The Asian Cup is a tournament with a long tradition and it's the Asian counterpart to the European Championship and the Copa America. All Asian nations take this tournament seriously, but all of them face the same problems as the South American nations. Many European clubs, which employee Asian players don't release the players. Such problems are usual during the World Cup qualifiers etc. Mostly the South American nations suffers from this "no international matches during the season" attitude of the European clubs. Brazil is the country with such problems. A famous example is Giovane Elber of Bayern Munich. A played most of the WC Qualifing matches, but then he got injured and had to sit sout several matches. Brazil tried to call-up Elber during his injury and after that, but Bayern didn't release him and this case went to the FIFA. However this problems between Bayern and the CBF, Brazilian FA, finally denied Elber a place in the World Cup. Similar problems came up before Brazil's trip to China some weeks ago. Such problems between the European Clubs and the Asian FA's denied Asian players in the past their participation in the Asian Cup. So let's wait and see, how this years AC kicks-off with all Asian stars.
we don't have as many euro-based players as latin americans do. asia cup will be held next year anyway. situation can be a little bit different than now.
The tournament crowns the kings of Asia and is a big deal in Iran. The tournament does not have the worldwide recognition like the European Championships. For the most part, countries include many of their best and in the future will continue to do so. I think the tournament needs to be shifted to the summer months though to allow for more of the European based players to participate. If you compare it to Copa America, the Gold Cup, and the African Championships the AFC championships compares very favorably.
It means everything to us Saudis. It's our best tournament. Five consecutive finals. It's the only meaningful tournament we do well in.
seriously, korea took asian cup as a joke partly because we THOUGHT we were best in asia. we THOUGHT we didnt have to prove it (since we made it to the WC 5 times in a row). However, everything changed when Japan won it crushing every other opponent in 2000. Then Touroussier claimed that Japan was has surpassed asian level or something. Now of course, having so much rivalry between Japan, koreans started to take it seriously... at least serious enough so japan won't win it again.
nah.. i think it was the 6-2 trashing by Iran... i remember watching it on tv 2 am on a weekday (had school next day) everything seemed fine at first scoring the first goal and all but then came the bitch slapping and lost 6-2 i watched to the point of 3-1 or something... THAT was the point of getting cold water splashed on our faces THEN japan had the great streak of being undefeated and proving its ability where korea withered in the shadows. then came Hidink hahaha
Saudi Arabia is the strangest team, even in the Asian Cup. In 1996, they get whiped 3:0 by Iran in the group stage, but end up winning the Asian Cup after beating Iran on penalties in the semifinal match. In 2000, they open up with 4:1 thrashing by Japan, but meet the same Japanese team in the final, only to give all sorts of headaches with Japan squeeking a win after being outplayed, with Saudi Arabia missing a penalty in that match as well as some good chances! Within Asia, although the Saudis sometimes look really bad, they have ultimately pulled things together in the nick of time. In the World Cup qualifiers in 1998, they trailed Iran in the standings until the very last game, when they won the group after Iran chocked against Qatar losing 2:0. It was the same story in 2002, with the Saudis trailing Iran in the standings until Iran again pulled a chocker, losing to Bahrain 3:1 in the last match. In both 1998 and 2002, they go to the World Cup only to cause some embarrassment, particularly this time around with their ridiculously embarassing show against Germany!! 8:0 in a game that could have ended even worst!! Yet that same utterly useless team had a more or less respectable showing in their next game against Cameroon! At the end of the day, something is terribly amiss in Saudi football. They have simply suffered too many thrashings internationally, even though they were (until this World Cup) one of only 2 Asian teams to ever make the round of 16 with their very good performance in 1994 (beating Belgium and Morocco, losing merely 2:1 to the Netherlands). A sample of thrashings suffered by the Saudis include a pair of 5:1 losses to Mexico in the 1997 (in Saudi Arabia!) as well as the 1999 Confederations Cup; 8:2 loss to Brazil in the 1999 Confederations Cup; and several other such scores. Of course, the stinker against Germany will be hard for Asian football to put aside, even with the good showings by Japan and S.Korea! I am sorry, but for a country that has done very well in actually all Asian competitions over all, with 3 Asian Cup trophies (tying Iran's old record) in a record 5 final appearances; 3 consecutive World Cup berths; many club championships; as well as even a round of 16 showing in the 1994 World Cup; I have a hard time understanding how the Saudis can go to the World Cup and sit their like lambs waiting for the slaughter? P.S. The Asian Cup is the most prestigious tournament in the AFC, and taken serious by all Asian teams. Of course, not all Asian countries follow the game as closely, but their teams do care for the tournament as it traditionally features the best sides in the continent. S.Korea have done poorly in this tourney, BTW, last time wininng it 1960 when the tournament featured a few teams. Saudi Arabia and now Japan have done very well in the modern era of the Asian Cup. Iran dominated the tournament in the late 60s through the 1970s with 3 titles and until the 2000 Asian Cup, had only once failed to make the semifinals since 1968. The Asian Games, OTOH, used to be considered as the second continental championship. Since the last edition, however, it has become an age restricted event simulated the format of the Olympics in allowing 3 over 23 players. In that tournament, Iran has the most titles, having won 4 gold medals (including the last 2), as well as a couple of silver ones.