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Asia begins to rise, but Australia stalling

Roar Guru
2nd July, 2011
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Roar Guru
2nd July, 2011
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2446 Reads
Harry Kewell scores

Australia's Harry Kewell, right, scores as Iraq's player Basem Abbas, left closes in during their AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal soccer match at Al Sadd Stadium, in Doha, Qatar, Saturday Jan. 22, 2011. Australia beat Iraq 1-0. (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)

Asian football has come a long way in the last decade. It began promisingly enough with the World Cup being staged in Asia for the first time in 2002 in South Korea and Japan.

Then, South Korea captivated the imagination of a nation with the vivid images of waves of Koreans in red, cheering in the stands and streets of Seoul, being one of the moments of the tournament as the Taeguk Warriors made it through to a historic semi-final – and only being denied a place in the final by a last gasp, Michael Ballack-winner.

Asia were perceived as the perennial easy-beats, and although South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iran would regularly and proudly represent Asia in the World Cup throughout the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, Asia never could compete with Europe, South America and even Africa, being easily being disposed of.

That all changed, of course, after 2002 with Portugal, Italy and Spain feeling the wrath of the element of surprise that South Korea dealt them on home soil and ever since, Asia has steadily grown into a very formidable continent.

With South Korea and Japan both impressing in South Africa 2010 by making the round of 16 and only being denied by the brilliant brace of Luis Suarez and a penalty shootout against Paraguay, it shows that while there is still some way to go, there have been massive inroads that have been made.

The results are important of course, from an international tournament perspective. However, the growth of national talent into not just battlers who may ply their trade in clubs here and there in Europe with relative obscurity, but Japan and South Korea are also currently producing truckloads of talent that are now finally going over to Europe to some pretty darn good clubs, and getting vital experience and education and are putting Asia on the map for good.

Asia’s biggest stars over the years have included the likes of Park Ji Sung, Hidetoshi Nakata, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Shinsuke Nakamura and Tim Cahill.

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Today, the likes of Keisuke Honda, Park Chu Yong, Lee Chung Yong, Ki Song Yong, Shinji Kagawa, Yuto Nagatomo and Koo Ja Cheol lead the line of generation next, where the talent has arguably improved even more.

While the aforementioned list are stars at their respective clubs and are almost indispensable, I believe that Australia do not have enough young talent, playing regular football at decent clubs and flourishing.

Australia, being a multicultural country should have no trouble latching onto some of the most exciting talents from all over the world. However, most are playing in the A-League or Asia or in lower leagues in Europe which would perhaps give Japan and Korea a greater edge and separate themselves from Australia and form the big two of Asia.

Currently, South Korea boast of several players in Europe who, more importantly are key and regular players:

Park Chu Young – AS Monaco
Lee Cung Yong – Bolton
Ki Song Yong – Celtic FC
Cha Du Ri – Celtic FC
Jung Jo Gook – Auxerre
Koo Ja Cheol – Vfl Wolfsburg
Nam Tae Hee – Valenciennes
Ji Dong Won – Sunderland
Park Joo Ho – Basel

And there are the two prodigies of the Hamburg and Alax academy:

Son Heung Min – Hamburg
Suk Hyun Jun – currently plays for FC Groningen

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With over half the starting national team playing regular football in Europe and reasonably powerful clubs like Ajax and Hamburg, taking young talent and nurturing them it is a big step in raising the profile of not just Korean, but Asian football.

Japan has an outstanding list of European contingents:

Keisuke Honda – CSKA Moscow
Yuto Nagatomo – Internationzale
Atsuto Uchida – Schalke
Tomoaki Makino – FC Koln
Maya Yoshida – VVV-Venlo
Michihrio Yasuda – Vitesse
Akihiro Ienaga – Mallorca
Makoto Hasebe – Vfl Wolfsburg
Shinji Okazaki – Stuttgart
Takashi Usami – Bayern Munich

Australia, however, having been reliant over the years on the likes of stars like Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell, Lucas Neill, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Mark Schwarzer and Vince Grella, have some serious problems in terms grooming talent overseas.

This is, by no means, a criticism of the current team, but surely the just-listed names will not be there in Brazil 2014.

While there is some fine young talent in Australia, the game has changed.

Asia’s powerhouses of Japan and South Korea. no longer pull squads from the J or K-League. It is apparent that teams are being assembled from players playing in Europe and that in itself vastly improves the squad.

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At this rate, I believe that Australia will fall behind the big two, unless they can produce talent that can excel in Europe like Az’s Brett Holman and Mitch Langerak.

The next generation, who will most likely play a role in Brazil, consist of:

Michael Zullo – Utrecht
Rhys Williams – Middlesbrough
Robbie Kruse – Dusseldorf
Shane Lowry – Aston Villa
James Holland – AZ
Tommy Oar – Utrecht
Mustafa Amini – Dortmund bound

This is the bunch that is playing in Europe and represent the young brigade, on top of the likes Luke Wilkshere, Brett Holman, Mile Jedinak and Matt McKay.

Australia won a lot of admirers in South Africa for the dogged display against Ghana and their true selves against Serbia. But it is still a fact that they did not progress and will not make any impact in Brazil, unless the new brigade become more cultured and sophisticated in their football and that can only be found in Europe.

The A-League is always improving, but youngsters need to be exposed to the European scene so that they are motivated to get there, if they fail first time or can revel in the field of elite European football.

Who knows, the likes of Amini, Langerak, Oar and Holland could become stars in Europe by 2014, but the work has to be done now because while Asia rises to new heights Australia could fall behind.

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