Asian Nations Need More Football Competitions To Improve Quality And Standard Of The Game

---

 
ON the sidelines of the recent 47th ASEAN Summit, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) president Gianni Infantino unveiled the concept of a new ASEAN Cup, a gesture which has received much appreciation from the ASEAN members and the football fraternity.
This Cup, for which the details have not been finalised yet, will be different from the ASEAN Football Championship also known as the ASEAN Cup.
The FIFA president’s initiative is welcomed as the ASEAN states need more football competitions, better training schemes, administration and organisation to improve their quality and standard of football.
In fact football standards have come down in Southeast Asia when compared to Indonesia, Malaysia and Burma during the 1960s and 70s as was observed in the annual Merdeka Tournaments during that period.
Over the decades some tournaments had faded into history or have lost their lustre and draw fewer participants. The once-popular Merdeka Tournament being one of them.
However, if Gianni Infantino’s concern was to raise the quality and standard of football , he should look at the bigger picture that is Asia football.
Asian football has perenially suffered from its poor quality, apart from some occasional flashes of brilliance, as can be seen in the past World Cups. What Asia needs to improve is to have more competitions.
The FIFA president should look into holding an Asian Regional Championship. Being the largest continent, Asia can be conveniently divided into various regions for this championship: West Asia comprising mainly Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf states; South Asia consisting of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan; Central Asia comprising Uzbekistan,Tajikistan and Turkmenistan; East Asia consisting of China, Japan, the Koreas and Taiwan; and Southeast Asia comprising the 11 ASEAN members. Australia too can be included.
The standard of Asian football is generally poor apart from some countries in West Asia such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as well as Japan and South Korea in East Asia.
The standard of football in South Asia and Southeast Asia is deplorably low and only more tournaments and better inducements can raise the level of the game. Central Asian football standards too have plummeted with the end of the Soviet era.
This biennial intra-regional competition can be named the Asian Regional Tournament with the best two winners from the regions playing to win the Championship.
The tournament can be hosted by anyone of the AFC members that is willing and if necessary with a FIFA subsidy to meet the expenses. Additionally, the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations, which was discontinued in 2007, can be revived with the best two from Africa and Asia vying for the title.
African football standards are much higher and Asian countries can benefit from this competition. One of the oil-rich Gulf countries can permanently host this tournament. FIFA needs to do more to raise the level and standard of football in Asian countries with more programmes and incentives for youth participation, training and football administration.
Asian nations are expected to progress much socio-economically in the next few decades and football as a sport can reap greater popularity and monetary benefits to sustain the ‘beautiful game’ with FIFA’s involvement and commitment. 
V. Thomas is a Focus Malaysia viewer.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT. 
- Focus Malaysia.

---