2013 East Asian Football Championship

Australia has asked to get entry into this competition for the final playoffs in July 2013 according to soccerway : http://www.soccerway.com/news/2012/May/11/australia-poised-for-east-asian-cup-entry/

They mention the venue as China.

This also implies the women's team will compete too, which will make it one of the best tournaments on the Matilda's calendar next year.

 

As previously discussed in the EAFF News thread, news of the tournament here;

The result of 35th EXCO meeting as follow;

(1) Activity Reports in 2011
・EAFF U-15 Youth Tournament 2011 (July, Chinese Taipei)
・The proposal of the 7th EAFF Competition Committee Meeting held in November in Seoul was approved.
The EAFF competition titles were changed and new name is EAFF East Asian Cup and EAFF Women’s East Asian Cup.
The new name will be used for all the EAFF competitions, also the round 1 and 2
will be used for the preliminary and semi-final competitions.

(2) Financial Report 2011

(3) The new members of standing committee of this period were approved.

(4) EAFF Preliminary Competition Round 1 & 2 (Men & Women)

・EAFF East Asian Cup 2013 Preliminary Competition Round 1 (M&W)
Host Association and Venue: Guam
Date: 17th – 22nd, July
Participation Team: (M) Guam, Macau, Northern Mariana Islands
(W) Guam, Hong Kong, Northern Mariana Islands

・EAFF East Asian Cup 2013 Preliminary Competition Round 2 (M)
Host Association and Venue: Hong Kong
Date: 5th - 9th, December
Participation Team: Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, DPR Korea, 1 from Pre-Comp.
Round 1

・EAFF East Asian Cup 2013 Preliminary Competition Round 2 (W)
Host Association and Venue: China PR
Date: TBD
Participation Team: China PR, Chinese Taipei, 1 from Pre-Comp. Round 1

(5) Football Federation Australia’s interest in EAFF East Asian Cup 2013

Football Federation Australia (FFA)’s interest in EAFF East Asian Cup was reported.
The participation of national team’s (Men and Women) of FFA into EAFF East Asian Cup 2013 is regarded positively in general in terms of competiveness and promotional aspects by EXCO member who attended this EXCO meeting and this would increase and upgrade its value and authorities of EAFF East Asian Cup from long term point of view.

EAFF EXCO members expressed their welcome to this proposal and at the same time, EXCO members agreed to study and review in advance in depth through relevant standing committee such as competition, marketing and financial committees. The final decision of Australia’s participation will be decided by EAFF EXCO members in consultation with relevant standing committees of EAFF

Lastly, through this challenge, a brighter future will come to East Asian Football Federation

(6) The 10th Anniversary of EAFF establishment in 2002

All of EXCO members during the meeting are pleased and proud for mark the 10th anniversary of East Asian Football Federation since established at the year of 2002.
In this regard, EAFF Secretariat will organize ‘big celebration event’ for the 10th anniversary of EAFF establishment in the upcoming future in order to express appreciation to all member associations and in particular, all EXCO members who has devoted and provided their full of support for concrete unity and solidarity of EAFF.

(7) ‘Support’ for Mr. Zhang Jilong, AFC Acting President and one of Honorary Vice President of EAFF.

All of member association and EXCO members of EAFF are very proud of Mr. Zhang Jilong, EAFF Honorary V.P and current Acting President of AFC who took over AFC acting presidency from the year of 2011. Mr. Zhang Jilong has lead the AFC secretariat and AFC member association family into harmony and solidarity with his tremendous leadership shown until today.
EAFF family always wishes very good luck of AFC Acting President Mr. Zhang Jilong and we all look forward to hearing upmost result followed by his dedication for football development throughout Asia during rest of his presidency of AFC.

http://www.eaff.com/eanews/release/2012/120420.html

 

Any ideas if Australia are looking to become full time members of EAFF?

 

There were rumours when we joined AFC that we would be affiliated with ASEAN. We started participating at U19 level (AFF (ASEAN) U-19 championship), but not for a couple of years.

 

Youth teams are still invited to AFF youth competitions this year aswell (although it is not unherd of for AFF to invite others aswell). But it seems Australia feel they can float around organisations without having to put in any leg work.

I know you don't need to be a regional member to play such and such tournaments, but when we have the likes of Palau who applied and appear to have been forgotten, Mongolia who are suspended by EAFF for not paying monies then it makes a mockery of wanting to be part of that tournament. Just appears the little nations get brushed aside and (although not Australi's fault) the big boys move in.

I would like to see Australia play in the EAFF Championship, but I guess in reality aswell, they should start from the bottom rung and enter preliminaries like Macau and Guam. Why should be favoured to go straight to the finals stage if this tournament generally works on previous performances? Of course, a joke that Australia would have to take to the field with Guam, but wouldn't it just be good to hear Australia willing to tell us that they want to enter EAFF Championship and fight it out from the off, make a good noise in EAFF circles and then they would be moved into final stages that would be accepted.

As it is for now, Australia wouldn't have even been officially entered into the competition until after the opening stages have started.

Now, I know a lot of what I say is pointless, but the fact is, Australia need to either be in EAFF to play in all tournaments and be in for everyday running of the organisation or simply stay away. EAFF is a good showground for the smaller nations to get some exposure which a non-member shouldn't be taking away from them (although they would probably get a bit more with Australia in it!)

 

Wtf? Why do they even get the choice to become full members? They are not an east asian country ffs. It really should be the 'open & shut' case as far as inclusion into the "East Asian" cup is concerned.

While we're at it why don't we invite Russia to the east asian cup. Geographically that's more logical than Australia even. And the middle eastern competitions include egypt sometimes so the UEFA thing isn't an issue.

This is the dumbest issue..........far out EAFF can be incompetent.

 

When you talk like that, it could said why are they even in AFC??

EAFF is an organisation, if Australia wanted to be a member then they would have to put a case forward for current members to decide. I guess they would reject on geographical grounds, but then why accept them to play a tournament?

As for the comment about Egypt playing in Middle East competitions, that's becuase they have many diverse competitions, they cna play Arab Nations Cup for example, but not Gulf Cup.

I certainly don't have an issue with Australia being a member of EAFF, but what this would do is open it up for every nation from East Asia to Australia to claim an admittance, the death of the OFC we would have then.

 

Australia would be an A-League team I would have thought?

 

It's started guys/girls.

Opening game: Northern Mariana Islands 1:3 Guam

 

Northern Mariana Islands 1:5 Macau

 

Are Australia competing? Because their women's team are confirmed entrants for the next round.

 

Hong Kong must be the weakest team in your suggested format. They are no hope to get any points from Japan, South Korea, Australia and proceed to semi-final, that means they will be eliminated by playing 2 group matches only.

I prefer them to play with Australia, North Korea, Taiwan in second round and try to get a runner-up and progress to final round. It will be more competitive to play with North Korea rather than Japan and South Korea.

Playing with Japan and South Korea is bonus, just like 2010 version!

 

Schedule for 2013 Men's EAFF Cup Qualification (second round) - unofficial

Dec 1 (Sat)
Venue: Mong Kok Stadium
14:30 Hong Kong vs Guam
17:10 North Korea vs Chinese Taipei

Dec 3 (Mon)
Venue: Mong Kok Stadium
17:50 North Korea vs Guam
20:30 Hong Kong vs Australia

Dec 5 (Wed)
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium
17:50 Chinese Taipei vs Guam
20:30 North Korea vs Australia

Dec 7 (Fri)
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium
17:50 Guam vs Australia
20:30 Hong Kong vs Chinese Taipei

Dec 9 (Sun)
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium
14:20 Hong Kong vs North Korea
17:00 Australia vs Chinese Taipei

 

I don't understand why, and it's not just for this tournament, but the organisers of the tournaments always appear to want to rush things through. It's more of a team with the fittest players standing at the end are the ones who are the winners, not the football itself.