A3 Champions Cup, Pan-Pacific Championship come into defunct .... I think EAFF can hold their official clubs championship ... automatic places for China,South Korea,Japan champions, with winners of qualifying matches
All the other EAFF members need to sort out their own leagues first before even thinking of playing a EAFF championship. The only incententive for a EAFF Club championship in my opinion would be to utilise the qualfying round to send the winners to the AFC Cup.
The major teams in Japan, South Korea and China all have a busy schedule with domestic duties, and the AFC Champions League. Clubs from each of the three big EAFF countries can expect to be in the Champions League knock out stages, while Hong Kong has provided a team into the knock out stages of the AFC Cup. In China, there may be some merit in a competition to warm up their Champions League teams, with the Champions League kicking off before the CSL starts, but this would surely not be good for the Japanese as their close season is already on the short side. Consider a domestic season running to New Years Day, followed closely next season by the AFC Nations Cup, and then where is the gap before the new Champions League season starts?
I really don't think it is necessary or meaningful to have the EAFF club c'ship. There is simply no time in the schedules. China, Korea and Japan's clubs play each other in the ACL anyway.
Hong Kong clubs don't have anything to compare with. They play AFC Cup or nothing. Talking of regional tournamnets, I'm sure i read the other day that the smaller footballing members of the EAFF are looking to srat a international yout tournament between each other. Will this really get off the ground without the backing of Japan/Korea?
k-league: 5th place, 6th place j.league: 5th place, 6th place csl: 5th place, 6th place s.league: 2nd place (champions if they fail to qualify to champions league) hong kong: champions 8 teams, two groups, tournament
Why S-League? - its not EAFF, and there is no reason why it should be considered better to other ASEAN leagues (especially not Indonesia or Thai). Assuming the North Koreans are not interesting, would not Taiwan or Monglia make more sense?
yes, but I don't know if taiwan and mongolia even have professional leagues. perhaps a qualification spot in its place then.
It is not necessary. Taiwan proposed a Greater China tournament for China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan teams. This is more likely to happen.