In a World Cup year, it's little surprise that the English language media around the globe is being dominated by tales of daring-do by Wayne Rooney.
The media in England - whether the rest of us like it or not - by and large set the journalistic agenda in the football world (and not just for those who speak English) and with Rooney in such blistering form, it's no surprise that every time you click on a website or open a newspaper, the Scouse marauder is being lauded once again.
Rooney has, without question, been in astonishing form. It's not just his goalscoring but his all round play that seems to have gone up several notches now that Manchester United have stopped mourning the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and started to hit top gear.
But while Rooney has earned all the plaudits, the efforts of others have gone unnoticed - or at least unheralded.
Park Ji-sung falls into that category, with the South Korean in the kind of form that proves he will be just as important to his country's hopes as Rooney will be to England's at the World Cup.
Of course, the Koreans are not harbouring hopes of winning the tournament (and some think England should not be so lofty in their ambitions either) but if they want to achieve their goal of progressing into the second round, then Huh Jung-moo needs Park to carry his current form into June.
On Saturday he set up Dimitar Berbatov for United's third against Fulham in an impressive cameo appearance as a second half substitute while his strike against AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League earlier in the week highlighted his ability to find space, his movement and his normally unheralded finishing ability. And the goal came on top of a performance in which he managed to keep Andrea Pirlo unusually quiet.
Park was long ago recognised by fans of the Asian game as his generation's best player from the region. Sadly, the Asian Football Confederation seem incapable of doing likewise, refusing to consider him for their Player of the Year award despite being part of the Manchester United team that won the European Cup in 2008 and playing in the final in Rome 12 months later.
To his credit, Park seems less than bothered. But while the English media have an excuse for their myopia, isn't it time the AFC finally paid tribute to Asian football's finest ambassador?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Nakamura back with a bang
A lack of investment in their team over recent years means Yokohama F Marinos are unlikely to pose a serious threat to the main contenders for this year's J.League title, but the return of Shunsuke Nakamura ensured not only a win on Saturday over newly promoted Shonan Bellmare but a huge amount of media exposure for the club.
Nakamura had a hand in the first of his team's three goals against Bellmare but, even if he hadn't been so influential, it's hard to believe the Japanese TV directors would not have spent more of their time focusing on the former Celtic man than on the game.
Anyone who has had the dubious pleasure of watching sports coverage on Japanese television will attest to the frustration that comes with it. The obsession with celebrity in Japan far outstrips that in most other nations and that includes sporting events. As a result, television directors are prone to focusing more on meaningless little flicks and tricks or the gestures of one or two particular players than on aspects that have a much greater impact on the outcome of the game.
Nakamura received the full treatment on Saturday and his return will be something of a fillip for the J.League at a time when the game in Japan is threatening to stagnate. The poor performances of the national team have seen attendances and TV audiences fall for the Japan team even though the country has qualified for the World Cup.
And while Nakamura may have brought his star power to bear on the J.League once again, it's unlikely his return will see a vast improvement in the national team's fortunes over the coming three months.
Nakamura had a hand in the first of his team's three goals against Bellmare but, even if he hadn't been so influential, it's hard to believe the Japanese TV directors would not have spent more of their time focusing on the former Celtic man than on the game.
Anyone who has had the dubious pleasure of watching sports coverage on Japanese television will attest to the frustration that comes with it. The obsession with celebrity in Japan far outstrips that in most other nations and that includes sporting events. As a result, television directors are prone to focusing more on meaningless little flicks and tricks or the gestures of one or two particular players than on aspects that have a much greater impact on the outcome of the game.
Nakamura received the full treatment on Saturday and his return will be something of a fillip for the J.League at a time when the game in Japan is threatening to stagnate. The poor performances of the national team have seen attendances and TV audiences fall for the Japan team even though the country has qualified for the World Cup.
And while Nakamura may have brought his star power to bear on the J.League once again, it's unlikely his return will see a vast improvement in the national team's fortunes over the coming three months.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Will he stay or will he go?
The prevailing wisdom in Australia is that Pim Verbeek has no plans to hang around with the Socceroos once the World Cup is done. But, despite the speculation, the man himself refuses to confirm either way what he intends to do.
Leaving after South Africa would make sense but so, too, would continuing on for another seven months to take the nation to the Asian Cup finals. After all, Verbeek did qualify the country for the finals - just as he did for the World Cup - and it would bring a certain amount of symmetry to his reign. The Dutchman took over, after all, from Graham Arnold after the Socceroos' disappointing debut showing at the tournament in 2007.
The Australians have been becoming increasingly vocal about their concerns over the lack of a new generation of players coming through to replace the likes of Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and the rest, few of whom are expected to still be playing internationally by the time the next World Cup comes round in 2014 in Brazil.
So why not allow - or encourage - Verbeek to remain in charge until January 2011 as the Australians look to banish the memories of what was an inauspicious start to their life in Asia. Few who encountered the Australian contingent during the Asian Cup had anything positive to say about the attitude either of the team or many within the media and this would be the perfect opportunity to rebuild some bridges.
The Asian Cup could then be the swan song for the team and Verbeek...and that tale could end with victory in the final in Doha on January 27. Let's face it, the Asian Cup is a title the Aussies could win; the World Cup isn't and what would be better for all concerned than going out on that kind of high.
Leaving after South Africa would make sense but so, too, would continuing on for another seven months to take the nation to the Asian Cup finals. After all, Verbeek did qualify the country for the finals - just as he did for the World Cup - and it would bring a certain amount of symmetry to his reign. The Dutchman took over, after all, from Graham Arnold after the Socceroos' disappointing debut showing at the tournament in 2007.
The Australians have been becoming increasingly vocal about their concerns over the lack of a new generation of players coming through to replace the likes of Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and the rest, few of whom are expected to still be playing internationally by the time the next World Cup comes round in 2014 in Brazil.
So why not allow - or encourage - Verbeek to remain in charge until January 2011 as the Australians look to banish the memories of what was an inauspicious start to their life in Asia. Few who encountered the Australian contingent during the Asian Cup had anything positive to say about the attitude either of the team or many within the media and this would be the perfect opportunity to rebuild some bridges.
The Asian Cup could then be the swan song for the team and Verbeek...and that tale could end with victory in the final in Doha on January 27. Let's face it, the Asian Cup is a title the Aussies could win; the World Cup isn't and what would be better for all concerned than going out on that kind of high.
Chinese showing early ACL promise
Maybe it's a little too early to get excited, but perhaps 2010 is going to bring a new dawn for Chinese football after all.
Following on from the national team's success at the East Asian Championship, the country's clubs have had a decent start to the 2010 edition of the Asian Champions League. And all this comes in the aftermath of the government's attempts to finally rid the game of the scourge of match fixing.
None have impressed more than Beijing Guoan, who have won their first two games and sit level on points with former continental champions Seongnam Ilhwa at the top of Group E. With Melbourne Victory and Kawasaki Frontale yet to pick up any points, the battle for a berth in the second round in that group could be all but done by the next round of games.
Shandong Luneng and Changchun Yatai, meanwhile, have had a mixed start while Henan Jianye came back from the disappointment of drawing with Singapore Armed Forces at home to pick up a point on the road against Gamba Osaka on Tuesday evening.
For a country that has not had a team reach the knockout phase of the competition since 2006, these results are a step in the right direction. And their hope has to be that the performances will only improve once the players gain greater match fitness when the Chinese Super League kicks off later this month.
The first two weeks have also been a bit of a mixed bag for the Japanese. No one expected much from Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their first appearance in the competition but better things were hoped for from Kawasaki Frontale. However, under new coach Tsutomu Takahata they have lost both of their opening games and will now struggle to match their run to the quarterfinals in both 2007 and 2009.
Former champions Gamba Osaka have been disappointing but face Singapore Armed Forces next in a game that should net them three points. Kashima Antlers have at least put on a showing worthy of the Japanese champions by claiming back-to-back wins to move three points clear at the top of Group F.
Of the eastern nations, it's the South Koreans who have impressed most with Seongnam and Suwon Bluewings topping their respective groups while defending champions Pohang Steelers at least came back from their surprise loss against Adelaide United with a win over Sanfrecce.
In the west, Al Gharafa, Al Hilal and Bunyodkor are the only teams to have perfect records after two rounds of matches with inaugural champions Al Ain picking up only one point so far, in a draw against Sepahan on Wednesday.
The tournament also claimed its first casualty on Wednesday when Henk Ten Cate stepped down as head coach Al Ahli from the UAE after their 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Al Sadd.
Following on from the national team's success at the East Asian Championship, the country's clubs have had a decent start to the 2010 edition of the Asian Champions League. And all this comes in the aftermath of the government's attempts to finally rid the game of the scourge of match fixing.
None have impressed more than Beijing Guoan, who have won their first two games and sit level on points with former continental champions Seongnam Ilhwa at the top of Group E. With Melbourne Victory and Kawasaki Frontale yet to pick up any points, the battle for a berth in the second round in that group could be all but done by the next round of games.
Shandong Luneng and Changchun Yatai, meanwhile, have had a mixed start while Henan Jianye came back from the disappointment of drawing with Singapore Armed Forces at home to pick up a point on the road against Gamba Osaka on Tuesday evening.
For a country that has not had a team reach the knockout phase of the competition since 2006, these results are a step in the right direction. And their hope has to be that the performances will only improve once the players gain greater match fitness when the Chinese Super League kicks off later this month.
The first two weeks have also been a bit of a mixed bag for the Japanese. No one expected much from Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their first appearance in the competition but better things were hoped for from Kawasaki Frontale. However, under new coach Tsutomu Takahata they have lost both of their opening games and will now struggle to match their run to the quarterfinals in both 2007 and 2009.
Former champions Gamba Osaka have been disappointing but face Singapore Armed Forces next in a game that should net them three points. Kashima Antlers have at least put on a showing worthy of the Japanese champions by claiming back-to-back wins to move three points clear at the top of Group F.
Of the eastern nations, it's the South Koreans who have impressed most with Seongnam and Suwon Bluewings topping their respective groups while defending champions Pohang Steelers at least came back from their surprise loss against Adelaide United with a win over Sanfrecce.
In the west, Al Gharafa, Al Hilal and Bunyodkor are the only teams to have perfect records after two rounds of matches with inaugural champions Al Ain picking up only one point so far, in a draw against Sepahan on Wednesday.
The tournament also claimed its first casualty on Wednesday when Henk Ten Cate stepped down as head coach Al Ahli from the UAE after their 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Al Sadd.
Monday, March 08, 2010
You've got to laugh...
Thailand have just missed out on qualifying for the finals of the Asian Cup for the first time since 1988 and the talk has already turned to not only qualifying for the 2014 World Cup finals but on how much of a bonus players will receive should they manage to make it to Brazil!
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/34029/worawi-demands-better-results
The problems in Thai football - and indeed throughout the game in South East Asia - run much deeper than not being able to find enough financial incentives for players to perform at their optimum level (and surely being the first Thai team to qualify for the World Cup should be enough of a carrot in itself).
Instead of offering players 1 million baht per man to qualify, perhaps that money should be put into further developing the game, increasing the professionalism of the FA and allowing the coaching staff and the players to have the support they need so they can concentrate on the game.
Just a thought...
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/34029/worawi-demands-better-results
The problems in Thai football - and indeed throughout the game in South East Asia - run much deeper than not being able to find enough financial incentives for players to perform at their optimum level (and surely being the first Thai team to qualify for the World Cup should be enough of a carrot in itself).
Instead of offering players 1 million baht per man to qualify, perhaps that money should be put into further developing the game, increasing the professionalism of the FA and allowing the coaching staff and the players to have the support they need so they can concentrate on the game.
Just a thought...
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Calisto the big winner despite Vietnam's failure
Failing to qualify for the Asian Cup has not done Vietnam coach Henrique Calisto any harm at all...not only has he signed a new contract but, according to press reports in Hanoi, he has almost doubled his salary. Not bad work if you can get it!
Of course, too many countries are too quick to pull the trigger on their coaches, but the question has to be asked if Calisto deserves to be so extravagantly rewarded after a campaign that has ended in failure. By all means keep him on if you think he's the right man for the job, but increasing his salary so significantly hardly sounds like a sensible use of resources.
Remember, Vietnam have failed to qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup despite reaching the quarterfinals of the 2007 edition under former coach Alfred Riedl. That hardly represents progress, even if the country did win their first ever ASEAN Championship in 2008.
If the Vietnamese are serious about improving then they should have made a better fist of trying to qualify for the Asian Cup in a group that featured China, Syria and Lebanon. There's no denying it was a challenge for the South East Asian champions but these are the nations they need to be taking points off if they are serious about being successful beyond their own backyard...but one win - against Lebanon in Hanoi - was all they could muster.
The next few months are going to be interesting for the various South East Asian national teams, with several forced to make decisions over the fate of their coaches.
Benny Dollo has already decided to step down from his position in Indonesia, although his dismal record since taking over means he will hardly be missed. K Rajagopal will no doubt remain in charge of the Malaysian team by virtue of winning the gold medal at the SEA Games while Raddy Avramovic has already extended his contract in Singapore.
Questions, meanwhile, will no doubt be asked about the future of Bryan Robson in Thailand.
Robson had the unenviable task of taking over from Peter Reid midway through the qualifying campaign for the Asian Cup and, despite a good start against Singapore, he was unable to take his team through to the finals.
After Thailand also failed to win the gold medal at the SEA Games, the pressure will be mounting on the Football Association of Thailand to take action, and with the press - particularly SiamSport - holding significant influence (many would say a disproportionate amount), it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the FAT will be forced into making changes in the national set up. Whether that extends as far as Robson remains to be seen, and it may prove too expensive for the FAT to fire the former England international.
WIth the ASEAN Championship being held in Indonesia and Vietnam in December, those nations planning to make changes to their coaching set ups will be keen to do so soon.
Indeed, 2010 is certain to see a large number of coaching changes across the Asian game.
Takeshi Okada has already said he will stand down as Japan coach after the World Cup while Pim Verbeek is expected to make an announcement on his future with the Socceroos next week. It's unlikely Huh Jung-moo will remain with South Korea post-South Africa 2010 while it's anyone's guess what the North Koreans will do before - never mind after - the World Cup.
Anyone fancy a job in Pyongyang?
Of course, too many countries are too quick to pull the trigger on their coaches, but the question has to be asked if Calisto deserves to be so extravagantly rewarded after a campaign that has ended in failure. By all means keep him on if you think he's the right man for the job, but increasing his salary so significantly hardly sounds like a sensible use of resources.
Remember, Vietnam have failed to qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup despite reaching the quarterfinals of the 2007 edition under former coach Alfred Riedl. That hardly represents progress, even if the country did win their first ever ASEAN Championship in 2008.
If the Vietnamese are serious about improving then they should have made a better fist of trying to qualify for the Asian Cup in a group that featured China, Syria and Lebanon. There's no denying it was a challenge for the South East Asian champions but these are the nations they need to be taking points off if they are serious about being successful beyond their own backyard...but one win - against Lebanon in Hanoi - was all they could muster.
The next few months are going to be interesting for the various South East Asian national teams, with several forced to make decisions over the fate of their coaches.
Benny Dollo has already decided to step down from his position in Indonesia, although his dismal record since taking over means he will hardly be missed. K Rajagopal will no doubt remain in charge of the Malaysian team by virtue of winning the gold medal at the SEA Games while Raddy Avramovic has already extended his contract in Singapore.
Questions, meanwhile, will no doubt be asked about the future of Bryan Robson in Thailand.
Robson had the unenviable task of taking over from Peter Reid midway through the qualifying campaign for the Asian Cup and, despite a good start against Singapore, he was unable to take his team through to the finals.
After Thailand also failed to win the gold medal at the SEA Games, the pressure will be mounting on the Football Association of Thailand to take action, and with the press - particularly SiamSport - holding significant influence (many would say a disproportionate amount), it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the FAT will be forced into making changes in the national set up. Whether that extends as far as Robson remains to be seen, and it may prove too expensive for the FAT to fire the former England international.
WIth the ASEAN Championship being held in Indonesia and Vietnam in December, those nations planning to make changes to their coaching set ups will be keen to do so soon.
Indeed, 2010 is certain to see a large number of coaching changes across the Asian game.
Takeshi Okada has already said he will stand down as Japan coach after the World Cup while Pim Verbeek is expected to make an announcement on his future with the Socceroos next week. It's unlikely Huh Jung-moo will remain with South Korea post-South Africa 2010 while it's anyone's guess what the North Koreans will do before - never mind after - the World Cup.
Anyone fancy a job in Pyongyang?
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Cunning linguists find success
There are several things that have made Park Ji-sung and Hidetoshi Nakata stand out from the other Asian players who have gone to Europe and principal among the reasons for their success has been their ability to adapt to life in the country in which they have played.
This article in The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/03/05/201003050101.asp) sums up what it is that makes these players stand out from many of the other Asian players who have gone to play in the European leagues. Park has shown his determination to fit in whether it be in Japan, the Netherlands or England by learning the language of each country effectively from scratch.
A similar story exists about Nakata when he joined Bolton Wanderers from Serie A for the final season of his professional career in Europe.
At the press conference to unveil him as the club's new signing, Nakata was asked by a Japanese reporter whether they should address him in English or in Japanese. Nakata, by then already fluent in English as well as Italian, turned and answered in the most cutting of tones: "English. Remember where you are." It's fair to say Nakata's relationship with the majority of the Japanese media was never the most cordial!
Of course, talent is the most important commodity and without it neither Park nor Nakata would have been successful. But being able to understand what is going on around you on a day-to-day basis makes it much easier to fit in both on and off the pitch. A happy life off the pitch contributes greatly to success on it.
Too many Asian players - particularly from the east of the continent - have gone to Europe and cocooned themselves in their own little worlds, socializing only with members of the expatriate community of their homeland, watching TV shows from back home either on the internet or on DVD. One player - China's Li Weifeng - even flew his mother to England so he could have her home cooked food every day! Needless to say, he only lasted six months at Everton before returning to China for good.
Some, of course, have managed well without the need to speak the local lingo fluently. Shunsuke Nakamura's English remains limited at best, despite his successful stint at Celtic. Although there will no doubt be some who think it makes little difference if you speak English or Japanese in Glasgow...
This article in The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/03/05/201003050101.asp) sums up what it is that makes these players stand out from many of the other Asian players who have gone to play in the European leagues. Park has shown his determination to fit in whether it be in Japan, the Netherlands or England by learning the language of each country effectively from scratch.
A similar story exists about Nakata when he joined Bolton Wanderers from Serie A for the final season of his professional career in Europe.
At the press conference to unveil him as the club's new signing, Nakata was asked by a Japanese reporter whether they should address him in English or in Japanese. Nakata, by then already fluent in English as well as Italian, turned and answered in the most cutting of tones: "English. Remember where you are." It's fair to say Nakata's relationship with the majority of the Japanese media was never the most cordial!
Of course, talent is the most important commodity and without it neither Park nor Nakata would have been successful. But being able to understand what is going on around you on a day-to-day basis makes it much easier to fit in both on and off the pitch. A happy life off the pitch contributes greatly to success on it.
Too many Asian players - particularly from the east of the continent - have gone to Europe and cocooned themselves in their own little worlds, socializing only with members of the expatriate community of their homeland, watching TV shows from back home either on the internet or on DVD. One player - China's Li Weifeng - even flew his mother to England so he could have her home cooked food every day! Needless to say, he only lasted six months at Everton before returning to China for good.
Some, of course, have managed well without the need to speak the local lingo fluently. Shunsuke Nakamura's English remains limited at best, despite his successful stint at Celtic. Although there will no doubt be some who think it makes little difference if you speak English or Japanese in Glasgow...
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