31 Jul 05 East Asian Cup

26 July 05 East Asian Title Up For Grabs

The second East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) Championship gets underway with a double-header in Daejeon, South Korea on Sunday.

The hosts, Japan, China and North Korea are the four teams who will be vying for bragging rights in a corner of the world where such privileges are highly prized.

However, China could be the nation that takes the tournament the most seriously. The country crashed out of World Cup Qualifying at the first stage, albeit by the margin of a single goal, to temporarily halt the progress that had been made in the years before.

The countryÂ’s stars will be watching the action in Germany next summer on TV and the European-based players will be doing the same next week as China, along with Japan and South Korea, hasnÂ’t called up those about to start a new season with their clubs in the west.

Still, any new players will understand what lifting the EAFF trophy could mean. Such a sight will be a sweet one in the worldÂ’s most populous nation if South Korea and Japan are both defeated. The 2002 World Cup semi-finalists for the simple fact that China has never defeated its tiny neighbour to the east and Japan would be a fine scalp for the Chinese in order to gain revenge for the 2004 Asian Cup final defeat.

North Korea are the ‘minnows’ of the competition but outperformed China by making it past the first stage of World Cup qualifying. Alas, it all stopped there as five games in the final stage have brought five defeats, riots, FIFA censure and a game behind closed doors.

The chance to beat their southern brethren will appeal to coach Yun Jong-su, who brought his players below the 38th Parallel on July 26, and he will also feel that his players have something to prove. The DPRK members performed well enough in those five matches but lacked luck, a killer touch and defensive nous. Two defeats by Japan were hard to swallow but a modicum of revenge can be won on July 31 in the central city of Daejeon.

South Korea triumphed in the 2003 version of the competition but the situation is slightly different this time as, along with 2002 co-hosts, Japan, the three games mark the beginning of preparation for the 2006 World Cup.

A erratic path to securing a World Cup berth has been forgotten at the moment in the wake of the excellent 4-0 clincher in Kuwait, the transfer of Park Ji-sung to Manchester United and the rise and rise of young striker Park Chu-young.

However, coach Jo BonfrereÂ’s position is not yet secure enough to ignore the EAFF and he will be under pressure not to lose any games. A poor performance would be forgotten after a successful World Cup but the ten months in between would feel much longer for the Dutchman.

JapanÂ’s Zico is in a similar position as the two most successful teams in East Asia are very much to be shot at by their neighbours to the north and the west.

27 July 05 China Gets Ready For East Asian Championship

China have endured a difficult year since losing the final of the Asian Cup to Japan on a warm Beijing evening in August 2004.

Crashing out of World Cup qualifying at the first stage came as a shock and with a lack of competitive football in the coming months has given the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) Championship a new meaning in the Middle Kingdom. South Korea, Japan and North Korea could be faced with a hungry Chinese machine that has a fierce will to win or one low on confidence and shorn of its stars.

For Coach Zhu Guanghu hasnÂ’t called upon his European based players such as Sun Jihai, Li Tie and Shao Jiayi, but has instead looked to youth, namely the players who impressed during JuneÂ’s World Youth Championships.

Li Yi, Shenzhen striker will not be surprised to find his name removed from the squad list as he has failed to find the net so far this season and his team-mate, goalkeeper Li Leilei is serving a suspension.

ChinaÂ’s Squad for the East Asian Football Federation Championship

Players:

Shanghai Shenhua - Xie Hui, Du Wei, Sun Xiang, Gao Lin

Dalian Shide - Ji Mingyi, Zou Jie, Feng Xiaoting, Zhao Xuri

Tianjen Teda - Liu Yunfei, Cao Yang, Hao Junmin

Shandong Luneng - inyu, Zhou Haibin

Chongqing Qiche - Li Jian

Beijing Hyundai - Xu Yunlong

Liaoning FC - Wang Liang

Inter Shanghai - Li Yan

Sichuan Guancheng - Zhang Yaokun

Wuhan Huanghelou - Zheng Bin

Shenyang Ginde - Chen Tao

Shenzhen Jianlibao - Zhang Yonghai, Li Weifeng

New Guys

Feng Xiaoting

– The tall centre-back is only 19 years old and has a bright future ahead of him. He is quick, elegant and good on the ball and has been compared to Rio Ferdinand.
He faced South KoreaÂ’s star striker at last yearÂ’s Asian Youth Championship and is looking forward to reacquainting himself with the young Korean sensation.

Hao Junmin

The 18 year-old midfield prodigy made his mark in the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in 2003, so much so that in April 2004 Chelsea gave the rising star a trial. Fortunately for Chinese fans, he is still at Tianjin Teda but with his vision and ability, it is unlikely he will stay for long. The Tianjin star has a vision on the field that is rare in one so young. Such skill earned him a trial with Chelsea in 2004 but


Chen Tao

The 20 year-old midfielder scored three times in the recent World Youth Championships and thought two strikes were from the spot, he is a vital part of the team. Or maybe we should say was, as the Shenyang star is more than capable of holding his own up front at the highest level.

27 July 05 The North Koreans Arrive!

The North Korean national squad has arrived in South Korea in order to participate in the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) Championship that kicks off on Sunday.

The team, dressed in dark blazers and grey slacks, arrived at Incheon International Airport an hour after leaving Pyongyang and greeted reporters and officials with “Nice to meet you” and “We will try our best.”

Unfortunately for the team, star player, Japan-based An Yong-hak of Nagoya Grampus Eight is injured and will miss the three game mini-tournament but Sanfrecce Hiroshima player Ri Han-jae is fit to play.

The games kick off on Sunday against Japan, on August 4 with South Korea and finishes three days later with a game against China.

28 July 05 East Asian Cup: Japan Ready

Japan is ready to bring back the East Asian Football Federation(EAFF) Championship from South Korea.

Japan National Team Manager Zico reflected back on the previous EAFF Cup, a competition held in Japan in December 2003 and won by South Korea, "A one goal difference took the Cup out of our hands; this time we hope to make the proper adjustments and win."

Zico refrained from calling up any of the European-club players, as they are currently in the midst of crucial mid-season training or dealing with possible transfers.

Despite the lack of Europe-based stars, fans of the J-league will certainly appreciate the first-time call-ups of three popular league players Murai, T.Tanaka and Konno. And the return of Abe will also feed the imagination of supporters as they wait for the games to begin.

The notable absentees are forward Takayuki Suzuki of Kashima Antlers and Tatsuhiko Kubo from Yokohama F. Marinos, who was called up after his long-term injury but promptly withdrew with the same back problem.

Zico reverted back to his usual tradition of revealing the most probable starting lineup -- Kawaguchi, M.Tanaka, Miyamoto, Nakazawa, Santos, Kaji, Fukunishi, Endo, Ogasawara, Tamada, and Oguro.

GK

Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi - Jubilo Iwata
Seigo Narazaki - Nagoya Grampus Eight
Yoichi Doi - FC Tokyo

DF

Atsuhiro Miura - Vissel Kobe
Makoto Tanaka - Jubilo Iwata
Takayuki Chano - Jubilo Iwata
Tsuneyasu Miyamoto - Gamba Osaka
Alessandro Santos - Urawa Red Diamonds
Keisuke Tsuboi - Urawa Red Diamonds
Yuji Nakazawa - Yokohama F Marinos
Akira Kaji - FC Tokyo
Teruyuki Moniwa - FC Tokyo

MF

Takeshi Fukunishi - Jubilo Iwata
Shinji Murai - Jubilo Iwata
Mitsuo Ogasawara - Kashima Antlers
Masashi Motoyama - Kashima Antlers
Yasuhito Endo - Gamba Osaka
Yuki Abe - Jef United Chiba
Yasuyuki Konno - FC Tokyo

FW

Tatsuhiko Kubo - Yokohama F Marinos
Keiji Tamada - Kashiwa Reysol
Masashi Oguro - Gamba Osaka
Tatsuya Tanaka - Urawa Red Diamonds


Brief Profile of New Call-Ups

Shinji Murai, 25 yrs old. Climbed the Jef United ranks from the Youth teams. He transferred to Jubilo Iwata just before the beginning of
this season and plays left sidehalf.

Yasuyuki Konno, 22 yrs old. Defensive midfielder. Played on the U-19 Japan team in 2001. Selected for the FIFA World Youth Japan squad in
2003. Played in the Athens Olympics U-23 Japan group games. Konno began his professional career at Consadole Sapporo before moving to FC Tokyo in 2004.

Tatsuya Tanaka, 23 yrs old. Entered Urawa Reds in 2001. Previous international experiences include U-21/22/23 Japan squads, Festival de
Toulon 2002, Olympic Asia qualifier games in 2003-04, and the Athens Olympics. He is a relatively small forward, 167 cm tall, and uses speed to break past defenders.

Japan will play North Korea on July 31, China on August 3, and Korea on August 7. The victor will be determined using the 3-1-0 point system;
if there are ties in points, goal differential will be used.

26 July 05 EAFF Championship: Problems For Japan

Zico's preparations for the East Asian Football Federation Championship have started on the wrong foot after only 15 out of 23 players turned up for training.
Seven players are involved with friendly games with European opponents. Five Jubilo Iwata players will join the camp in western Japan after their clubÂ’s clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

NagoyaÂ’s goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki is resting after a Sunday J-League encounter, Atsuhiro Miura of Vissel Kobe will be active in his teamÂ’s game with Bolton Wanderers and Yokohama F Marinos Tatsuhiko Kubo withdraw from the squad due to ill-health.

To make matters worse, Mitsuo Ogasawara and Masashi Motoyama of Kashima Antlers will leave the camp to play Manchester United on Thursday.
Japan arrive in South Korea on July 29 and face North Korea on July 31, China on August 3rd and the hosts four days later.