Style & identity: Asian football seeks a way forward

Identity in football is hot business at the moment, and like anything that is proven to walk hand-in-hand with success, a unified vision, style or philosophy is one that is currently being striven for across the world. While club identity is easily malleable, a nation’s identity, once seen as sacrosanct, is anything but. With Asian football keen on taking things to the next level however, we’re increasingly seeing change in this area heading into a new World Cup qualification cycle.

The Saudi flip flop

No national association has experimented more of late than the Saudi Football Federation. While it could be argued neighbouring associations have turned their back on footballing progress and focussed more on the money they can channel out of it, the SFF have continually looked to invest and challenge the progress of the national team and the standard of their domestic league.

The appointment of Herve Renard over the summer was a real coup, an example of how much financial and persuasive sway the SFF have. One of the most sought after coaches outside of Europe, Renard has a promising record of establishing talented individuals into a cohesive unit. A perfect match for Saudi Arabia, a national team that has long been punching below its weight in Asia; plenty of quality, but lacking the harmony.

That of course was until a certain Dutchman; Bert van Marwijk entered ahead of the last World Cup cycle, going on to clinch direct qualification for the first time in 12 years, playing a style of football that was symbolic to the nation’s footballing identity; fast, direct, physical and utterly devastating.

But upon conclusion, van Marwijk’s time was up; coach and FF clashed over residency issues and pre-tournament plans. The SFF made the about turn move to change philosophy altogether, swinging the pendulum to former Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi.

Pizzi, spurred on by his employer’s ambition of aesthetic, future thinking football, set about recreating a country’s style from the ground up. Star players were shipped out on loan to Spain, youth team structures were overhauled, while the national team had a complete style revamp.

Out went the traits that got them to this position, intrinsic of a whole generation of Saudi players; in came demands of increased composure in possession (from keeper up to centre forward), slow transition (inviting and capitalising on the press) and fluid positional shifting.

It was no wonder in hindsight that Saudi Arabia fell at two successive major tournaments; crashing out of the group stage of the World Cup, before limping through to a Round of 16 exit at the Asian Cup. The personnel didn’t have the required bedding in period to switch styles so effortlessly, those who went out on loan, despite showing signs of improvement failed to accrue minutes, while considerations of comparable quality with their peers was starting to hit home.

To their credit the SFF stuck with Pizzi longer than many imagined, especially given their global showing in Russia. Yet, what were they going to do? Investment had been willing, transformation had been persisted with, who was going to turn their back on something that was unanimously backed 18 months prior? In the end results will almost always trump ideology, the SFF’s hand was forced; Pizzi exited, Renard entered.

As expected, Renard’s tenure has already started to rewrite the national team picture. One match into his reign (Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Mali), Saudi Arabia returned to their more conservative, reactionary origins, but without the passion and speed van Marwijk was able to harness during World Cup qualification.

We’re one (uncompetitive) match into a new World Cup cycle, so it’s naive to make any sweeping statements of what’s to come; but one things for sure Saudi Arabia are back to square one on the identity front. The action of change doesn’t necessarily correlate to instant success, as their regional rivals, persisting with a more long term approach will attest to.

Long term planning delivers results

Qatar’s vision of creating a whole new footballing structure, from academy right through to national team is as long term as you can get. And while the primary objective was to improve the quality of the players within its ranks; no one should write of the symbolism of having a well honed style that the entire squad believes in.

A squad that was home with one another, and crucially with their coach Felix Sanchez, was the true catalyst behind Qatar’s triumph at January’s Asian Cup, not through a particularly star studded side. The penny is starting to drop; irrespective of the talent you possess, consistency in approach can bring you success.

Two of the most trigger happy nations in Asia; Jordan and Iraq have sought to embrace this. Renewing the managerial contracts of Vital Borkelmans and Srecko Katanec post Asian Cup, wasn’t a sign that either had produced particularly remarkable results, instead an appreciation that their job was only half done. Borkelmans in particular has carved a direct strategy that is becoming succinctly Jordanian; opposed to the disorganised mess that usually greeted fans during numerous short managerial reigns of the recent past.

West Asia isn’t the only region to take a longer term view on things. Over the last few years, Southeast Asia is finally awakening from its slumber as a real contender on the international stage. Vietnam, under Korean coach Park Hang-seo have developed and cascaded a well honed counterattacking identity, with clear designations for it’s personnel.

In a way, Park’s rekindlement of all that is successful in Southeast Asian footballing culture; busy, quick and sharp play has been harnessed with a system that better suits their ability. Finding a perfect way of playing that compliments a nation’s profile is one thing; how to marry this up with expectation is another.

Style or substance; Asia’s big four struggle to find the right balance

The big four in Asia have all been through transitional periods to one degree or another over the last few years, many of them have and will continue to experience change in philosophies offset by the level of expectation put upon their shoulders heading into a new international cycle.

South Korea, you could say endured a tough spell with Uli Stielike at the helm. Many will scoff at the idea that this was somehow a difficult period for Korean football, having made an Asian Cup final, and looking likely to progress to yet another World Cup over that period, yet his style was so un-Korean, meeting paper objectives in the end didn’t matter. A defensive setup, that was designed to make the most of isolated attacks was too much for some to take, despite the accolades it brought.

Similarly, Japan under Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic were starting to finalise an edge, some nous and a direct, impactful approach, before sacking their head coach out of the blue ahead of last year’s World Cup despite being in solid form. The subsequent in-house appointment of Akira Nishino, followed closely by Hajime Moriyasu were brought in specifically to reintroduce the Japanese identity of play; a million miles away from the “get smarter” attitude Halilhodzic persisted with.

The balancing act between style and substance is one that is incredibly difficult to juggle. Despite clinching a debut Asian Cup, Ange Postecoglou’s time as Australia coach was increasingly trying. His attack focussed ambition, that ran into trouble late on, was too much for a footballing fraternity that expected a certain standing; scraping through against Syria wasn’t deemed good enough irrespective of the way they were doing it.

And with Iran, Asia’s prized diamond over the last few years, ideology and how they look to move to the next level is quite attently in focus. Replacing the grandeur of Carlos Queiroz is a mammoth test at the best of times, but managing the transition from defensive stalwarts, to a proactive attacking mentality, that their ever-improving squad demands is proving hard for some of their fans to grasp hold of.

A narrowing field; minnows start to close the gap

Uncertainty, a preference to standstill at the top and the heavy burden of expectation all add to a continental footballing landscape which is narrowing year-on-year. The renovation of World Cup qualification and the expansion of the Asian Cup have both helped along the progress of the middle to lower ranked member associations, however the willingness to learn and improve, whilst observing they can truly compete at the next level is starting to enact change.

Previous minnows are now becoming some of the most exciting prospects to watch; Philippines under the guidance of Scott Cooper, continue to set up on a positive footing (if on occasion, as their 5-2 defeat to Syria attests, they are still a work in progress defensively), Turkmenistan are shaking off their cautious inward looking past by appointing a foreign coach for the first time in their history, while Taiwan, are looking at making great strides past their regional glass ceiling under English coach Louis Lancaster.

Rather pleasingly, the trend for positive, attacking football which is pertinently in vogue across Europe is being replicated in Asia. It’s by no surprise, that two of the biggest underachievers in Asia still left with question marks beside them; China and Uzbekistan, continue to go over old ground, relying on prestigious but arguably outdated coaches. But the question mark against most remains the same, who can afford to take a sustained risk away from the perceived tried and trusted?

Saudi Arabia start their World Cup qualification campaign, away against Yemen (in Bahrain) on Tuesday evening. While a return to a physical, direct, individual style of play probably suits the capabilities of this current squad, such turmoil presented with a regular ideological shift over the last few years could well come back to bite them on the backside. Renard has an impressive reputation for rallying a squad round a cause, but it’s to be seen if they can rekindle the same sort of unity that saw the Green Falcons flourish four years ago.

Asian Cup Matchday Review (Round of 16)

Just over a week until the grand finale, we’re starting to see the weak from the chaff emerge from what has been a tight and competitively contested Round of 16. The typical big four are through, despite several scares and while you could plump for an outsider to buck the trend, a familiar final four looks the likely outcome, question marks withstanding. There was finally a big name elimination however, as Saudi Arabia, qualifiers for last summer’s World Cup were dumped out by Japan, leaving head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi on tenuous ground. In that regard, here’s my look back on the round’s key talking points.

The Player

This was a round for goalkeeping heroics, after Dang Van Lam’s shootout performance saw Vietnam progress to the quarters (more on that later) and Alireza Beiranvand reaffirmed his penalty saving specialist tag by denying Oman’s Ahmed Kano from the spot for Iran. At that juncture, a rumbling debate started to emerge, of who in fact is the best keeper in Asia at the moment? The elephant in the room, one Mat Ryan had been criticised recently for his showings for the Socceroos; despite consistent performances domestically with Brighton, his form so far at the Asian Cup did little to turn around his doubters. His performance against Uzbekistan on Monday however, went someway to silence them.

His triumphant double stop in their penalty shootout victory, spared Australian blushes, after an erratic but ultimately blunt effort against a stubborn in transition Uzbek team. Ryan, when called upon was a colossus in the match, sometimes considered too rash in his early career, his movement and decision making have clearly come on, highlighted perfectly by his early stop to deny the man of the moment Eldor Shomurodov his 5th of the tournament. Ryan’s one handed save to his right to deny Marat Bikmaev in the poignant penalty saved his teammates bacon, who can still savour hope of back-to-back continental titles despite rarely getting going so far.

With regards to the debate over the best keeper in Asia right now, Ryan can easily point to domestic success as his mantle for high achievement. While Beiranvand experienced a whirlwind 2018, where he should’ve really been crowned AFC Player of the Year, he won’t be truly recognised as the continental best until he moves to Europe. Bringing it back to current matters, Ryan’s performance keeps him well within a shout of the Golden Glove reckoning, as Australia build albeit slowly to another lengthy finals appearance.

The Team

Coming up against the surprise package of the tournament thus far in Jordan, Vietnam were considered outsiders for progression, but slowly this side has developed from merely a hipster’s choice of young talented players to a real threat, setting up an almighty clash with Japan in the final eight. For Park Hang-seo, the risk of making a couple of significant starting changes from the side that brought regional success only a month ago, has brought its own reward of a quarter-final appearance, but is this the limit of their adventure in the Emirates?

Deploying their now synonymous, 343-cum-523 counter attacking setup, it hasn’t been the easiest of rides early on for Vietnam; out witted by Iraq on the opening day, in arguably the most attack filled match we’ve seen so far, followed by a humbling defeat to Iran. In the end they scraped through as a lucky loser, overcoming Yemen with little conviction, their days felt numbered. But a renewed sense of purpose occurred against Jordan, where the Vietnam of 2018 vintage, that thrived off these one-off tournament match ups (see Under 23s, Asian Games & Suzuki Cup campaigns) came roaring back from the fire.

The aforementioned Dang Lang Vam has been integral to this; commanding and brave, reaffirming a defence marshalled by Que Ngọc Hai, who has been magnificent over the last few weeks. Further forward and the flexibility and guile of the irrepressible Nguyen Quang Hai and Phan Van Duc behind the lively and ever growing in consistency Nguyen Cong Phuong, Vietnam are starting to look a devastating package in the final third. Up against the Samurai Blue next, the clash of two similar counter attacking displays looks set to be a tense, tactical battle of wits, but one Vietnam will come into in a world of confidence.

The Talking Point

Nearly seven months on from their rude awakening in Moscow, Saudi Arabia hit another low in their recent footballing history, falling in the Round of 16 of the Asian Cup, in what was meant to be a dominant tournament for the Green Falcons. While losing to Japan, on paper is no embarrassment, to exit their time in the Emirates, losing half of their allotted games, only managing to score and secure victory against moderate opposition (Lebanon and North Korea), the campaign as a whole and Juan Antonio Pizzi’s tenure in charge must be considered a failure.

Having bossed over 70% of possession, but succumbing to a 1-0 reversal against Japan, makes for familiar reading for any recent follower of Saudi football. Pizzi’s revolution that started just over a year ago, has been stark, admirable but ultimately unsuited for this group of players. The same issues that were on display at the World Cup, persisted into the Asian Cup; a clumsy looking defence and a regularly blunt attack. The midfield, despite missing the integral Salman Al-Faraj looked as competent as ever (as the possession stats illustrate), the problem as always, was in breaking the lines through to the attacking third.

It’s likely to be a matter of days before Pizzi’s time is cut short, especially after his damning criticism of the league’s standard in the aftermath of the match. For a spell that promised so much, aesthetic gain over gelling tactics with the resource available clearly doesn’t function on the international stage where you’re tasked to get the best out of the players you’ve got to hand. Following on from one of the most successful Saudi Arabian sides of modern times, under Bert van Marwijk, Pizzi failed to take on the feeling harnessed in qualification into two considerable competitions. He was offered more than any others have been previously, in being able to coach at two significant tournaments in succession, something the SFF will likely live to regret.

Asian Cup Matchday Review (Group Stage GW1)

The Asian Cup kicked off last weekend in impressive style, with a great mix of convincing performances, underdog shocks and some good old fashioned terrible defending on show. Despite some disappointing attendances at many of the matches, some of the football offers hope we are about to see a competitive stage going forward, while the underachievement of some of the big guns alludes to a greater consistency of play across the continent. Summing up the first week of action, I’ve picked out a player, team and talking point for further focus.

The Player

The devastating news on the eve of their Asian Cup opener that star midfielder Salman Al-Faraj was ruled out of the entire tournament, was a hard blow to take for Saudi Arabian fans, but one that might have been eased by the evolution of a new centre midfield partnership. Al-Faisaly midfielder Abdulaziz Al-Bishi, who has slowly become a regular at the heart of the midfield in the last few months, had a stand out performance alongside Abdullah Otayf in the fulcrum of the Green Falcons set up against North Korea, complemented perfectly with two assists in their 4-0 victory.

It perfectly summed up his impact, that Al-Faraj wasn’t really missed at all. Otayf, continuing his World Cup form, of industrious, tireless play in front of the back four, Al-Bishi dictated play off his diminutive partner, roaming around the centre of the park, quick to create and intuitive in his movement. A quick pass out to the left stretched the North Korean defence, to allow Hatem Bahebri to cut in and open the scoring, while a direct inside run caught the opposition napping once again, allowing Al-Bishi to cut back for Al-Dawsari to clinch a third goal. It was a low-key performance on the face of it, but it allowed others to shine.

His progression to date has been slow, but after his summer move from Al-Shabab, Al-Bishi has subsequently nailed down domestic starts, was integral in Saudi Arabia’s Asian Games run, whilst continually impressing for the seniors since. While Saudi Arabia’s 4-0 win on paper looks to headline a side in promising form, there are plenty of questions still to be asked at both ends of the pitch. Al-Bishi’s form of late however, ensures the centre third remains the Kingdom’s most prized asset.

The Team

With Australia, South Korea and Japan all experiencing varying degrees of scares in the first round of matches, pre-tournament favourites Iran shrugged off the pressure in a crushing 5-0 victory over Yemen. While the performance may have been aided in their opposition’s collapse (after an initially promising first 10 minutes), Iran forced their hand, demonstrating some eye-catching attacking fluidity, dynamic midfield play and generally a positive attitude that some (me included) doubted of them ahead of the tournament.

Support striker Mehdi Taremi headlined the performance with a first half brace illustrating his importance to Team Melli; first he reacted quickest off a keeper spillage to slot home, secondly a perfectly directed header from distance. On paper he’s rarely been seen as an eye-catching option but offers much more than the sum of his parts. His link up play with Sardar Azmoun, and the highly effective Mehdi Torabi, who stepped up in place of the injured Alireza Jahanbakhsh was an aspect to saviour, and something they’ll undoubtedly need to rely upon going forward.

Further back apart from the initial scare, Iran defended as Iran do under Carlos Queiroz, an area they’ll continue to excel going deeper into the tournament. The recall and subsequent performance of Ashkan Dejagah gave further hope that depth will also be key over the next month. His initiative and speed in transition helped Iran tick over and threaten Yemen’s napping defence, while his freekick (which inexplicably hasn't been chalked down as a goalkeeping own goal) was the cherry on top of his individual display. Plenty to be pleased about, as Iran march on ominously.

The Talking Point

Ever since the draw was made, and with the expansion to 24 teams allowing more inexperienced and weaker sides to enter the tournament, few shocks were predicted in the opening rounds, yet we’ve already been treated to a number. UAE struggled in their opener against Bahrain, having to rely upon questionable officiating to secure a draw, reigning champions Australia were stung by a well drilled counter display by Jordan, Southeast Asian heavyweights Thailand were crushed by India, all while the likes of China, Korea and Japan all looked shaky before forcing victories over the line.

It led to some to dig into the reasons why this was the case. Some suggested it was tactics; sides with less possession hitting opposition on the counter surely had a greater say early on, while it could be considered a condensing of the pack thanks to the new and more strenuous international calendar could’ve provided closer fought contests. But for the eventual result, the likes of Philippines, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan all put in competent displays, when few really gave them much hope in the tournament’s build-up.

In the end, Iran and Saudi Arabia’s dominant performances to end the week suggest a lack of familiarity in the dugout may have damaged those elite nations more than them merely being caught off guard. New coaches in charge of Australia, Korea and Japan clearly have further work to achieve in finalising their state of play, while a severe lack of form going into the Asian Cup for China, Thailand and hosts UAE meant few should’ve expected a tournament bounce from the get go. Given third in the group allows progression, there’s a long way to go to be sure of a big shock exit or two, but for now it makes for fascinating viewing.

Asian Cup 2019: Saudi Arabia (Preview)

This last summer’s World Cup will go down in history as the AFC’s strongest showing on the world stage. Saudi Arabia’s performances in Russia both helped and hindered that record, bouncing back from a 5-0 humbling at the hands of the hosts, to beat a Mohammed Salah-led Egypt side in their final match. From zeros to heroes in a matter of weeks, Asian football fans can feel particularly relieved that the sequence of events occurred in that order, as we’re about to be served up another dose of Juan Antonio Pizzi attacking play this January.

The coach, and the reformed Green Falcons he inherited, drew plenty of positive reviews on the run up to the World Cup, only to be indiscriminately disregarded at the first hurdle. As was predicted, the strict possession-based football that Pizzi urges from his squad, something so alien from previous regimes, was a high-risk approach, that was either going to prove successful immediately or crash into flames.

Months on from their World Cup exit, the true extent of the way Saudi Arabia played has rarely been discussed outside the region. This is understandable to a degree, given the muted image of the team in Europe, and the fact they failed in progressing out of the group stage. However, the football they played in those opening group phases (of the Russia encounter in particular) was some of the boldest and most unexpected of the first round.

The balance was always going to compromised given where they started from. Saudi football has only just began to start rearing its head from its own naval to integrate with world football in the last year. Last winter’s loan moves to Spain for a few Saudi internationals, clearly had its benefits in the short term (Salem Al-Dawsari & Yahya Al-Shehri’s sharpness in Russia was quickly visible), yet the last-minute process meant we only saw a project in it’s infancy. To their credit the SFF realised this to be the case. Firing Pizzi upon their exit, a move in isolation which wouldn’t have been entirely unforeseeable, would’ve set football in the country back another four years.

Heading to the Asian Cup this January, Saudi Arabia can point to two factors that have improved over the last six months. One being merely the time elapsed, Pizzi has had longer to integrate his philosophy and run the rule over his playing staff. The other; the standard of opposition has considerably dropped. Playing such a high risk, possession hungry style of football against the world’s elite is always going to end spectacularly. Playing such a style where you’re technically superior, should start to provide results.

Not that this has proven to be the case thus far in preparation however, drawing to Bolivia and Iraq either side of defeat to Brazil, before a pair of pretty drab performances against Yemen and Jordan in November. The philosophy for the time being is clearly of greater importance than the results on the board, but it will be a nagging concern going into the Asian Cup, that Pizzi’s Saudi side have failed to comfortably ease past any kind of opposition to date.

The team’s greatest strength remains in the middle of the park. Salman Al-Faraj made a name for himself in Russia, demonstrating clever movement, an eye for a quick pass, and calmness under pressure. Just imagine, if he’d been asked to take up this role earlier in his career? Next to him, Abdullah Otayf provided the perfect foil; not so inventive in possession, but busy, tough and a general nuisance in winning possession back for Al-Faraj to wield from deep.

For all their proficiency in centre midfield, tying back to front has been incredibly laboured. Centre backs and forwards, used to quick direct plays, bypassing the midfield were left looking clumsy, stagnated and too often in no man’s land. Over Pizzi’s tenure, this has been an area that has been slow in improvement, with the individual players’ technical ability either proving to be the key turning points or ever increasingly the limiting factors.

Osama Hawsawi, the legendary Saudi captain who embodied the old national team mindset, for all his merits wasn’t befitting of the requirements of the new style of play. His retirement after the World Cup opens the possibility of a new partnership being formed, something that is still under construction on the eve of the Asian Cup. Motaz Hawsawi and Ali Albulayhi came out of Russia in a good light, while there is still a persistence to field the third Hawsawi; Omar, despite a summer to forget.

In attack, there’s even more uncertainty. While the support roles feel comfortable in their abundance, the leading man in attack remains a big question mark. Mohammad Al-Sahlawi, top scorer in qualification demonstrably doesn’t have the open play game to succeed in attacking build-up play but does have the pedigree continentally to finish off chances when they come his way. The other two to have been tested with any sort of regularity; Abdulfattajh Adam and Mohanad Aseri did little to illustrate they can offer any more.

Two intriguing last-minute options take inspiration from Saudi football past and future. Nasser Al-Shamrani, the 34-year-old veteran has started the season in promising form for Al-Shabab, while admittedly offering a mere penalty box presence such as Al-Sahlawi, he has the pedigree to succeed. Secondly, young Al-Qadsiah striker Harouna Camara is the talk the town. The 20-year-old who only broke through domestically at the end of last season, impressed in bursts at the Asian Games, but has yet to illustrate consistency or Pizzi’s full trust in him.

The future looks bright in general for Saudi football. Champions at U19 level in the last few months, coupled with their U19 final appearance and U20 World Cup knockout stages run for the cohort previous, all alludes to the crop of talent ready to break through. Faris Al-Burakain and Abdulrahman Ghareeb, two of the breakout stars on display in Indonesia, have already been called up by Pizzi in November despite having only featured a handful of times for their club sides.

Plenty to think about then ahead of the UAE, but for neutrals at least it offers up a tantalising chance that Saudi Arabia could provide some of the most exciting football the tournament has to offer. Ignoring a potentially highly charged match with Qatar, the schedule pits the Saudis as clear favourites to escape the group. Finding the right balance between defence and attack will be the key task for the coach (as it was in Russia), to truly assess if this side can really challenge for latter tournament honours.

Key Men

Head Coach - Juan Antonio Pizzi (ESP)

Highly thought of manager, who survived an embarrassing first day battering at the World Cup to exit the tournament with some admirers. The former Chile coach fully entrusts his players in possession, a complete change from Saudi Arabian football of the past. While the football is considerably more pleasing aesthetically, doubts remain whether the players at his disposal can provide success in terms of results.

Star Player - Salman Al-Faraj

Lanky yet cultured centre midfielder who has excelled in Pizzi’s short term as coach. Previously criticised for his lack of physicality and attacking ventures, Al-Faraj impressive ball retention and chance creation, in particular on show at the World Cup has made him integral to this the new Saudi Arabian team. Has finished on the losing side in two Asian Champions League finals.

Under Pressure - Fahad Al-Muwallad

An enigma, who on his day is one of the most devastating attacking players in the whole of Asia. Has rarely found his feet under Pizzi, either playing out of position in the lone front man role or lacking the technical ability to cope with a possession hungry approach. An excellent impact substitute, who scored the winning goal that sealed World Cup qualification.

Young Prospect - Haroune Camara

Broke onto the scene at the end of last season, with an emphatic scoring run with Al-Qadsiah, but has started the current campaign in less prolific form. The 20-year-old impressed at the Asian Games in August, in spurts, scoring a hat-trick against China, but has yet to demonstrate the consistency required to become the leading man under Pizzi.

World Cup 2018: Saudi Arabia (Preview)

Saudi Arabia will return to the pinnacle of international football this summer after a disheartening 12 year absence. Since qualification to Russia back in September however, it’s been far from a smooth preparation. It's been a period of transition and frustration, with injuries, questionable domestic transfers and form, alongside the running through of two managerial changes all racking up to a Green Falcons side that represents a pale imitation of their progression over the last few years.

Qualification for Russia in the first place should be deemed worthy of celebration. Dutchman Bert van Marwijk was appointed back in 2015 after a poor Asian Cup in Australia with the sole target of returning to the World Cup for the first time since Germany in 2006. Within two years, he had succeeded in not only qualification to Russia’s summer showpiece, but he did so with a side that could finally be considered a workable unit, rather than the mere throwing together of individual talents.

Saudi Arabia had been in the doldrums for a while, only one victory from the last two Asian Cup campaigns combined for a nation that had made the final in six of the seven prior editions was a clear indication that they were quickly falling behind the Asian elite.

By no means was it pretty under van Marwijk. Despite finishing qualification as the joint leading scorers (17 of which were racked up early on against Timor-Leste alone) Saudi Arabia were pragmatic in their execution, surrendered possession often and in all honesty rode their luck in key moments. Their success in the final round of qualification was built on an impressive home record, finishing unbeaten in Jeddah, with four clean sheets from five. Conversely away they looked off the speed; failing to clinch victory against any of their top ranked rivals in their sections (including Palestine and UAE in Round 2, Japan, Australia and UAE in Round 3).

They did however come alive in the big moments. When they needed their big players to shine, they stood up to the occasion. Creative hub Nawaf Al-Abed scored three penalties in their first two final round ties against Thailand and Iraq as they laboured past the weakest sides in their group, while wingers Yahya Al-Shehri and Fahad Al-Muwallad clinched winners to force Saudi Arabia over the line at the end of qualification. Rarely did we see a side in full control of a match, instead a team ready to produce their best when it mattered most, a calling card van Marwijk's teams are becoming particularly known for.

It was a surprise then, that van Marwijk was given his marching orders upon qualification for Russia. The Dutchman who was unashamedly averse to living in the Kingdom, previously curtailing a post-match press conference early to catch a flight back to Europe, was now living on borrowed time - the Saudi Football Federation weren’t to be turning a blind eye anymore with the greater attention they’d likely receive upon qualification. It was questionable why van Marwijk was ever sanctioned to reside elsewhere in the first place, however given the arrangement provided results over his tenure, why the SFF all of a sudden noticed an issue seems equally misguided.

Van Marwijk didn’t need to wait long for his next job, being appointed by Australia at the turn of the year, by this stage his former employers had already moved onto their third successive coach, after Edgardo Bauza (into his third national team job within a year) failed to make a positive impact within his brief two months in charge. Deep into World Cup preparations former Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi was installed at the helm; a high profile name, with an even greater defined style of play, a polar opposite from the previous regime.

Pizzi’s high pressing, possession style of football is considerably more aesthetic than the conservative brand instilled by van Marwijk (ironically who is now transitioning Australia the opposite way), however it’s proving heavy going thus far to provide a snug fit for the Saudis. After a pretty damning group stage exit with an experimental B-side at this winter’s Gulf Cup in Kuwait, a winless March against Ukraine and Belgium did little to suggest Saudi Arabia can expect to outlast their three group stage matches in Russia.

There are players within the ranks that have the qualities to match Pizzi’s tactical goal; midfielders Salman Al-Faraj and Taisir Al-Jassim are two of the finest possession based players in the Middle East, however there are far more areas of concern than promise. The defence for one, which is often unfairly derided, the three Hawsawis (Osama, Omar and Montaz) in particular are lambasted, yet are a pretty effective set up domestically and regionally. With a higher line however and given greater responsibility to build up possession they are always likely to be found out at the highest level.

Concerns stretch further up field also. Their stars of qualification came from wide areas; Al-Shehri, Al-Abed and Al-Muwallad, all high impact players with quick acceleration, useful for pressing yet, not exactly the type of players you’d want on the ball in transition. Mohammed Al-Sahlawi, who scored more goals (16 in 14 matches) than anyone other than Robert Lewandowski in World Cup qualification is a deadly poacher on his day, but similarly lacks inventiveness when in possession.

It’s looking like another case of Association interference gone wrong then. Unlike much of their regional peers over the last few years, the SFF at least need to be forgiven for attempting to give their side the best possible opportunities. Another failed example being their initially reasonable link up with La Liga to encourage Saudi players to compete in Europe on the run up to the World Cup. In total however, the three players (Al Shehri, Al-Muwallad and Salem Al-Dawsari) that moved to Spain on loan in January only accrued 58 minutes of pitch time.

The cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s qualification campaign was unity; 20 of the final 23 man squad play for one of Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli or Al-Nassr. Each player knew their role, honed over the course of a career in the Saudi Pro League, which adopts the same style of play. Unlike any other league in Asia, the Saudi top flight is physical, fast paced and to be frank lacking considered play, a perfect breeding ground then for the transition of one ideology to the national team. Now, with players being channeled into La Liga and with a national coach attempting to impose a new philosophy, players are attempting to evolve their outlook at odds with a style they’ve grown up with - all in a relatively short preparatory time-frame.

It’s a transition that is taking it’s time to get off the ground, but there are green shoots being sprung. Saudi Arabia’s performance against Italy in the last week showed a number of players are starting to embrace Pizzi’s high press philosophy. Whether the team can perform as one, over a sustained period is yet to be seen however.

Few if any, even from within the fanatical base of Saudi football predicted Saudi Arabia would come away from Russia with anything to truly boast about. While this would’ve likely been the outlook under van Marwijk also, the style was at least clear from the outset, feeding perfectly into their undeniable underdog status and ability deficit at this level. Under Pizzi the same fans may look on and merely hope to avoid a humiliating spanking akin to their 8-0 defeat to Germany in 2002. A worldwide spotlight against the hosts in the tournament opener presents them with the perfect opportunity to improve on expectations early.

WC Qualifying Review (Round 3 MD9 & 10)

It’s been a lengthy process, but two and a half years later from once we began, we have finished the automatic stage of Asian World Cup qualification. Japan, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia joined Iran as Asia’s four guaranteed representatives in Russia next summer, while we have yet another tangible chance of representation with outsiders Syria joining Australia in the playoff rounds before the year is out. For much of the predictability that had come before, September’s batch of qualifiers were a feast for the eyes, here’s my look back at the winners and losers from the week.

The Player

Arguably the longest reaching story of this round of World Cup qualification has been Syria’s progress over the campaign. Despite being tipped to perform by Asian football fans back in 2015, I doubt few of us who made such claims thought they’d ever have a realistic shot at a place in Russia, which they have now engineered themselves with an appearance in the WCQ playoffs. Critics may question their style of play, but their dogged defensive tactics were given a reboot this last week, scoring more than 1 away from home for the first time (breaking a previously impenetrable Iran defence twice) while recording their first non-1-0 win of the stage with a 3-1 win against Qatar on Thursday.

One player’s return can be attributed to their improved fortunes in attack, that of Omar Al-Somah. The hottest striker in the Middle East, Al-Somah’s refusal to accept a call up for Syria were well known, but over the summer the enticing news spread that a return was imminent. In his first two appearances in Syrian red, his presence was instantly felt; the team could set up with a focal point which could help the ball stick. Shifting previous lone frontman Omar Khribin out wide worked wonders (scoring the first two against Qatar), while Al-Somah’s threat was sometimes too much to ignore even when he hadn’t got the ball (see Al-Mawas’ poorly defended goal to end that match).

Al-Somah proved his goalscoring threat away at the Azadi, against the best side in Asia, who hadn’t been breached in this round of qualification. A trademark Ronaldo-esc free kick was too hot to handle for Iranian keeper Beiranvand, slipping it to Khribin for the opener, while his last minute leveller sparked scenes of delirium from the bench as Syria ensured progression. There’s a long way to go yet, with Australia followed by an intercontinental playoff (possibly with a headline grabbing encounter against USA) to come, but with Al-Somah now leading the hunt in attack, this is far from the cautious Syrian side that started qualification.

The Team

When Bert van Marwijk took the reigns of the Saudi Arabia national team at the start of qualifying in 2015, I amongst many were admittedly skeptical of his ability to stabilise a notoriously difficult yet talented set of players to compete with the likes of Japan and Australia for a return to the World Cup after XX years away. In the end I was proven spectacularly wrong, with van Marwijk harnessing the true qualities of his squad to clinch qualification in the last match of the series, beating Japan in Jeddah on Tuesday.

After a stuttering start to the final stage of qualification, Saudi bubbled under the radar for much of this campaign, many assuming they wouldn’t be able to keep up their ominous run of form that clawed them over the line. Aside from the undoubted team effort and tactical masterclass from their Dutch coach there were more than the odd player who stood up and rose to the occasion.

Nawaf Al-Abed morphed from flamboyant but erratic playmaker into clinical match winner, scoring X amount of goals and crucially laying on the winner against Japan. Fahad Al-Muwallad, that historic goalscorer has started to live up to his undoubted potential, while defensively Al-Hilal stalwarts Salman Al-Faraj and Osama Hawsawi have taken responsibility, when before they often crumbled. Surely the Hawsawi badge of calamity can now be retired?

A year of euphoria and pride is to come as we inch towards Russia and a historic return for the Green Falcons. While some Asian fans will take this as just reward for van Marwijk and the national team, pressure will again be undoubtedly be on them from their home support to contest at the highest level. While on paper their squad is a notch below that of what they can hope to compete with, you wouldn’t count out Al-Abed and co to grasp their chance of a life time at next year’s grandest stage.

The Talking Point

Going into the final fixture goal difference was always likely to play a huge part in who would join Japan from Group A at next summer’s World Cup, yet after being billed as a cricket score chasing encounter, Australia frustrated attempts to thrash Thailand came up against a stubborn defence and inspirational keeper display. X amount of shots only materialised 1 goal, leaving Saudi Arabia in the knowledge a win of any kind at home would guarantee them a place in Russia, a task they obliged.

As continental champions, with the most expensive squad in Asia, playing some of the most eye catching tactical football around, with a reputable coach to boot, there can’t be any sugar coating of the fact, that not qualifying for the World Cup at the first attempt is a failure. Of course the playoff route offers up a second chance saloon for Ange Postecoglou, entering his final period as Socceroo coach before he presumably lands a job in Europe, with Syria and a potential 4th placed CONCACAF side to come.

The question marks surrounding their campaign have surrounded a number of deficiencies; scoring from open play (albeit this has been greatly improved upon), a reliance on the outgoing Tim Cahill (who looks to be finally phased out as a starter) and some pretty ineffectual away form. They remain as stated previously, the best side to watch in Asia, as this summer's Confederations Cup performances can prove witness to, however results continue to not come hand in hand (x points from three games in Russia).

Ahead of this final round of matches, I proposed it better for Asian football that Saudi Arabia progress automatically ahead of Australia in the Race of Russia, not out of any particular bias (if so I’d argue the other way if anything) but Australia’s greater capability to qualify against stiff North American opposition. Whether I’m swayed by the aesthetically pleasing approach from Postecoglou over van Marwijk’s more pragmatic direct thrust I’m beginning to wonder; either way I got my wish and we’ll be set for yet another set of defining matches in the Greek born coaches career.

U20 World Cup Preview (Korea Republic 2017)

Asian football goes through long spells of inward looking, but in one of the few occasions we can really contest the continent’s talent against the rest of the world, the U20 World Cup rolls back into view with high expectations of those competing. In the past, Asia have generally punched above it’s weight in comparison to their senior efforts; Iraq’s impressive run to the semi-finals in 2013 is a recent reminder that Asian national teams can compete with the very best from Europe and South America in the final stages.

2015 in New Zealand was different, and it was easy to foresee from the outset. Alongside debutants Myanmar and Korea DPR, a promising but ultimately inexperienced Qatar side were eliminated at the first hurdle, finishing dead last and winless, bringing back bad memories of the clean sweep of 2014 in Brazil. The one glimmer of hope came through Uzbekistan, who be it fortunately passed through the group stages despite losing 2 of their 3 matches, managed to make it through to the quarter-finals where they lost to a stromg Senegal side.

This year’s edition should provide greater results, if not just for Korea Republic's hosting of the competition (the third time the country has held a World Cup; 2002 - Seniors, 2007 - U17, and 2017 - U20), but for a few reputable big guns of Asian football returning to the fray with a set of impressive squads on paper. Regular senior qualifiers Japan and Iran are joined by Saudi Arabia whose senior side have been the form side of the current World Cup qualification campaign and debutants Vietnam, who may prove to be more than merely there to make up the numbers. With a senior World Cup on the horizon, the coming month in Korea might give us a heads up to how lofty our ambitions should become over the next year.

Korea Republic

Manager: Shin Tae-Yong (KOR)
Qualification: Hosts
U20 WC Group A: Guinea, Argentina, England
Key Men: Lee Seung-Woo, Han Chan-Hee, Cho Youn-Wook

Asia’s leading light for so long at this level, Korea Republic’s regression would have caused greater concern if they weren’t afforded hosting privileges of the World Cup, after failing to qualify via traditional means for the second time in succession, something that hasn’t happened since 1989. Their shock group stage exit at the AFC Under 19 Championships last year (Asia’s qualification mechanism for the U20 World Cup), has hit the football fraternity in Korea hard, with concerns high that further below par performances could put a dampener on their hosting of the event

It’s fair to say however they look a different proposition some 9 months down the line. They immediately sacked the cautious and old fashioned coach Ahn Ik-Soo, replaced by former Olympic coach Shin Tae-Yong. Shin’s appointment has gained mixed reviews; after leading Korea out of a tough group in Brazil last year, Korea succumbed in the latter stages to Honduras. While in addition to this some questionable tactical decisions have left fans divided on his appointment.

Like in Brazil, where Shin could call upon the services of Son Heung-Min, Korea again possess one of the potential stars of the tournament in Lee Seung-Woo. The Barcelona man has been hyped for years as he rises through the La Masia ranks, but the question mark remains whether he can spearhead his country through such a high profile tournament? Alongside Lee (who didn’t partake in the U19s last year), fellow. Barcelona youth Paik Seung-Ho, is tipped to play a key part despite missing out on the action in Bahrain, while Cho Youn-Wook and Han Chan-Hee both look capable players to push Korea through a classically billed “group of death.”

Japan

Manager: Atsushi Uchiyama (JPN)
Qualification: Champions (AFC U19 Championship 2016)
U20 WC Group D: South Africa, Uruguay, Italy

Key Men: Ritsu Doan, Koki Ogawa, Yuta Nakayama

Last year’s two major AFC Youth Championships were comprehensively won by Japan, with their U19 cohort following in the footsteps of their U23s success last January. Every Japanese fan will hope that another false dawn isn’t just around the corner however, after experiencing a bitter blow to their Olympic hopes last year, ending in a miserable group stage exit in Brazil. As is the case in more than one occasion in Asia, talent alone doesn't always meet the expectation of the nation.

The quality at their disposal is up there with the best in the competition though, regular starters at club level, sprinkled with some unknown quantities that could ignite their tournament later down the line. MVP from Bahrain - Ritsu Doan has since grown into a leading light of Japanese football, having broken through with Gamba Osaka this season, scoring his debut continental goal in the AFC Champions League against Adelaide United earlier this month.

In attack, Koki Ogawa flanked by Yuto Iwasaki proved a lethal pairing in their U19s final run in, but instead the headline grabbing squad inclusion comes in the form of yet another East Asian Barcelona product, 15 year old Takefusa Kubo. The second youngest player ever to compete at the tournament, Kubo, has recently made his competitive debut with Tokyo, after being forced to leave La Masia on registration grounds, and is already being dubbed, predictably as the latest “Japanese Messi”. It’s likely that his impact will be restricted to appearing off the bench initially, but with such a strong squad available, Uchiyama’s men have ambitions of going close to matching their class of 99, including Yasuhito Endo and Shinji Ono, that went on to reach a U20 World Cup final.

Saudi Arabia

Manager: Saad Al-Shehri (KSA)
Qualification: Runners-Up (AFC U19 Championship 2016)
U20 WC Group F: Senegal, Ecuador, USA

Key Men: Rakan Al-Samiri, Sami Al-Najai, Abdulrahman Al-Yami

The air of optimism surrounding the senior national team at the moment, brought by Bert van Marwijk, has transcended through to the youth ranks of Saudi football. Saad Al-Shehri’s U19 squad were the most eye-catching side in Bahrain last year, scoring 16 goals, along the way to a narrow penalty shootout defeat to Japan in the tournament's final. In many ways Saudi football has struggled to develop a certain type of player, inventive, direct attacking players have been at a premium, but this squad seems to have developed quite a few to watch closely in that regard.

Diminutive but stocky wide man Rakan Al-Samiri highly impressed in Bahrain, providing both a quick instinct to cut in from the left onto his right foot in tight areas, to look for the killer final ball and to have the reactionary speed to pin back his opposing full back. Captain, Sami Al-Najai who topped the scoring charts last year, albeit mainly from dead ball situations (penalties and free kicks made up 3 of his 4 efforts), is a confident central midfielder with influence to make transitions quickly, in a side that thrives off the counter.

The main concern however is at the other end of the pitch, where Saudi Arabia look pretty weak. The keeping situation looks to be a calamity waiting to happen, with neither of the personnel between the posts in Bahrain coming anywhere near impressing - from an Asian standpoint, a meek keeping display is the last thing we need after 2015’s debacle. Their group on paper also looks tough, possibly not the most illustrious names on paper in the senior game, but all should concern an already fragile looking back line at youth level.

Iran

Manager: Amir Hossein Peiravani (IRI)
Qualification: Semi-finalists (AFC U19 Championship 2016)
U20 WC Group C: Costa Rica, Zambia, Portugal

Key Men: Reza Shekari, Omid Noorafkan, Reza Jafari

Despite missing out on a final appearance in qualification, Iran go into Korea as probably the AFC’s best hope of making it to the latter stages. With a larger amount of senior Iranian players now moving to Europe, the young players have benefitted in kind, with clubs willing to dip straight into the domestic market in search of talent, when previously they were regarded as an unknown risk (take note UAE, this is how to improve your national team).

Of the current squad, Reza Shekari stands out as the prized asset after confirming his transfer from Saipa in the Persian Gulf Pro League to Rostov in the Russian Premier League earlier this month, a club well renowned for fostering Iranian talent, with Sardar Azmoun in particular picking up the plaudits over the last 12 months. Shekari will play at the forefront of a very accomplished midfield, with ACL regular Omid Noorafkan and Mohammad Soltani Mehr providing support behind him.

Comparisons to their senior colleagues are already being compiled; striker Reza Jafari imitates the speed and clinical finishing of Kaveh Rezaei, Abolfazi Razzaghpour offers plenty going forward, from dead ball and wide situations, akin to Mehrdad Pooladi, and Shabab Adeli, who is following down a similar career path at Naft Tehran, looks set to emulate Team Melli keeper Alireza Beiranvand. There are some real gems within this squad, but a greater solidity is needed, especially in defensive situations to contain an improved set of contenders. Looking for their first victory at this level since 1977, they couldn’t be better placed to write their own piece of history in Korea.

Vietnam

Manager: Hoang Anh Tuan (VIE) 

Qualification: Semi-finalists (AFC U19 Championship 2016)
U20 WC Group: New Zealand, France, Honduras
Key Men: Bùi Tiến Dũng, Hồ Minh Dĩ, Doan Van Hau

Playing at their first 11-a-side FIFA event in their history, Vietnam might be forgiven to be purely making up the numbers, given what they’ve achieved so far. While I have worries that they’ll emulate Myanmar’s disastrous debut two years previous, there is an extra killer instinct about this squad, which in the main can rely on regular league experience throughout the squad.

Vietnam’s qualification stage came off the back of a finals place in the South East Asian equivalent the year before, and a follow up 3rd placed finish in the 2016 edition the month prior to the kick off in Bahrain. Subsequent to their semi-final run in the continental U19 showpiece, Vietnam have prepared arguably better than any other at this tournament, playing a number of friendlies since the turn of the year, including a tour of Europe and warm up matches against fellow U20WC qualifiers Vanuatu and Argentina in the last month.

Doubters will point to their performances in Bahrain, which on the whole were submissive, that is until the crucial moments. While they’ll no doubt need to rely on the more than competent looking Bui Tien Dung in net, Vietnam proved that when needed they could force themselves across the line. A last minute winner to beat North Korea in the group stage sealed their passage through to the knockouts, while a clinical winner against the hosts in the quarter-finals despite hanging on for much of the match, showed what they can do in precious moments. While criticised locally for wasting more than the odd opportunity Ha Duc Chinh, proves a handful in attack, while wide men Ho Minh Di and Tran Thanh offer unpredictability in support.

Aside from the teams taking part, FIFA will continue to test solutions to problems that really don’t exist. The VAR initiative which I’ve hotly discussed before is the first of a few changes in Korea, the second being the option of a fourth substitution in extra-time, something that was available but wasn’t called upon at December’s Club World Cup. If ties go all the way to penalties, the so-called “ABBA” sequencing of spot kicks will be deployed, which will involve back-to-back kicks for each team after the opening penalty. With corruption and political interference still rife within Asian and World football, it seems the authorities are more concerned in tinkering with the game we love rather than sorting out their mess behind the scenes.

WC Qualifying Review (Round 3 MD3 & 4)

We’re edging closer to the half way point of the final stage in World Cup qualification, and the landscape remains pretty open for those still hoping to keep their chances of reaching Russia in 2018 alive. The big matches of the last week concerned those at the top of the leader board, with Australia hosting Japan (in a 1-1 draw) and Korea Republic travelling to Iran (to lose 1-0). Outside of this there was a first win for new Qatar boss Jorge Fossati, while Syria and Iraq also collected their first wins of the stage. Looking back on the last week, here is my key player, team and talking point of the international window.

The Player

The Japan national team is going through somewhat of a slump at present, so it’s worth wondering where they would actually be now if they weren’t spurred along by Genki Haraguchi. The Hertha Berlin midfielder who returned to national team duty last summer after a few years away, has been a revolution in this final stage of qualification, scoring in the last three qualifiers, while eclipsing the effect of under-pressure playmaker Shinji Kagawa. Assuming Japan return to playing a typical striker next month, when they return home, Haraguchi again is firm favourite to take the spot of Kagawa on the left hand side; a great swing in preference from coach Halilhodzic that has occurred only recently.

Haraguchi’s involvement over the last year has been of the less spectacular kind; an all action midfielder that fills in the gaps, while the likes of Kagawa are given room to create. His recent performances however have combined both his functional aspects with the more attractive, adding goals to his work he conducts across the pitch for the team. Equally effective on the left or right, Haraguchi has gone from being on the fringes of the squad to a firm favourite in the line-up.

His first goal this week, the opener against Iraq came through a perfectly timed run to the front post before back heeling it past Mohammed Hameed. Controversy may have ensued as Hiroshi Kiyotake was clearly offside in the build-up, but Haraguchi didn’t wait around for the flag. His second, the Tuesday after showed again his expertly timed running skills, dissecting the Australian back line before coolly slotting past Matt Ryan for another game opening goal. You may point out that Haraguchi was the unfortunate party to concede the second half penalty later on, but we’ll put that down to an occupational hazard of a midfielder who makes an impact in both boxes, unlike that of the under-performing Kagawa. 

The Team

Despite recording back-to-back victories in the first two matches of the stage, Saudi Arabia were very fortunate to have anything more than 1 point, after some debatable penalty awarding and generally some sub-standard finishing by their opponents. The challenge was expected to be considerably upped when they faced Australia and UAE this week, but the Green Falcons soared to collect another 4 points to surprisingly lead the way in Group B after 4 matches.

From the first minute in Jeddah against Australia, Saudi Arabia’s game plan had demonstrably improved from September. Pressing high up the pitch immediately against Asia’s inform team, they not only rushed the Socceroos’ attacking plays, but they spurred their own opportunities, through the ever improving Nawaf Al-Abed and Yehya Al Shehri on either flank. The Saudis may have lost the lead, going down 2-1 into the second period, but rebounded impressively through substitute Nasser Al-Shamrani, and could’ve easily found a winner late on.

The same organisation was shown against UAE after the weekend, but this time after they took the lead there was no looking back, comfortably putting their Emirati neighbours to the sword 3-0, including a potential goal of the year contender from Fahad Al-Muhwallad to open the rout. While Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk continues to generally look disinterested in Saudi football off the pitch, on it - he’s honed the wealth of talents at his disposal into a team now looking to upset the balance and qualify for the World Cup. Up next the real test to their development, an away trip to Japan.

The Talking Point

Chinese football continues to hog the headlines, with mainly western media outlets choosing to jump on any piece of negative news coming out of the country’s development since the well-publicised government injection of cash into the Chinese Super League. It’s hardly breaking news that the national team is still a way behind the elite in Asia, with little chance of qualifying for the World Cup, and so it ran according to trend that they recorded back to back defeats this week seeing coach Gao Hongbo resign from his post minutes after their 2-0 defeat in Uzbekistan.

The worthy discussion however surrounds their future direction. For a country starting at the bottom of the ladder with an ambition of competing for the World Cup trophy itself in the next 40 years, you’d assume some sort of foundations will have been established. However the complete opposite seems to be in place, with Gao’s last four games as coach of the national team seeing more short term decisions and plenty of grasping of straws in hope of picking up WCQ points rather than prioritising any worthwhile long term development experience.

Changes galore were made ahead of the Syria defeat last Thursday, before 7 more were made ahead of Uzbekistan. None seemed to be calculated, none seemed to be looking further afield than the present, and none seemed to be considering the fledgling talent they have. The worry is that China may be trying to run before they can walk, were they realistically thinking they could qualify for Russia? 

Whoever replaces Gao in the coming weeks or month, will need a long term plan spelt out. This team needs an identity, but it needs to be realistic with the quality it already has. To expect within a few years of spending big on overseas talent and academies, to then qualify for a World Cup at the first attempt would’ve been sadly amiss. The fact they are pretty much out already may at least force them to reconsider their position in Asia let alone the world and look to the long term.

WC Qualifying Review (Round 3 MD1 & 2)

Last Thursday saw international football in Asia ramp up a gear as we passed through to the final qualification stage along the Road to Russia 2018. Now down to the final 12 hopefuls the matches have clearly tightened up from the often one-sided open affairs which Round 2 was roundly scathed for. That being said, experience and quality continued to be the main catalysts, that alongside some debatable officiating (more of that later). Looking back on the last week of action, here’s the standout player, team and talking point from the Round 3 openers.

The Player

Quickly casting an eye over the opening fixtures in WCQ Round 3 in hope of plotting a path for an upset, Saudi Arabia’s first match-ups looked more than promising. At home to Thailand on Thursday before effectively playing a neutral fixture in Malaysia against Iraq the following Tuesday. In the end the score-lines proved the theory correct and Saudi Arabia top Group B alongside Australia, but it was far from an easy task. Three penalties over the two matches ended up deciding it, leaving Bert van Marwijk in the Saudi dugout owing a large debt of gratitude to Nawaf Al-Abed who stuck all three away.

The 5’6” pocket sized playmaker has become Saudi’s creative hub, now 26 has seemingly taken over the mantle from Al-Hilal team mate Salem Al-Dawsari. In both encounters this week he had bursts of influence, but the set-up of the team wasn’t there to fully harness his potential. He walks out of the week however with 3 goals from 2 games, smashing away three penalties, first the winner against Thailand late on in Riyadh, before the equaliser then winner (which he won himself) against a better on the day Iraqi side.

Questions will rage on, at least over the awarding of one of the penalties, but Saudi Arabia deserve immense credit for forcing six points when they could very easily be sitting only on one. How can they move forward into a credible dark horse for World Cup qualification then? The return of Mohammed Al-Sahlawi can’t come quick enough in attack, while van Marwijk desperately needs to develop a tandem to pair Al-Abed with another creative threat; Fahad Al-Muwallad seems to fit the bill after two impressive substitute cameos this week. With back-to-back home internationals against Australia and UAE in October, they know they can’t always rely on being gifted penalties and Al-Abed’s cool head to stick them away.

The Team

Round 2 was seen at times to be too easy for Australia, to the extent where they let their eye off the ball on a number of occasions most notably the loss to Jordan in Amman last October. But this past week has again shown why they should be considered Asia’s best hope of progressing furthest on the international stage with consecutive victories to start their Round 3 campaign.

Their home opener was widely assumed a given, which it proved to be. However Iraq, Asian Cup semi-finalists in 2015 are by no means pushovers as was evident in their Thursday clash with Saudi Arabia. Australia’s second match of the week however was deservedly put in the spotlight; a 1-0 away win against UAE in Abu Dhabi. The conditions were bordering on unbearable, the humidity was rendering some of the play meaningless, but instead of settling for the draw (which both team’s would’ve taken) the Socceroos clinched the vital winner through the unsurprising source of Tim Cahill, relishing in his new role as super-sub.

With their nearest realistic rival for top of the group Japan slipping up to UAE at home the Thursday before, you could make the case that Australia already look home and hosed after 2 matches. The resilient nature of this squad is a national trait that was instantly imposed by the coach Ange Postecoglou when he joined in 2014, but some of the play on the ball developed from that is starting to rival some of their European or South American rivals. With an away trip to Saudi Arabia before hosting Japan to come, October looks like another month where Australia can continue to write their own headlines.

The Talking Point

Referees and their questionable decisions has been a common topic of conversation over the last week for a couple of reasons; the quality has been highly questionable (which isn’t new) but crucially it has denied one of the so-called elite at least a point. Japan’s home opener against UAE, a broadly one sided affair possession wise, but the Emirates held their own on the counter. From an officiating perspective, there was nothing of note to raise the blood pressure really until the second period where decision after decision seemed to go against the hosts.

Firstly the awarding of UAE's equalising penalty, on first view a clumsy trip, second view a probable trip, but still contestable. Minutes later we had more penalty box decisions to debate; first Shinji Okazaki was seemingly pulled over in the box, on second viewing there was nothing in it. Secondly; Takashi Usami was blocked clearly by Ismail Ahmed just inside the box on the left, this did look clear-cut in retrospect; however both decisions were waved away. Finally the most contentious of them all; as substitute Takuma Asano saw his header clawed away by Emirati keeper Khalid Eisa after it clearly went over the line. With no goal-line technology in place in AFC football at present, this again went against Japan, being deemed a save, with a corner was given.

Now we’ve all been to matches where the referee has had one of those games where every decision seems to go against one team. This is usually contested after the match but broadly seen as a mistake or a lack of quality on the referee’s part. This example was different however, multiple opinions appeared on social media claiming match fixing, and some pointing to the referee because he was Qatari as a potential clash of interests. With no official protest since from the Japanese camp, where have these match fixing grounds come from? Were these decisions beyond the pale that only a crooked ref could make these calls, or is there something much darker in the psyche of some Asian football fans?

I posed the question after the event what differentiates bad decisions from suspicious decisions? Has the fact this has happened against one of the elite nations promoted such outcry? Elsewhere this week Saudi’s late penalty against Thailand appeared extremely debatable, while Bahrain (who in fact had three penalties awarded on the night) were awarded a penalty against Singapore without any seemed offence taking place (I encourage all to dissect the incident). These matches both affected lower ranked teams, while the second was only a friendly, consequently neither has caused much of an uproar.

It was pointed out to me that many East Asian referees have dropped clangers in major matches; the name of Australian referee Ben Williams hardly goes down well in many countries around the continent, but rarely would you hear of match fixing being suggested from them. The general standard in Asia, like the football on the pitch is clearly lower than the refereeing in Europe, even North America, so sadly these sort of decisions are going to occur until we seek improvement. To question the integrity of individual referees or worse individual nationalities does tread a worryingly divisive path however that continues to tarnish the federation's image.