Why you should be excited about the Asian Cup, even if you don't like soccer
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Version 0 of 1. The AFC Asian Cup, the tournament which I explain to my non-soccer-loving friends as, “like the World Cup, but just for countries in Asia,” begins in Melbourne tonight. Over the next three weeks, Australia will battle it out with 15 of Asia’s top soccer nations to claim the title of champions of Asia. A title that Australia came agonisingly close to in 2011, where an extra time volley from Japan’s Tadanari Lee got past our keeper and volleyed Australia’s hopes of winning right into the bin. Four years on, Australia has a new coach, an almost entirely new squad, and for the first time, the home ground advantage. Here are a few reasons why you should watch the Asian Cup, even if you’re not usually a fan of the world game. It’s like the World Cup except not at 3am Kick off for every game at the Asian Cup is between 6pm and 8pm (AEDT). So, when Tim Cahill inevitably scores another stunning goal you can scream, run around and remove items of clothing without waking up your family, housemates or pets. This will probably be Tim Cahill’s last international competition Tim Cahill is still in great form, but at 35 years old the thought of retirement, or at least international retirement, must be floating around inside his magnificent noggin. You couldn’t blame him if he does. An Asian Cup on home soil does seem like a fitting way for Australia’s all-time top goal scorer to end his international career. Having said that, if you’re reading, Tim: please don’t retire. Ever. Please. We still don’t have any proven goal scorers to take your spot. Please stay forever. Or, at least let us try to clone you. Australia actually have a really good chance of winning Expectations for Brazil 2014 were pretty low. The mood was something like, “As long as they’re not utterly embarrassed, I’ll be happy.” Not this time around. No, despite currently sitting at 94 on the FIFA world rankings, below fellow Asian Cup nations like Qatar (88), Oman (83) and Japan (52), Australia are actually in a good position to be crowned Asian champions. They’re not quite the favourites, but they’re close. Top players like Cahill, Mathew Leckie, Robbie Kruse and Mile Jedinak are all in good form and there’s the added bonus of the home ground advantage. I can’t think of another time Australia will be so well placed to win a major tournament on home soil. So jump on the band wagon, there’s plenty of space! The stakes are high The Socceroos have never won silverware. They only won one out of 11 games last year. Cahill is the only player to have scored in open play under new coach Ange Postecoglou. They hit triple figures in the world rankings in November last year. None of these things look good heading into the tournament, but then again, it will make winning Asia’s biggest trophy all the more satisfying. Feel connected to the region The Asian Cup is a great way to celebrate who we are and where we are. A nation of diverse backgrounds in a diverse region. Around 800 million people are expected to be watching us play host, so maybe tuck your shirt in. Take a break from the bleakness The Asian Cup is a great way to escape the seemingly unending horrors of modern life without completely disconnecting yourself from the outside world. It’s likely the only place you’ll see North Korea mentioned in a context that’s not about hacking Sony pictures or threatening to nuke everyone. Watching international sport is a fun way to learn about flags Seriously. Off the top of your head, do you know the difference between Jordan and Palestine’s flags? How about Oman and Qatar’s? They’re similar but different. Learning about whose flag is whose is a great by-product of watching any international sport. Believe me, you get a very satisfying, smug feeling when you’re at a pub trivia night and you can confidently correct someone who thinks the UAE flag is actually the Iraqi flag. It’s taken 10 years to get here The A-League started in 2005. Australia joined the Asian Federation in 2006. Western Sydney won the Asian Champions League last year and now Australia is hosting the Asian Cup. This competition is the culmination of 10 years of growth in Australian football. It’s our coming-of-age tournament. It’s our very own football version of the film Boyhood, if you will. Only without Patricia Arquette. And tonight, 11 of Australia’s best players will take to the field to show Asia just how far we’ve come. |