North Queensland pick up first A-League point

North Queensland FC picked up its first A-League point in yesterday evening's entertaining 3-3 draw with Adelaide United, however it could and probably should have been the club's first ever victory. Adelaide, however, amazingly almost snatched victory in the 93rd minute through a misdirected Cristiano header in what would have been another huge blow to the new A-League side. Australian football fans can breathe a sigh of relief that the A-League strugglers have finally picked up a point, but perhaps more importantly played decent football and outplayed an opponent for long periods of a match.

North Queensland perhaps surprisingly opened the scoring in the 5th minute through a composed Robbie Fowler finish. Fowler sweetly met fellow Englishman James Robinson's cross leaving Hindmarsh Stadium stunned. The Greens' habit of surrending cheap goals continued however, as defending and goalkeeping errors let in Reds pair Lucas Pantelis and Lloyd Owusu to claim the lead for Adelaide heading into half-time.

The second half belonged to North Queensland as Adelaide looked disjointed and struggled to move forward with real purpose. Ufuk Talay and Rostyn Griffiths both hit the post before big Netherlands Antilles international Dyron Daal gave the Townsville-based club a deserved equaliser in the 84th minute. Striker Daniel McBreen gave North Queensland the lead in the 87th minute with a bullet header. Adelaide, quite frankly, did not look like making a comeback until Daal bizarrely handled the ball in the Adelaide box in injury time. Pantelis obligingly scored from the spot, no doubt shattering the dreams of North Queensland fans for a first A-League win.

The talking point of the match has been Dyron Daal's bizarre injury time handball. Was it a foul by Reds defender Robert Cornthwaite? Was Daal pushed? What were Daal's hands doing up there in the first place? I do think Daal was fouled by Cornthwaite, but what Daal did was indeed very conspicuous and clumsy especially given his height. I feel for North Queensland and Daal. North Queensland were impressive and did not deserve to be robbed of their first A-League victory in such cruel circumstances, and Daal looked useful coming off the bench. Hopefully North Queensland can collect their first victory soon with Daal redeeming himself by being a big part of it.

In the other A-League match of the evening, defending champions Melbourne Victory continued their shocking record in Western Australia, succumbing 2-1 to an improving Perth Glory outfit.

World Football Weekly on Radio Australia

Today I tuned into ABC's Radio Australia online broadcast and caught World Football Weekly, a football-dedicated program which I had not heard before. It is hosted by members of the Four Diegos team. Football fans who tune into Melbourne's SEN 1116 radio station will most likely be familiar with the content and style of the Four Diegos. World Football Weekly, however, seems to go beyond Europe and complement Radio Australia's Asia-Pacific focus, offering a refreshing look at aspects of football in Asia and Oceania.

Amongst other topical issues of world football, in today's episode the team spoke about Tahiti's qualification for the upcoming U/20 World Cup in Egypt, and chatted to Thailand assistant coach Steve Darby in what was a fascinating insight into managing a national football team in Southeast Asia. Darby, who admitted to enjoying Tasmania as a holiday destination, amusingly said that the inclusion of a team from Tasmania in the A-League would make him swim across Bass Strait to get involved.

Interested football fans can read more about World Football Weekly on Radio Australia's website here.

World Football Weekly goes to air four times per week on Radio Australia's website at the following times:

Thursday - 1030
Friday - 1330, 1930
Saturday - 0130

All times quoted are Universal GMT. Broadcast times in your timezone can also be found by clicking here.

Making football big in the Philippines

Being a populous nation certainly does not guarantee success on the football pitch.

Just ask China, home to a staggering 1.3 billion people. If ever there was a a nation which asked so much of itself and underperformed equally as much, China would probably have to be it. The men's national team of the world's most populous nation has struggled both results and credibility-wise on the international stage for years. The most recent disappointment of being bundled out of the 2010 World Cup qualifying group stage by Qatar, Iraq, and Australia, only served to remind the Chinese of how far they have to develop. Constant allegations of corruption, discipline problems both on and off the field, and an underperforming national team probably all served to deflate China's bid for the 2018 World Cup.

However, to portray China as the only nation in Asia with a heap of unlocked football potential would be misleading. A number of populous nations within Asia are nowhere near what they could and perhaps should be in football terms. The huge nations of Bangladesh (FIFA World Ranking 169), India (156), Pakistan (167), and to a lesser extent Indonesia (134), are failing to harness the potential of football as a tool for international investment and interest. Indonesia however, did co-host the 2007 Asian Cup, making names like Bambang Pamungkas and Ellie Aiboy familiar to football fans around Asia.

South of China sits the remarkably diverse archipelago of the Philippines, a nation home to more then 90 million people. Once a strong football nation in Asia, these days the Philippines is pleased with any win at international level.

With four visits to this eclectic nation, one of those for an extended period, I feel I am somewhat qualified to talk about life in the Philippines. I am not, however, an authority on Philippine football thanks to the appallingly low level of coverage it receives in Philippine media outlets and the low levels of football interest amongst the general population. What I do know of Philippine football can be attributed to digging through the internet for a perspective over some years.

A most striking thing (aside from pollution, traffic, and heat) about a walk through downtown Manila is the amount of people wearing basketball singlets and the amount of people casually shooting some hoops. A jeepney or a tricycle emblazened with the logo of an NBA team might fleetingly catch your attention. Thanks to the legacy of American colonisation in the early 1900s and an enduring cultural fixation with America, basketball is big here, and football is not.

Basketball is an important thread in today's Philippine social fabric. In poor urban settlements, families crowd around television sets or makeshift basketball courts cheering on their players and selling their wares. In the provinces, the basketball court is a central element of a town's social, cultural, and sporting life. Barangay meeting places double as basketball courts and local basketball matches draw big crowds. Basketball makes a lot of Filipinos happy, and good on them.

Football struggles for attention in the Philippines against not just basketball, but also billiards, boxing, and even ten-pin bowling. However, some might be surprised at the pedigree of Philippine football dating back to the era of Spanish colonisation and the years as an American colony in the early 1900s:

- Barcelona legend Paulino Alcantara was the first Filipino and Asian player to turn out for a European club and is still the club's highest goalscorer in history with 357 goals in 357 games.

- In 1913, the Philippines organised the first ever Asian international football match in Manila. The Philippines emerged victorious against China 2-1.

- In 1917, the Philippines demolished Japan 15-2 in Tokyo to record their biggest international victory, a record which still stands today.

- In 1954, the Asian Football Confederation was founded in Manila.

In recent years, the Philippines has struggled to compete at international level and while the nation's FIFA World Ranking currently sits at 158, it had dropped to as low as 195 in September 2006. The Philippines has never qualified for an Asian Cup or World Cup and sadly, it does not seem that qualification for either tournament is realistic soon. Curiously, Philippine Football Federation decided not to enter the men's national team in the past two World Cup qualifying campaigns, robbing national team players of much needed games and experience.

The Philippine men's national team has in recent years embraced an interesting side effect of having millions of Overseas Filipino Workers and ex-pat Filipinos abroad. It has adopted a somewhat controversial policy of contacting and capping Europe and American-based players with Filipino blood such as Phil and James Younghusband, Neil Etheridge, and Chad Gould in order to boost national team standards. The policy has had some success with the Philippines recording some impressive results including a 7-0 thrashing of East Timor in 2006 and a 0-0 draw with Tajikistan in 2008. In the next decade, the Philippines should be looking to qualify for and do well in competitions such as the AFC Challenge Cup and the ASEAN Football Championship.

As much as anything, what football needs to succeed in the Philippines is a massive cultural shift and significant investment and expertise, particularly from Europe. Some argue that the Philippines would enjoy more success and exposure on the international stage if football is embraced more at the expense of basketball. This would mean more investment, interest, and infrastructure in the country. FIFA is recognising the potential of football in the nation with its contribution of funds to the building of a brand new Philippine Football Federation administration base in Pasig City.

In attempting to dig up information about Philippine football on the internet, sites such as philfootball.info and pinoysoccer.com do not seem to exist anymore which is a shame. In a nation dominated by basketball, a dynamic internet community driving discussion and debate is an essential element in improving football standards. Hopefully Filipinos are talking about football out there somewhere.

Philippine Mens National Team latest results:

18/04/2009 - Turkmenistan 5 - 0 Philippines (Friendly)
16/04/2009 - Maldives 3 - 2 Philippines (Friendly)
14/04/2009 - Philippines 1 - 0 Bhutan (Friendly)
23/10/2008 - Cambodia 2 - 3 Philippines (Friendly)
21/10/2008 - Philippines 1 - 2 Laos (Friendly)

Sukha makes promising A-League debut

Thai international Surat Sukha made history in Melbourne Victory's dramatic draw with Brisbane last night, becoming the first ever player from an ASEAN nation to play in the A-League. As expected, Sukha started on the bench, but was thrust into the pulsating encounter in the 79th minute as a substitute for Evan Berger. Sukha operated in his usual left full-back role and demonstrated a composed head on the ball and a willingness to go forward. The highlight of Sukha's debut was undoubtedly his driving run and long range effort on goal. It certainly roused the Thai-speaking fans sitting behind me who willed on their countryman with his every touch during the 3-3 draw.

Sukha's brief debut performance has been widely praised by Melbourne fans, with most wanting to see what the former Chonburi man can do in a starting role. Whether Ernie Merrick will give Sukha the chance to start against the bottom of the table North Queensland is up for speculation, as so far the Melbourne coach has preferred other defensive options. If Sukha does not start in the Townsville heat, however, we can probably expect to see him once again in a role off the bench and with another impressive performance can further stake his claim for a starting role in the coming weeks.

Sukha exuded spark and composure during his A-League debut and both Melbourne and Thailand fans should be pleased with his prospects.

AFC players in the A-League 2009/10

The 2009/10 season of the A-League will feature more players from fellow AFC nations than any season before. The reasons for the shift in recruitment focus from the lower leagues of England and Brazil to Asia are probably three-fold:

1. Australian clubs realising the need to become more integrated into the AFC. In the case of qualification for the AFC Champions League, signing an AFC player gives a club an extra foreign player in light of the 3+1 foreign player rule.
2. Australian clubs beginning to recognise and embrace the technical qualities of players from fellow AFC nations.
3. The growing credibility of the A-League as not only a decent league to play football in, but also as a viable gateway to a possible European move.

Also, while I don't think marketing and dollars plays a large part in persuading a club to sign an AFC player, signing an AFC player undoubtedly gives any A-League club a little more exposure in Asia. It also gives an A-League club a positive image as a welcome place for AFC players to play.

This year, six players from four AFC nations will line up in the A-League. They are:

Byun Sung-Hwan (Sydney FC, 1 game 0 goals)
Previous Club: Jeju United (Republic of Korea)
Position: Left Back

Byun is a 29-year old left back joining Vitezslav Lavicka's foreign legion at Sydney FC. He has been capped for the Korean national team twice and is signed to a two-year deal at Sydney. Made his debut and played the full 90 minutes against North Queensland on August 8. He looks a handy inclusion into the squad.

Jiang Chen (Wellington, 0 games 0 goals)
Previous Club: Tianjin Teda (China)
Position: Striker

Chen trialled with Wellington during their pre-season tour of China. He seemingly impressed enough to be offered a one-year loan deal. Chen did not feature in Wellington's Round 1 clash with Newcastle and it will be interesting to see how much game time he will get with Chris Greenacre, Paul Ifill, and Costa Barbarouses all offering striking options.

Kojiro Kaimoto (North Queensland, 1 game 0 goals)
Previous Club: Bonnyrigg (Australia), Tokyo Verdy (Japan)
Position: Right Back

Kaimoto was signed by North Queensland from NSWPL outfit Bonnyrigg on a short-term loan deal. The 31-year old is something of a journeyman in Asian football, having turned out for Gamba Osaka, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Nagoya Grampus, Albirex Niigata, and Tokyo Verdy during his career. Kaimoto somewhat surprisingly played the full 90 minutes of North Queensland's first ever A-League match against Sydney FC. The first Japanese player in the A-League since season two, Kaimoto looks competent at A-League level and might be looking to secure a full A-League contract.

Shin In-Seob (Adelaide United, 0 games 0 goals)
Previous Club: Konkuk University (Republic of Korea)
Position: Attacking Midfielder

Shin is a dynamic 20-year old midfielder recruited straight from the Korean university league. He failed to play in Adelaide's opening weekend win over Perth due to his international clearance not coming through in time. He is untried at professional level although according to Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar, "if he didn't come here he would probably have been chosen in the K-League somewhere." Shin's interest in playing in Australia was sparked by seeing Adelaide play in the AFC Champions League. Set to line up against Sydney FC in Round 2, Shin could well prove to be an astute get by the Reds.

Song Jin-Hyung (Newcastle, 22 games 1 goal)
Previous Club: FC Seoul (Republic of Korea)
Position: Attacking Midfielder

Song is another young Korean to watch in this season's A-League. Song disappointly missed most of Newcastle's AFC Champions League campaign through injury but will resume his midfield role this season with the Jets. Always energetic and looking to take players on, Song memorably nutmegged Melbourne's Matthew Kemp in the 2008/09 season. Probably needs to step his game up a bit this season.



Surat Sukha (Melbourne Victory, 0 games 0 goals)
Previous Club: Chonburi FC (Thailand)
Position: Full Back/Defensive Midfielder

Included in Melbourne's matchday squad for the Round 2 clash against Brisbane, Sukha will be hoping to make his A-League debut. Sukha has been capped 14 times by the Thai national team and actually played against Melbourne alongside fellow Melbourne recruit Ney Fabiano during Chonburi's 2008 AFC Champions League campaign. The first player from an ASEAN nation in top flight Australian football, Sukha will be hoping for a stellar season although Melbourne coach Ernie Merrick may prefer other defensive options.

Sukha to make A-League debut?

A-League champions Melbourne Victory have included Thai international Surat Sukha in their matchday squad for Saturday night's clash against Brisbane at Docklands Stadium. It is the first time Sukha has been included in Victory's matchday squad for an A-League fixture. Sukha has so far turned out for the club in just a handful of pre-season matches, most notably a friendly against English Premier League club Fulham.

Sukha was curiously omitted from last week's matchday squad which disappointly succumbed to a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of the Central Coast Mariners. With the injury of club captain Kevin Muscat, Victory's defensive stocks are thin and critics of coach Ernie Merrick's recruitment policy are growing more vociferous as the club looks to sign yet another striker.

Sukha is the first ever player from an ASEAN nation to play in Australia's top flight, and is one of a handful of AFC players recruited by A-League clubs in the off-season. He was signed from Thai Premier League club Chonburi to a two-year deal and should Sukha's stay in Australia prove to be a success, it is hoped that other A-League clubs will be encouraged to look for often underrated talent plying their trade in South-East Asia.

In being the first Thai player to sign for an A-League club, Sukha is something of a trailblazer and indeed an experiment. Australian football fans have become well aware of the technical quality on show in South-East Asia thanks to exposure to the Asian Cup and AFC Champions League. "I am very happy that I will be the first Thai player to play in Australia's top football league," Surat said. "I hope this will be the first step for other Thai players to follow", Sukha told the Bangkok Post in this article.

About 'Football Continent' and Introductions

Hi there, and welcome to my football blog. I have blogged on and off over the years about various things but found myself struggling for content and meaning. There really didn't seem to be a great reason to justify spending hours writing about an experience when probably a handful of people at the most read and appreciated the articles. The predecessor to this blog, albeit with a different domain, was a travelogue largely focused on my travels through the Philippines and Japan. I intend to continue my affinity with the Asian region through this blog, Football Continent. Football Continent hopes to provide and provoke discussion and debate about topical football issues from around the vast Asian Football Confederation; from club football to international football, from Australia to Japan to Saudi Arabia, from supporters issues to the negotiations at AFC headquarters.

There are indeed a lot of places on the internet for football fans to engage in lively, well-informed, and respectful discussion and debate regarding football matters. I already spend a lot of time writing about football on the internet through forums and comments on media. Through this blog I hope to further articulate my football opinions and create an organised space for them.

Football is the world game, and this means trying to listen to and appreciate a lot of opinions and styles, but above all trying to understand everything in a global context. I value football as a mechanism of understanding and co-operation between people and governments. It goes without saying though that things don't always end amicably in football circles.

Australia's historic move into the Asian Football Confederation, for instance, received far less attention than it deserved in the Australian media in light of the economic, political, and social (identity) ramifications for Australia. It will irrevocably change how Australia is viewed throughout the Asian region.

For the sake of transparency perhaps it would be wise to inform you that I am Australian, a supporter of Melbourne Victory in Australia's A-League and indeed the Australian national football team. Any perceived bias of preference for content regarding Australian football matters in particular largely reflects the superior knowledge I possess of Australian football issues and the Australian football media. Nevertheless, I shall endeavour to cover as much football as I can from every corner of Asia.

To my Japanese speaking friends, Football Continent will one day be available for reading in Japanese. The content and complexity of ideas featured in the Japanese articles will in the meantime, however, be decidedly less than what is offered in the English articles as I continue to grapple with the Japanese language.

Thanks for checking Football Continent out, and please feel free to comment on anything you see in the blog or send me an email. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated.

Clinton Moore