Asian Cup bid is a milestone for Australian football
Columnist
By Mike Tuckerman, 30 Jul 2010 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert
If there were any lingering doubts that Australia is a fully fledged and respected member of the Asian Football Confederation, they were surely dispelled when Frank Lowy handed over Australia’s bid book to host the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
Much has been made of the powerful west Asian bloc supposedly being unhappy with Australia’s admission into the Asian realm, so perhaps there was some poetic irony in the fact that it was a Qatari in the form of AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam who formally accepted the bid.
Lowy and Bin Hammam are clearly close, even if the Qatari predictably threw his support behind his home nation in the bidding to host the 2022 World Cup.
Hosting the World Cup remains the ultimate goal for Football Federation Australia, but that doesn’t mean that the Asian Cup should languish in its shadow.
The continental championship is a wonderful showcase of the vibrancy and diversity of Asia, and the chance to showcase such high quality football is hardly an everyday occurrence.
The thought of regional powerhouses such as Iran and South Korea battling it out with the likes of Japan and China on Australian soil is one that should excite every Australian football fan, not to mention the sizeable Asian diaspora who currently call Australia home.
Then there’s the fact that winning the Asian Cup on home soil is an obvious target for the Socceroos, with the chance to lift a major piece of silverware in front of an adoring home crowd no doubt an enticing one.
Improved stadia – at least in terms of general infrastructure – might be one enduring legacy, but surely the strengthening of ties with our Asian cousins is a more important benefit.
It should quash the myth that Australia does not deserve to be a member of the AFC, with the FFA and football fans in this country clearly willing to stake their reputation on running a successful Asian tournament.
“This is the premier football tournament in Asia, our home confederation, and even globally speaking, it’s a huge tournament,” FFA chief Ben Buckley told The Sydney Morning Herald about the bid earlier this year.
“It’s one of the biggest and most-watched events within the Asian region and that’s good for Australia’s reputation in terms of building our profile and hosting major events.”
Too right Ben – and with the eyes of the region to be fixed firmly on sole bidder Australia in 2015, it is incumbent upon football supporters in this country to get behind the tournament and fill the five selected Asian Cup venues.
Just which five venues will host the fixtures is still up in the air, with Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney offering eight grounds between them as potential host stadia.
The age-old rivalry over who should host the final is likely to flare between Sydney and Melbourne once again, although Brisbane’s magnificent Suncorp Stadium could potentially be a dark horse – even if its capacity is a little on the small side.
Whatever the permutations, hosting the Asian Cup is a real coup for football in this country and Lowy and his team should be congratulated for putting Australia in the running so soon after joining the confederation.
It’s a sign that Australian football continues to go from strength to strength, after years of languishing in the doldrums of geographical and political isolation.
There’s big bucks to be made from the Asian Cup – just ask the AFC’s powerful marketing partner World Sport Group – but surely the major selling point is simply the joy of hosting a prestigious football tournament on Australian soil.
The Asian Cup bid is a milestone for Australian football, so let’s hope there are no stumbling blocks along the way.
Follow Mike on twitter @Mike_Tuckerman
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The Special One said | July 30th 2010 @ 7:07am | Report comment
The Canberra Times this morning is saying that Canberra Stadium will host six first round games and a quarter final match if Australia, as expected, get the Asian Cup.
Chris said | July 30th 2010 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd – that’s almost as good a laugh as the head of the AFC backing Qatar for the World Cup.
Mattay said | July 30th 2010 @ 8:46am | Report comment
I think it’s an absolute disgrace that Adelaide is not being considered a venue for the Asian Cup. No fault of the FFA, they have to choose the best cities/stadiums, but it’s a blight on our city that once again the Eastern states motor on ahead while we still ponder whether to grow out of the 1800′s.
AndyRoo said | July 30th 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Too many AFC members have bad memories of Adelaide with the Pissants crushing many dreams in the ACL
GeneralAshnak said | July 30th 2010 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
I would almost, almost give up those heady events for a decent rectangular stadium in Adelaide.
Actually why can’t I have both?
Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 30th 2010 @ 4:25pm | Report comment
Adelaide has a decent stadium already, perfect for the Reds. Sadly it doesn’t cut the mustard when the Socceroos come calling as they need more bums on seats. However as an A-League stadium it is absolutely perfect.
Phutbol said | July 30th 2010 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
No reason why Adelaide couldnt host some of the games between the less supported nations…
Surely Iraq v Qatar (for example) wouldnt fill hindmarsh would it?
Midfielder said | July 30th 2010 @ 8:51am | Report comment
Mike
Good read… tounge in check … if John Howard can be put up to head cricket … why not Kevin 07 as head of the AFC…
But move over the new season is about to start, we will win the right to the Asian games ….. so from K’naan… lets all sing
Give me freedom Give me fire
Give me reason take me higher
See the champions take the field now
Unify us make us feel proud
In the streets our hands are lifted
As we loose our inhabitation
Celebration it surrounds us
Every nation all around us
Staying forever young
Singing songs underneath the sun
Let’s rejoice in the beautiful game
Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 30th 2010 @ 9:23am | Report comment
It will be a magnificent event and one that should do much to cement our relationship with Asia in the minds of both our partners in the region and amongst our own populace. I for one am very excited by the prospect.
Joe FC said | July 30th 2010 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
I’m certainly looking forward to the Asian Cup in Australia. Mike do we know during which month(s) it’s proposed that the tournament will be held?
Mike Tuckerman said | July 30th 2010 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
No definitive word yet as far as I know, but obviously holding it in January (as per Qatar 2011) would mean that it’s not in competition with the other football codes.
Joe FC said | July 30th 2010 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
I can understand the reasoning behind a January option. The downside might be the unavailability of European based players (as well as suspending the A League). I seem to recall Sepp Blatter urging the Africans to move the Cup of Nations to the June/July period. Does a January choice diminish the status of the tournament?
Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 30th 2010 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
My main concern with January is the proximity to the World Cup. It leaves some fans unable to gather their finances for two significant overseas trips in a 6 month period and others a little fatigued from all the football.
Mike Tuckerman said | July 30th 2010 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
Good points on both accounts.
I’m not sure if a January tournament necessarily diminishes its status, but as Ben has obviously pointed out, it can be a little bit too much football for some fans.
What obviously stands in the way of a July tournament is the prospect of ground sharing. Just imagine how keen the rival codes will be to roll out the welcome mat for the Asian Cup!
Stevo said | July 30th 2010 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
How to win friends and influence people. Lowy has got it pretty right and engaging with our Asian friends can do us no harm when it comes to the WC bid and other matters down the track. The A-league will benefit with more players from Asia hoping to play here and using it as a stepping stone to other more well paid leagues. We should now see the previous NSL as simply a step along the road for Aussie football. The A-league is building on those foundations nicely.
Sammy22 said | July 30th 2010 @ 5:09pm | Report comment
This is great, even June July can be done with a break in the A League. Rugby would be OK as could tie in with the S15 break at the same time when they have internationals at other stadia. Its the R league to work around
Mike, I read we are the only ones going for it, is that “to date” or are we “it” for sure.
I would like to see only rectangular stadia used So Lang park, Robina, SFS, Bubbledome the new Perth one by then (Adelaide if stadia up by then). Prefer to have them full with atmosphere. I know we can argue numbers but great time to build quality and follow on interest.
As a complete side note Mike, by any chance are you related to Ted Tuckerman who did the fishing reports on TV in the south west of England in the 70′s. Always wore mad knitted jumpers.
Mike Tuckerman said | July 30th 2010 @ 7:09pm | Report comment
We’re the sole bidder Sammy, so an unforeseen catastrophe notwithstanding, we’re “it” for sure.
As for being related to Ted Tuckerman, I can’t confess to being a genealogist but my family has been in Australia for generations, so I doubt it.
Spiro Zavos said | July 31st 2010 @ 9:14am | Report comment
I think the tournamentt everyone from all the codes should get behind. Holding it in Australia could help raise its international celebrity to the extent that in time it has something of the aura of the European equivalent.
danny said | July 31st 2010 @ 10:12pm | Report comment
i think it’s a bit unfair to label brisbane as only a ‘dark horse’ for the final. of the 8 stadiums proposed, lang park is about 2k shy of having the second highest capacity. and the two above it (docklands and stadium australia) are in my opinion, a good chance to get cut from the final list. with the exception of australian games, stadium australia would be too big. and swan st should get the nod over docklands as it’s a rectangular pitch. not to mention, it would be much easier to get a hold of if the cup was in july (1 storm game every 2 weeks compared to 2-3 afl games a weekend). i reckon that the final list should be lang park, sfs, parramatta, canberra and swan st with the final in brisbane.