, or where refereeing standards fluctuate so wildly.

However, what irritated me most about Carter’s inferrence was that because the Asian Champions League wasn’t as prominent as its European equivalent, it was hardly worth playing.

I may get roasted for saying it, but it’s a typically English sentiment that I’ve encountered elsewhere.

When Manchester United put five past Gamba Osaka in the FIFA Club World Cup last December, some members of the English press snickered that it was proof that Asian football simply wasn’t up to scratch.

But who expected Gamba to beat Manchester United? And why weren’t the English press talking about Gamba being the first team to score three goals against United in months?

If Gamba are the epitome of a poor football side, I’d hate think what these guys made of West Brom.

At any rate, the Osakans were knocked out by the team I tipped months ago as one of the favourites to lift the Asian crown.

Kawasaki Frontale will go into their quarter-final clash with Nagoya Grampus as favourites, and the AFC are no doubt hoping that the Kanagawa side reach a final played practically on their doorstep.

Holding a one-off final is a mistake, but a National Stadium in Tokyo swarming with Kawasaki Frontale fans might convince those in Europe that the Asian Champions League is a worthwhile tournament after all.

They should consider it so to begin with.

It might not be world class, but at least it’s ours.

Follow Mike on twitter @Mike_Tuckerman

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The Crowd Says (33) | Page 1 of Comments

Ben Somerford said | July 2nd 2009 @ 8:19am | Report comment

I, for one, am loving the AFC Champions League and love the new format, I think it’s breathed new life into it. The quarter-finals draw the other night threw up some interesting permutations too, with the two Japanese sides left in the draw, facing one another, which hurts the AFC’s ‘probable” hope of at least one Japanese club in the final in Tokyo. For me though, I think the Saudi club Al-Ittihad Jeddah, look strong and I fancy them to win it.

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Andrew said | July 2nd 2009 @ 8:57am | Report comment

I really don’t mind the 1 game match rather than two legs.
Sure two legged finals are more fair but I find one of finals more exciting. The teams are playing for a win (not a nice result away). If the best team doesn’t win it is that really the end of the world, there’s always next year. It’s a much better spectacle for the casual fan and TV fan as they don’t have to commit too two nights and they get instant satisfaction. I wouldn’t suggest pandering to such for a matured football market but the ACL is still trying to gain momentum.

I enjoyed Sydney FC’s and Adelaide’s campaign and I think the new format is an improvement but there are a lot of areas that I find frustrating. A video review committee that reviews games and gives out penalties for diving and time wasting would be top of my wish list.

The team based in the west that put out a sub par team to concentrate on domestic success) should have cost their federation all their automatic qualifying spots.

Looking forward to the next time an Aussie team with any stability or form next gets into the comp …. looking at you Melbourne

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MVDave said | July 2nd 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment

Australian interest will be revived when Melbourne Victory commence playing in March 2010 with home games at their new 32,000 seat rectangular stadium. If Victory and Adelaide can both reach the knockout stage the tournament, in its new format, will get a huge boost here.

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Midfielder said | July 2nd 2009 @ 9:09am | Report comment

Like all things it will take time… I think waht it needs as towser often says is 5 or 6 strong leagues … Japan are out in front by a long way .. but I think Australian are not as far behind as many think … Like all things it needs time to grow..

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GeneralAshnak said | July 2nd 2009 @ 9:11am | Report comment

The ACL has been a wonderful competition, I sadly never even knew it existed until the HAL was involved with it. But the competition reminds me a lot of the FA Cup. The teams throw up constant surprises. No one after all seriously expected AUFC to make the final, yet along the way they defeated the champions of 4 other leagues – quite convincingly as well. I connect more with the ACL than other comps, probably because AUFC have been in it twice now and will be again next year – first HAL team to make 3 ACLs BTW. I have been seriously disapointed with the level of coverage the competition receives in Australia though, you actually have to go out of your way to find out what is happening, but I can find out about the UCL just by opening the paper. Heres hoping that we get a non J League champion this year! And I really want a HAL team (you can guess which one) in the final next year!

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Pippinu said | July 2nd 2009 @ 9:21am | Report comment

MV’s participation will bring much needed credibility to the comp.

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Towser said | July 2nd 2009 @ 9:27am | Report comment

MIke

No suprise to me regarding the English attitude to “foreign” football. I grew up with it. Born to rule in football(& in other areas). Except the reality is they dont. England may have invented football,but they didnt create it. The EPL is dominated by foreigners.
Annoying yes. Wind & piss yes.
Also give me Gamba rather than any team in the EPL outside the top few teams. Midfielder mentioned the 5 or 6 strong leagues in Asia. I firmly believe this is the way to go. Concentrate all the best players in Asia into these leagues & theres a chance the ACL can produce quality football maybe not ever ManU,Barca level but certainly just below it.
It makes sense also economically as there are not that many rich Asian nations who can afford to spend spare cash on the relative frivolity of upholding a Professional football League.
Interest will grow here as it grows throughout Asia. Lets face it the Koreans have yet to be convinced(judging by crowds) & football has been an estabilished traditional sport,mainstream much longer than here.

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GeneralAshnak said | July 2nd 2009 @ 9:38am | Report comment

Pips – based on results in the ACL from HAL teams I assume you actually mean that AUFC will give the comp much needed credibility? Or is not making it past the group stage the best you think MV is capable of? ;P

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Koala Bear said | July 2nd 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment

“All the talk this week has surrounded Luiz Felipe Scolari’s sensational decision to sign on as coach at Uzbek club Bunyodkor, but it hasn’t gone unnoticed elsewhere that two Korean sides have reached the quarter-finals.”

Wow Scolari to coach in the ACL … Sensational is right, the right word; this league is really going to be a premier competition in Asia with such big names coming into it to coach… What we need now in Australia is to rise to the challenge to try to lure some big names to coach and to assist if only on a short term advisory capacity… Our Australian clubs need to inject more professionalism and ambition with better planing into our Australian clubs to make a greater impact and inroads into the ACL…

It was very disappointing from an Australian perspective when coaches MacKinna and GVE Newcastle and CCM respectfully bowed out; mainly due to their lack of experience of how to manage a team when out of season during ACL participation… This has to be addressed immediately by the FFA with some help in finding ways to keep these teams match fit during out of season, non-activity

This Asian comp is surly the greatest prize of all in our part of the world in any code’s club football and should be treated with greater respect from all Australians… I can see this happening when SFC finally get a second crack at it after this years comp… Can’t wait… PS and GCU FC..

~~~~~~~~
KB

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Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 2nd 2009 @ 9:52am | Report comment

The one off final is a mistake as the whole concept of an empty stadium for a final frightens me. The AFC will be hoping that a Japanese side makes the final in order to fill the stands, as if two Uzbek sides make the final then it may make for a bleak backdrop to what would be an exciting game.

As for Europe, who cares? We have the ACL in a federation that is full of developing nations with a geography and demography unmatched by any of the other federations. Each year we get stronger and eventually we’ll have a broader range of leagues that are comparable to the better leagues in other federations. Remember that Adelaide were defeated by Gamba and then went on to defeat the African champions. We’re not that bad and good showing in 2010 by Asian nations will help underscore this.

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