Oh... and now they are allowing MA's to take part without being assessed at all.... wtf?!??!?! Also, I-League RUNNER-UP Pune FC will get the Indian CHAMPIONS League Play-off spot over CHAMPIONS Churchill Brothers.
Expected play-off teams in East Zone: China - Guizhou Renhe (if Guangzhou Evergrande win the double) or Beijing Guoan (if Renhe beat Evergrande in FA Cup Final) Australia - Melbourne Victory Thailand - Muangthong United, Chonburi Singapore - Tampines Rovers Hong Kong - South China AA Vietnam - Hanoi T&T (maybe more teams from central or west asia...) Kitchee boss Ken Ng said that South China will face Tampines Rovers in first round, then meet Chonburi in second round and the CSL representative in final round. So, the club representatives in lower ranked countries have to play extra rounds.
Okay. But I don't get who is going to play in the play-offs, and who is going to participate in the AFC Cup. Winner to ACL play off and runners up to AFC Cup?
Confirmed by the AFC ExCo the allocation as highlighted in post #351. Iraq and Kuwait given slots despite not being assessed. Why other teams who weren't assessed arent on the list too, I dont know!!! I swear I remember Indonesia was visited earlier this year. Also the final will be between an East and West team. No news from AFC in regards to AFC Cup, not that I care anymore, I'm done with Asian football.
I guess the reason for Indonesia is the lack of proper league. The reunification of ISL and IPL will come into effect next season so maybe then they will get an ACL spot back. I think if the ACL will publish assessment data we will know more.
They will decide about lifting our ban on home matches. But we kept on playing at home even when he had a ban so I don't know how it's going to be this time. Duhok and Erbil were the participating teams before, but this time it's Shorta (Baghdad). So I don't know what will happen
Reading on Goal India that Pune will represent India because Churchill Brothers failed to fill in the licensing forms on time, but Churchill will play in the AFC Cup. If Pune get through the playoffs then East Bengal will play in the AFC Cup, if they don't get through the playoffs then Pune will enter AFC Cup at East Bengals expense. How the hell do the AFC expect some times to prepare, such as East Bengal, if they don't know if there in or not?
Will this also apply to HKG, SIN, VIE, JOR, IRQ, KUW, OMA and BHR? So we could have 4 teams being "promoted" from no continental football to the AFC Cup on what? wait.... hang on.... ACL final round play off: 15 Feb 2014 AFC Cup group stage, 1st match day: 11-12 Feb 2014 -5 days notice!!! (yes, that is a minus) WTF?!?!?!?!??! When the hell do they, and any drop down teams play their first round matches.... even the 2nd match date is 3 days after the ACLPO round!!!! Do the AFC think or plan anything through at all?!?!?!?!
I think we just have to wait for the AFC to open their dam mouths. Today is the day they made their decisions. But they don't appear to be forthcoming in anything.
It's summed up nicely here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_AFC_Cup https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_AFC_Champions_League Teams who are waiting to play AFC if their nations prevail in ACL playoffs are: Jordan - Al Wihdat (runners up) Iraq - Al Quwa Al Jawiya (3rd place in league) Kuwait - Presumably Al Arabi (3rd place in league) Oman - Saham (league 3rd place) Hong Kong - Tuen Mun (league playoff stage runners up?) India - East Bengal (league 3rd place) Singapore - Balestir Khlasa (league 4th place) Vietnam - Da Nang (league runners up) All these sides don't actually know whats happening to them. Player personnel must be bonkers, do they stay, do they sign on with only hope as an option.
South China Morning Post South China set to compete in AFC Champions League qualifiers Club boss Steven Lo confirms Caroliners will be in play-offs for regional top tier spot Chan Kin-wa South China will strengthen their squad after news they will compete in the Asian Champions League (ACL) qualifying play-offs early next year. Team convenor Steven Lo Kit-sing confirmed yesterday that they had been chosen ahead of Kitchee to represent Hong Kong in the region's top-tier contest. "We have yet to receive details of the competition, but there should be two teams from the East Asia region out of eight in total to qualify for the main draw," said Lo. "We have our eyes on some new players when the transfer window opens next month, but now the plan may change by bringing in even higher quality players because of Champions League soccer." Lo said that as far as he knew, there would be two home games in the qualifying play-offs at the Hong Kong Stadium, and he expected strong gate receipts to help them secure top talent. "I will discuss with the coaching staff on the new players as soon as possible and, of course, our target will be prolific strikers to add firepower," said Lo. Both South China and Kitchee obtained ACL club licences on Monday, but since only one slot was available for Hong Kong in the play-offs, the Caroliners were preferred as they are defending champions. Kitchee, meanwhile, will still represent Hong Kong in the AFC Cup competition, but South China can still take part in this second tier contest if they lose in the Champions League play-offs. Kitchee boss Ken Ng Kin said their target would be to secure domestic First Division championship crown and the AFC Cup title in 2014 before challenging for the ACL the following year. "Having obtained the ACL licence is already big recognition of our club management," said Ng. =================================================== Additional report on Oriental Daily said South China will face Tampine Rovers, Chonburi and then Guizhou Renhe if they are to progress to the group stage.
Churchill Brothers I dont think passed the AFC criteria needed for the cup... same with East Bengal. Pune FC pass with flying colors... easily the most professional club in India.
They got inspected over the summer. Honestly, it is the whole battle between the IPFCA and AIFF that is causing all this.