One of the heroes of next year’s Asian Cup won’t even play in the tournament. Thailand may have failed to qualify, but Australian officials might wish to erect a statue of Adisak Kraisorn anyway.
Until the 23-year-old Kraisorn intervened on the final day of qualifying, it looked like one of the tournament’s biggest drawcards would be spending the 2015 AFC Asian Cup polishing their boots at home.
Then the Buriram United striker came off the bench to score his first international goal in a competitive fixture, in a 5-2 defeat to Lebanon.
The goal meant China – not Lebanon – claimed one of the final qualification places, courtesy of possessing a superior goal difference by just one goal.
That’s despite the fact China, desperate to avoid defeat in its final qualifier away to Iraq, was thumped 3-1 in the neutral confines of Sharjah.
As far as qualifying campaigns go, it was another disaster from a Chinese team which finished miles behind Group C winners Saudi Arabia and was pipped to second place by a battle-hardened Iraq.
So why should Australians care about the best third-place finisher scraping into the Asian Cup via a goal difference of minus one?
In a word: revenue.
The relief from Asian Cup officials was palpable, with a press release nailing down exactly why Australian officials are so enthused to welcome new coach Alain Perrin’s team to the continental showdown.
“China’s appearance Down Under is of special significance, given its huge TV audience and its strong economic and cultural links with Australia,” it said.
Those economic and cultural links extend to the record numbers of Chinese tourists pouring into the country each year, at least some of whom might reasonably be expected to attend the Asian Cup.
And with patchy ticket sales likely to be an issue, local organisers could ill-afford to see one of the better-supported teams miss out.
“Of the 2.5 million Australians of Asian heritage, Chinese make up by far the biggest single group with more than 900,000 residents,” said the New South Wales Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Victor Dominello.
That’s an important statistic to note in a week in which just over 6,000 fans turned out in Melbourne for the visit of one of Japan’s biggest clubs, while under 10,000 showed up the following evening in Parramatta for another sparsely-attended AFC Champions League fixture.
Asian football has so far failed to capture the attention of the Australian public, so the Asian Cup is a litmus test for the theory that Australian sports fans will turn out for any major international event.
Even if Chinese fans turn out en masse, there’s little chance they’ll hang around beyond the group stage, given the team’s recent poor form.
Spanish coach Jose Antonio Camacho was shown the door after a shocking 5-1 friendly defeat to Thailand in June 2013 – despite reports of being on a salary of almost $9 million a year.
Camacho was supposed to oversee a long-term restructuring of Chinese football, but a succession of abysmal results – including a humiliating 8-0 loss to a youthful Brazil – means it’s back to square one.
Frenchman Perrin has been brought in at a substantially cheaper rate, but already there are rumblings that the Ligue 1-winning coach is purely a stop-gap appointment.
But no matter how China performs, they’ll still be watched by plenty of fans back home.
The final of a thrilling 2004 Asian Cup was one of the most-watched events in Chinese television history, and with a favourable time difference and a booming middle-class curious to get a glimpse of Australia, there’ll be plenty of eyeballs on what’s transpiring Down Under.
Meanwhile, all eyes are now on the Sydney Opera House, with the tournament’s main draw set to take place on March 26.
Perrin will hope to improve his side’s fortunes before the big kick-off, but for organisers, the most crucial aspect is that China is in the mix.
Boutros
Guest
As a Leb I am shattered that we didnt make. I would guarantee you full stadiums for Lebanon games, furthermore i know a few chinese and even few that actually like sookah. Good for sponsors, poor for atmosphere. I can believe a challenge cup winner will get in and Lebanon misses out.
Brydens Lawyers
Guest
about 30 people
Post_hoc
Guest
'but why do so many aussie soccer fans seem to think you put these 2 together and you've got some mega event?' ummmm precedent I believe it is called. Last years ACL Champions Cup final attracted over 30 million viewers in China alone, and the tournament had over 280 million viewers. Now that is a club competition, you understand that don't you? We are not talking about a National event like the Asian Cup, which will blow those figures out of the water, especially as Australia is a very friendly time zone of East and Central Asia. What did the Club Challenge between the Roosters and I assume Wigan rate?
deebhoy
Guest
fuss its just my opinion mate and after living abroad for 7 years I think its an informed one the difference between you and me is I get enough pleasure out of watching my a league team win on the weekend,i don't crave acceptance from strangers to validate my personal favorite sport ofcourse sth americans love the copa liberatores but they don't need good tv ratings to justify that love you got excited when Melbourne victory was mentioned a couple of times on the PA at the german cup final as if every person there wrote it down and took notice I get enough pleasure out of watching my personel favorite sporting teams play and hopefully win on the weekend
I am too poor to afford Fox
Guest
It was heard loud and clear on TV in Australia :) If it the chants were subtitled, old people would complain 1000 times to Fox Sports.
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
So if Australians don't have a clue about the majority of sports, who does?
Ballymore
Guest
While I don't see China getting Pounded, I doubt they'll make a Mark on AC15.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Fact - people, who understand sport, do not watch sport like they watch cinema, concerts or TV Fact - people, who understand sport, watch sport because they form an emotional bond with the club; often due to cultural, or geographical affiliations. If the above were not true, then people in England would only be watching the Top 4 teams; the other 88 teams in the professional leagues would have no following. People in Austria, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, etc. etc. would be following the Spanish or German leagues rather than their local leagues. People in South America would not flock to watch the Copa Libertadores, since they would consider it "2nd rate competition" compared to the UEFA Champions League. Based on my observations living in Australia for over 40 years, Australians are fairly ignorant about sport. They attend sporting events in big numbers, but they don't have a clue about the majority of sports. Aussies are more event-watchers than sports lovers. They want to tell their Contiki mates "I follow Manchester United" because they've watched Rooney score a bicycle kick on the Ch9 news. I will follow AUS football - the domestic competition, the national teams, etc. - because the teams resonate with me. Sure, I will also get up at 5:00 a.m. to watch teams from Europe, but I have no emotional involvement with these teams, who represent cities & regional towns that I have never - and may never - even visit. So, deebhoy .. you seem to be watching sport as an event-watcher. No harm with that. I'm sure your work colleagues at the water-cooler are impressed by your sporting knowledge.
deebhoy
Guest
fact-association football is the biggest sport in the world fact-asia is the most populated continent in the world but why do so many aussie soccer fans seem to think you put these 2 together and you've got some mega event? sport in general is about big names and big clubs which Europe is choc full of but asia has bugger all if you're a soccer lover why would you watch the Asian cup or the ACL when you could watch the big leagues or ECL? just because youre aussie doesn't mean your obliged to follow Asian soccer how many people here followed the Fijian or somoan league when we were in oceania?
PaulyN
Guest
Low grade football? Japan and Korea have played some of the most eye-catching football at the past 2 world cups, let alone Asian cups. If Japan could only get a quality striker they could push any opponent. China's national team may still have a long way to go but they have some great individuals going around in the ACL at the moment. No, the quality of football will not be a problem.
Philfan
Guest
Plenty of Filipinos in Australia. Expat Filipinos usually show up to support the Azkals, as has been proven to be the case in previous away Challenge Cup and friendly games in the Middle East and other parts of Asia, where they turn games involving non host teams into somewhat of a home crowd. The other favorites aside from the Philippines are Turkmenistan and Palestine, but there are other darkhorses in the competition, including Afghanistan, Kyrgystan and host Maldives.
Chopper
Guest
Nick I think you have fudged your figures. There are approx. 1,500,000,000 Chinese citizens and I in 3 people = an audience of 500million. Now that is an audience.
whiskeymac
Guest
to be franc, Yen you put it like that I guess the pun is on the mark. And I agree kasey, should be a great tournament.
whiskeymac
Guest
Remember but try to forget!
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
"Favourite Sporting Team:St George Dragons" @Nick Inatey----is this you Nick....?
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
hahaha true ben! A Iran-Saudi Arabia-Iraq-Kuwait group would also be interesting ;) PS: I love the Far east so your group would be tough for me emotionally. Iran is my Middle east team so no dilemma in 'my' group!
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Whilst I'd be happy to have AUS play anyone in the Finale, an AUS v JPN finale would burst all ratings records for TV in Australia ... Of course an AUS v IRN finale .. now that would be one for the True Believers, who will forever remember the date 29 November 1997.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Japan-Korea-China-North Korea....... there'd be no love lost in that group!
BZ
Guest
Ben, you should attend one next time, and you would quickly learned how to say few f words in Jinglish through the whole 90mins
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Some potentially very interesting groups indeed and not only in terms of football.