Followers of the 2012 AFC Champions League will be able to tell you that Brisbane Roar’s campaign hasn’t got off to the start they would have liked.
Sitting equal last in their group with two points from three games, even the keenest Roar fan would tell you the chances of Brisbane advancing to the round of 16 are slim.
Roar fans will also be able to tell you that after Perth Glory’s victory over Wellington this past weekend, the Roar will certainly be present at the 2013 AFC Champions League.
Sure, it’s a nice consolation, but most fans would like to see some form of silverware in the cabinet other than the domestic title.
Enter the ASEAN Club Championship – an international club competition that has not been held since before Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation. As a ASEAN invitee member, Australia has the right to have one club compete in the 2012 edition of the competition.
The ASEAN Club Championship is a week-long competition that only involves South East Asian clubs and is held in July (the A-League off-season). The 2012 edition will be held in Laos.
With the likes of Thailand and Indonesia being the powerhouses of the competition, an Australian club walking away with silverware is very much a possibility.
Of course, Central Coast Mariners or Perth Glory could be crowned 2011-12 A-League champions and become Australia’s representative in the 2012 ASEAN Club Championship, but the Brisbane Roar have one foot in the door at the moment.
There is no reason why an A-League club wouldn’t compete in this tournament. Not only does it keep players match-fit during the off-season, it also allows the champion club a very good chance at international silverware while not jeopardising their domestic or Champions League campaigns.
It also gives a chance for younger players at a club to experience playing in Asia before their upcoming Asian Champions League campaign the following year.
The only question is whether the FFA and the champion club will accept the invitation to compete, or if they feel they are above this standard of play.
Ballymore
Guest
Very beneficial - particulary if the alternative is playing friendlies versus state league teams. A J-League team should deal with any concerns about the competition being "beneath them" - which I don't think they should have anyway,
matchu
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the reply. The last I heard was they were deciding whether or not to invite Australian and Japanese clubs to compete in the tournament. I would really like to see both an A-league and J-league team compete in the 2012 ASEAN Club Championships, with a J-league team present the competition could become quite prestigious and a real challenge for an A-league club. I believe I also read something about the winner of this competition gaining direct entry into the next Asian Champions League to make it worth much more than it would have been without it. I presume this would work the way they do it in Europe where if the winner of this competition has already qualified for the ACL the next highest finishing team in the domestic competition (Sydney FC in this case) qualifies for the 2013 ACL. I personally think the more exposure to Asian competitions for A-league teams is key to the development of domestic football as well as preparation for young players when they move to Europe.
Ballymore
Guest
Matchu, thankyou very much for bringing this to my attention. With our ACL campaign on life-support a little potential solace is most appreciated. I think it is a brilliant idea and would love Brisbane to compete. Breaking up a huge off-season with competitive action makes the huge HAL offseason easier to get through. Sure, it would be the least important trophy we compete for, but by the same token it isn't a mickey-mouse trophy like the Emirates Cup, Audi Cup or Translink Roar vs. Racism Cup. It is sanctioned by a federation and 'real' silverware is on the table. Scouting and match practice in Asia could benefit our 2012/2013 campaign. More competitive matches gives the players an opportunity to adapt to any changes Vidosic introduces. If BRFC don't compete I hope it is a footballing decision made by Vidosic/Trimboli (or his replacement) and not one made by the FFA for some moronic reason (see MH and MV's non-participation in the Mirabella Cup for an example). Hopefully the Bakrie's interests in SE Asia will mean that BRFC is more likely to compete? Have you heard any news on BRFC's particpation or otherwise? Or on broadcasting agreements?