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ACL challenge for Aussie pair
By Scott McIntyre (TheWorldGame)
The sixth edition of Asia’s premier club competition (with no real opposition to that mantle) gets underway across the continent next Wednesday, and with greater Australian interest than ever before, it’s set to be a bumper event.
The professionalism both on and off the pitch of champions Urawa Reds last year showed the potential the oft-maligned AFC Champions League (ACL) has, but there’s little to suggest that an A-League side will win the main prize anytime soon.
The argument now, as was the case with the Asian Cup last year, is that Australia has to earn its place in the continental pecking order and at least Ernie Merrick and his Melbourne Victory squad aren’t getting too carried away.
“We’re not even thinking about the possibility of winning the Asian Champions League, we’re just aiming to get out of the group. If we do, we’ll be the first Australian side to have done that, so that’s the immediate goal,” Merrick said.
While that’s the stated aim, there are several stumbling blocks in the way of Australian clubs being competitive - the main one being the lag between qualification and competition.
With the A-League finishing less than a month before the ACL starts, the two Australian clubs are quite literally yesterday’s news.
If you look at the Melbourne and Adelaide teams that started the 2007 Grand Final, less than half of those players are in line to start on Matchday One of this season’s tournament - a year after they booked their ticket.
Then there’s the argument that those who remain may be in a form slump while newcomers may have failed to gel. Again, the league positions for season 2007/08 (Melbourne 5th, Adelaide United 6th) bear that out - skipping a year is potentially a big disadvantage.
But, until the revamp of the competition next year, or until the A-League season finishes a month earlier, that will be the case for the foreseeable future and it’s not just Australian clubs that suffer.
There will be no Indonesian clubs in this year’s ACL because their season didn’t finish until the week before the A-League Grand Final, yet they weren’t afforded the luxury of sending teams from the season prior.
Similarly, one of Melbourne’s Group G opponents, J-League side Gamba Osaka, earned their ticket by losing the Emperor’s Cup Final to Urawa Reds (who progressed by virtue of their League title the year before) on New Year’s Day, 2007 - more than 14 months before they play in this year’s event!
With all that in mind, let’s have a look at how Adelaide and Melbourne are likely to fare; as well as a brief guide to the other five groups, and some fearless predictions.
GROUP E
Adelaide United (Australia)
HOME CITY: Adelaide
HOME STADIUM: Hindmarsh Stadium (Capacity 16,500)
QUALIFICATION: 2007 A-League Grand Final Runners-Up
COACH: Aurelio Vidmar (Australia)
ACHIEVEMENTS: A-League Premier (2005-06)
KEY PLAYERS: Travis Dodd (M/F); Nathan Burns (M/F); Bruce Djite (FWD)
ACL RECORD: 2007 (Third Group G)
There’s little doubt Aurelio Vidmar and the club would have learnt valuable lessons from their debut ACL campaign last year, and have the distinct advantage of travelling to the same three countries (China, Korea Republic and Vietnam) this time around.
New recruit Sasa Ognenovski will bolster the defence while Eugene Galekovic looked solid in goal since his mid-season transfer from Melbourne.
The key though will likely be goals on the road, and a lot of the success in that area may depend on the exertions of Olyroos pair Bruce Djite and Nathan Burns during their hectic preparations for the Beijing Games.
PREDICTION: Runners-Up
Changchun Yatai (China)
HOME CITY: Changchun
HOME STADIUM: Changchun City Stadium (Capacity 38,000)
QUALIFICATION: 2007 Chinese Super League Winners
COACH: Gao Hongbo (China)
ACHIEVEMENTS: Chinese Super League Champion 2007
KEY PLAYERS: Zong Lei (G/K); Elvis Scott (FWD); Wang Dong (M/F)
ACL RECORD: First Appearance
Surprise CSL champions in just their second year in the Chinese top flight, Changchun will nevertheless be one of the favourites to top the group.
Will have the climatic advantage of sub-zero temperatures at both the start and end of the tournament that can take some getting used to, as well as a playing roster with several Chinese internationals, including Zong Lei, now firmly established as the national team goalkeeper; midfielder Wang Dong, one of the more senior members of Team China, as well as Du Zhenyu, also a midfielder for the national set-up.
Defender Wang Wanpeng is on the fringes of the senior national team while his partner Samuel Caballero is one of the most capped players for Honduras.
Fellow Honduran international Elvis Scott and Brazilian Ronny will provide the firepower up front.
PREDICTION: Group Winners
Pohang Steelers (Korea Republic)
HOME CITY: Pohang
HOME STADIUM: Steelyard (Capacity 20,000)
QUALIFICATION: 2007 K-League Champions
COACH: Sergio Farias (Brazil)
ACHIEVEMENTS: 4-Time K-League Champion (1986, 1988, 1992, 2007); FA Cup Champion (1996) Hauzen Cup Champion (2007)
KEY PLAYERS: Denilson (FWD); Hwang Ji-Soo (M/F); Kim Gi-Dong (M/F)
ACL RECORD: First Appearance (N.B. 1997, 1998 AFC Champions Cup Champion)
One of the traditional powerhouses of Korean football, who are fortunate to have qualified for the ACL, after only finishing fifth in the regular season.
The run they went on in the finals series (alongside Australia, Korea is one of only a handful of leagues to use such a system) saw them topple Seongnam (a team Pohang finished the home and away season a whopping 17 points behind) 4-1 over the two-legged final.
Since qualification was secured coach Farias has moved to strengthen his squad with the arrival of last year’s second highest K-League goalscorer, Denilson, as well as another pair of Brazilians - forwards Aldo and Fabiano.
Defensive pair Park Won-Jae and Cho Sung-Hwan were both involved with the national team at recent East Asian Championships as was midfielder Hwang Ji-Soo, and they will still be able to call on the services of one of the league’s most capped all-time players in 36-year-old midfielder Kim Gi-Dong.
Will need to live up to their slogan, ‘now to the world’ to top a tricky group.
PREDICTION: Third
Binh Duong (Vietnam)
HOME CITY: Thu Dao Mot
HOME STADIUM: Go Dau Stadium (Capacity 15,000)
QUALIFICATION: 2007 V-League Champion
COACH: Le Thuy Hai (Vietnam)
ACHIEVEMENTS: 2007 V-League, 2007 Vietnamese Super Cup
KEY PLAYERS: Vu Nhu Thanh (G/K); Robson De Lima (FWD); To Duc Cuong (M/F)
ACL RECORD: First Appearance
Vietnamese clubs have traditionally struggled when faced with the superior financial resources of the bigger Asian nations, and everything points to Binh Duong, despite their domestic success, being the Group E whipping boys.
Indeed, Adelaide’s opponent from Vietnam last season, Dong Tam Long An shipped 18 goals in their six matches, while Da Nang copped the worst hiding in the history of the competition - 15-0 at the hands of Gamba Osaka in 2006.
While the Asian Cup showed Australian audiences that the technical quality is there, tactically, Binh Duong will struggle, and with the club sitting in the bottom half of the V-League a third of the way through the current season, the signs are not looking good.
PREDICTION: Fourth
GROUP G
Melbourne Victory (Australia)
HOME CITY: Melbourne
HOME STADIUM: Telstra Dome (56,000)
QUALIFICATION: 2007 A-League Premiers
COACH: Ernie Merrick (Australia)
ACHIEVEMENTS: 2007 A-League Premier, 2007 A-League Champion
KEY PLAYERS: Kevin Muscat (D/F); Carlos Hernandez (M/F), Archie Thompson (FWD)
ACL RECORD: First Appearance
There’s little question the lag since qualification has hit Melbourne, but the way they finished last season’s A-League will give fans reason for optimism.
While the loss through injury of Grant Brebner and Carlos Hernandez (for the first few matches) will hurt the Victory, the recent trial form of Kaz Patafta is a good sign as Ernie Merrick searches for a midfielder who can dictate the pace of a match.
Up front, Danny Allsopp will be looking to return to his form of the double-season in 2006 while Archie Thompson is always a threat.
The key to progression is likely to be the home and away clashes with Gamba Osaka - a challenge that in Japan may prove to be just beyond the Blue and Whites.
PREDICTION: Runners-Up
Gamba Osaka (Japan)
HOME CITY: Osaka
HOME STADIUM: Expo ’70 Stadium (Capacity 21,000)
QUALIFICATION: 2006 Emperor’s Cup Runners Up
COACH: Akira Nishino (Japan)
ACHIEVEMENTS: 2005 J-League Champion; 2007 Nabisco Cup Champion
KEY PLAYERS: Yasuhito Endo (M/F); Ryuji Bando (FWD); Lucas (FWD)
ACL RECORD: 2006 (First Round)
Coach Akira Nishino has long been tipped as a future national boss, and is one of the wiliest locals going around - at the helm of Gamba since 2002.
Nishino’s side are entitled to favouritism in this group but are probably the weakest of the three J-League clubs, meaning Melbourne and possibly Chonburi might fancy their chances.
Gamba is a side brimming with internationals, including Yasuhito Endo, one of the best Japanese midfielders when he’s on song, terrible when he’s not, Hideo Hashimoto and the evergreen Tomokazu Myojin.
Defensively they’ll be sound with Akira Kaji, Satoshi Yamaguchi and the rising-star Hiroki Mizumoto all likely to feature heavily.
Up front Lucas, signed off-season from FC Tokyo, will be the main outlet for goals but will be ably supported by fellow Brazilian Bare and Ryuji Bando.
PREDICTION: Group Winners
Chonburi F.C. (Thailand)
HOME CITY: Chon Buri
HOME STADIUM: Chon Buri Municipal Stadium (Capacity 5,000)
QUALIFICATION: 2007 Thailand Premier League Champions
COACH: Annop Singtotong (Thailand)
ACHIEVEMENTS: 2007 Thailand Premier League Champions
KEY PLAYERS: Kosin Hathairanakool (G/K); Fabiano (FWD); Stephane Baga (FWD)
ACL RECORD: First Appearance
For a club that was only founded in 2002, Chonburi have achieved a lot in a short time.
The club won the 2005 Pro-League and after finishing eighth in the 2006 Premier League, then won the title last season (the first club outside of Bangkok to do so) to join Krung Thai Bank as Thailand’s ACL representatives in this year’s ACL.
That success was built on a solid rearguard formed around national keeper Kosin Hathairanakool and outstanding defenders Suree Sukha and Kiatprawut Saiweo.
The bad news for Chonburi is that the latter two were snapped up by Manchester City as part of the English giant’s global partnership deal, in which they may end up being loaned out to Perth Glory next season (another partner in the Man City alliance).
The good news is the defensive production line has kept rolling along, and two of the players to fall off it - Natthaphong Samana and Nattaporn Phanrit - were both starters in last month’s World Cup qualifying loss to Japan and are firmly established in the national set-up.
The Sharks are currently undefeated in the opening stages of the new Premier League season, and with the foreign pairing of Cameroonian Stephane Baga and Brazilian Fabiano they have options up front - whether they have enough quality across the park to worry the likes of Melbourne and Gamba is another thing.
PREDICTION: Third
Chunnam Dragons (KOR)
HOME CITY: Gwangyang
HOME STADIUM: Gwangyang Stadium (Capacity 14,000)
QUALIFICATION: 2007 Korean FA Cup Champions
COACH: Park Hang-Seo (Korea)
ACHIEVEMENTS: Three time Korean FA Cup Champion (1996, 2006 and 2007)
KEY PLAYERS: Song Jung-Hyun (Midfielder and captain); Lee Sa-Vik (naturalised Bosnian Centre-Back who joined this season from Suwon - Has played for 4 K-League clubs now, and all have been involved in the ACL)
ACL RECORD: 2006 (Second in Group F)
When the national team comes calling, what’s a club side to do? After Huh Jung-Moo led Chunnam to a surprise Korean FA win last season, he was poached by Team Korea to guide them through World Cup qualification, leaving the Dragons to find a new boss.
Up stepped Park Hang-Seo, a former midfielder with Lucky Goldstar (one of the many incarnations of what’s now known as FC Seoul) who has a major challenge on his hands to manage a side that struggled in the league last year - finishing 10th in the 14-team K-League - and has done little in the recruitment stakes to suggest they will trouble the established powers in Korea – let alone in the ACL.
Veteran Bosnian-born centre-back Lee Sa-Vik was brought in to add the steel in defence while midfielder and captain Song Jung-Hyun will provide the service for strikers Sandro Hiroshi and Victor Simoes.
PREDICTION: Fourth
GROUP A
Sepahan (IRN); Kuruvchi (UZB); Al Ittihad (KSA); Al Ittihad (SYR)
Al Ittihad - the Saudi Arabian version - is a two-time ACL winner and likely to claim top spot here with Iranian outfit Sepahan, now under the guidance of former Iraq boss Jordan Vieira, the main challengers.
GROUP B
Al Kuwait (KUW); Al-Wasl (UAE); Al Quwa Al Jawiya (IRQ) Saipa (IRN)
One of the more open groups, with Saipa and Al Wasl, the two strongest sides both struggling in the bottom half of their respective leagues. Al Kuwait, on the other hand, are flying high at the top of the Kuwait League, and could just cause an upset.
GROUP C
Al Ahli (KSA); Al Karama (SYR); Al Sadd (QAT); Al Wahda (UAE)
Al Karama, despite their heroics in finishing runners-up to Jeonbuk in the 2006 ACL, will be the rank outsiders here in a group that is likely to fought out between traditional heavyweights Al Sadd and Al Wahda - still with Asia’s finest player, Ismael Matar, on their books.
GROUP D
Al Gharafa (QAT); Al Qadisiya (KUW); Arbil (IRQ); Pakhtakor (UZB)
Qatari outfit Al Gharafa, with Younis Mahmoud and Fawzi Bashir leading their forward line, may cause nuisance value but Pakhtakor are the raging-hot favourites to top Group D.
The current Uzbek League champions - a title they have held for six consecutive seasons (as well as winning the Uzbekistani Cup for the last seven) - may just be ready for a breakthrough year in the ACLand loom as dark-horses for the title.
GROUP F
Beijing Guoan (CHN); Kashima Antlers (JPN) Krung Thai Bank (THA); Nam Dinh (VIE)
J-League champion Kashima Antlers have a side brimming with some of the finest players on the continent, Mitsuo Ogasawara, Masashi Motoyama and starlet Atsuto Uchida among them, and should top Group F comfortably.
Indeed Kashima should give the competition a major shake-up.
