Posted 1 Week Ago at 04:03 PM by Maldini [From KallangRoar]
Basil Yeo
basil[at]kallangroar.com
SAFFC qualified for the AFC Champions League 2009 with a historical 2-1 win over PSMS Medan, aided by a wonder strike from Ahmad Latiff in extra time.
It is undoubtedly a massive achievement for the S.League, with its champions now able to play amongst the finest in Asia.
Yet it seems like an impossible task for our Warriors to progress to the next round of the tournament, given the type of competition within the group.
Yes, you would have to be insane enough to think that SAFFC would do well in Group G, which boasts representatives from three of the strongest leagues in the continent, at least in East Asia. Two of them are champions, one was a runner-up by a mere two points.
But the belief is there.
This is a whole new level of competition altogether, a far cry from the Jordanian and Omani teams which populate the second-tier AFC Cup. This is the big stage, and if SAFFC can prove themselves as worthy competitors against the bigwigs, we just may have found our route to national footballing success.
And so, I bring you the lowdown on the teams in Group G:
Kashima Antlers (Japan)
The current J.League Division 1 champions for two seasons now, Kashima Antlers is one of the most well-recognised clubs in Japan, with their distinctive red and black hoops. The Antlers demolished Thai and Vietnamese opposition in last season's ACL, scoring a massive 28 goals and conceding only three in the group stages.
Founded: 1947
Stadium: Kashima Soccer Stadium (40,728)
Coach: Oswaldo de Oliveira
Won the league and cup double in his debut season with the Antlers (2007). Has coached Brazillian Serie A teams like Corinthians, Fluminense, São Paulo and Vasco da Gama, winning numerous Brazilian league and cup titles with them. Highest honour achieved is the FIFA Club World Championship in 2000, when Corinthians defeated Vasco da Gama. Oliveira is the coach with the most credentials in the group.
Recent Honours:
2007, 2008 J.League Division 1 Champions
2008 Japanese Super Cup Runners-up
2008 AFC Champions League Quarter-Finalists
2007 Emperor's Cup Winners
Players to watch:
6. Koji Nakata (Japan)
Defensive midfielder
One of the important players in the Japanese national team. Suffered a knee injury in October 2008 which ended his season. Expected to make his return when the 2009 season begins. Formerly played for FC Basel where he impressed.
11. Danilo (Brazil)
Attacking midfielder
Nicknamed "Zidanilo" by the Kashima faithful, the Brazilian attacking midfielder has won a Copa Libertadores and a FIFA Club World Championship, both in 2005 with former club São Paulo. Scored 5 times in last season's AFC Champions League.
18. Marquinhos (Brazil)
Forward
The top scorer for the 2008 J.League season with 21 goals in 30 appearances. Awarded the Most Valuable Player Award in the same season. Managed a perfect score of 5 goals in 5 appearances for Kashima in the 2008 AFC Champions League season, his debut in the competition.
---
Shanghai Shenhua (China)
Shenhua is a young but relatively successful league in the Chinese football system. They were the last winners of the old Chinese First Division in 2003. It has not won the Chinese Super League, but managed to finish as runners-up thrice (2005, 2006, 2008). Another honour for the Shanghai-based club is their win in the 2007 A3 Champions Cup, where they overcame the Urawa Red Diamonds, Ilhwa Chunma and fellow Chinese side Shandong.
Founded: 1993
Stadium: Hongkou Stadium (33,060)
Coach: Jia Xiuquan
A man whose playing achievements exceed his coaching career. Jia played for Partizan Belgrade for one season in 1988/1989. This is his biggest coaching assignment to date, taking over the hot seat from Wu Jingui late in the 2008 season, and managing to guide Shenhua to a runners-up finish. Formerly the coach of the Chinese Under-23 Football Team.
Recent Honours:
2008 Chinese Super League Runners-up
2007 A3 Champions Cup Winners
Players to watch:
3. Mark Milligan (Australia)
Central defender/midfielder
The youngest player selected for the Australian squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Also participated in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and captained the 2008 Beijing Olympics side. Only 23, Milligan has been watched by several European sides in the past few years, but opted for three year contract with Shenhua.
5. Du Wei (China)
Central defender
Faltered in his European adventure on loan to Celtic, but Du Wei is by no means a pushover in the Asian environment. He has been a regular feature in the Chinese national side since the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.
7. Vyacheslav Hleb (Belarus)
Belarusian international who is the younger brother of Barcelona's Aliaksandr Hleb. Expect to see Arsenal and Barcelona fans coming down to watch the Shenhua games just for a glimpse of the superstar's brother.
---
Singapore Armed Forces FC (Singapore)
The most successful Singapore club since its inception in 1996, SAFFC have won the league a record seven times, and the Singapore Cup four times. They are the first club to win the double twice in a row - in 2007 and 2008, and made history by becoming the first club in the tropical island republic to qualify for the AFC Champions League.
Founded: 1996
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium (6,000)
Coach: Richard Bok
Took over at the helm of SAFFC midway through the 2006 season, and guided them to three consecutive S.League titles, including two consecutive Singapore Cups in 2007 and 2008. Under Bok, SAFFC has excelled in the group stages of the AFC Cup, topping their group in both 2007 and 2008, but in both years, the Warriors were knocked out in the quarters.
Recent Honours:
2006, 2007, 2008 S.League Champions
2007, 2008 Singapore Cup Winners
Players to watch:
3. Kenji Arai (Japan)
Central defender
Arai joined SAFFC from Albirex Niigata (S) in 2006 and established himself in the starting lineup at the heart of defence alongside Daniel Bennett. It was this rock-solid partnership that has protected Shahril Jantan's goal since then.
6. Ahmad Latiff (Singapore)
Attacking midfielder
Currently in his third spell with SAFFC, the disciplinary problems which have plagued Latiff's career seem to have stopped. He combined brilliantly with Therdsak Chaiman in the second round of the qualifying playoffs, which resulted in a 'goal-of-the-month' worthy strike to send SAFFC into the AFC Champions League.
8. Therdsak Chaiman (Thailand)
Attacking midfielder
AFC Champions League football has escaped the 35-year-old midfield general for too long, and he will be savouring his return into the competition with the Warriors. Named the Most Valuable Player in the 2003 competition with his former side BEC Tero Sasana, he spearheaded SAFFC's surge for qualification with three goals in two playoffs.
---
Suwon Bluewings (South Korea)
The Samsung-sponsored club is one of the most successful clubs in Asia. Despite being only 14 years old, the Bluewings have tasted domestic and continental success several times in their short history, even managing to pick up both the AFC Champions League and Asian Super Cup twice in succession, in the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Founded: 1995
Stadium: Big Bird Stadium (43,288)
Coach: Cha Bum-Kun
Cha is a footballing legend to Korea as much as Pele is to Brazil and Maradona is to Argentina. Lowest point of his coaching career was in 1998 FIFA World Cup when South Korea were thrashed 5-0 by the Netherlands in the group stage. He was immediately sacked and banned for five years after hitting out at the Korean Football Association. In 2003, Cha joined Suwon Bluewings and has led them to two K-League titles in 2004 and 2008.
Recent Honours:
2008 K-League Champions
2008 Hauzen Cup
Players to watch:
5. Li Weifeng (China)
Central defender
Standing at 1.82m, Li is known for his heading ability and poor sportsmanship. Infamously kicked out from from the Chinese national team, followed with numerous suspensions from the Chinese Football Association. One wonders who would come out on tops if he were to clash with Ahmad Latiff.
9. Edu (Brazil)
Forward
Eduardo Gonçalves de Oliveira, or better known as Edu, was the club's top scorer in the title-winning 2008 K-League season, with 12 goals. He scored his most important goal for the club in the second leg of the championship playoffs final, where Suwon triumphed over their rivals FC Seoul 2-1 to be crowned champions.
27. Seo Dong-Hyun (South Korea)
Forward
A 23-year-old who made his debut mainly as a substitute with impressive work rate in 2006, he was ruled out of most of the 2007 season due to injuries. However, the 2008 season was the revelation period for Dong-Hyun as he scored nine times in the league, earning him a call-up to the Korean national team along the way.
basil[at]kallangroar.com
SAFFC qualified for the AFC Champions League 2009 with a historical 2-1 win over PSMS Medan, aided by a wonder strike from Ahmad Latiff in extra time.
It is undoubtedly a massive achievement for the S.League, with its champions now able to play amongst the finest in Asia.
Yet it seems like an impossible task for our Warriors to progress to the next round of the tournament, given the type of competition within the group.
Yes, you would have to be insane enough to think that SAFFC would do well in Group G, which boasts representatives from three of the strongest leagues in the continent, at least in East Asia. Two of them are champions, one was a runner-up by a mere two points.
But the belief is there.
This is a whole new level of competition altogether, a far cry from the Jordanian and Omani teams which populate the second-tier AFC Cup. This is the big stage, and if SAFFC can prove themselves as worthy competitors against the bigwigs, we just may have found our route to national footballing success.
And so, I bring you the lowdown on the teams in Group G:
Kashima Antlers (Japan)
The current J.League Division 1 champions for two seasons now, Kashima Antlers is one of the most well-recognised clubs in Japan, with their distinctive red and black hoops. The Antlers demolished Thai and Vietnamese opposition in last season's ACL, scoring a massive 28 goals and conceding only three in the group stages.
Founded: 1947
Stadium: Kashima Soccer Stadium (40,728)
Coach: Oswaldo de Oliveira
Won the league and cup double in his debut season with the Antlers (2007). Has coached Brazillian Serie A teams like Corinthians, Fluminense, São Paulo and Vasco da Gama, winning numerous Brazilian league and cup titles with them. Highest honour achieved is the FIFA Club World Championship in 2000, when Corinthians defeated Vasco da Gama. Oliveira is the coach with the most credentials in the group.
Recent Honours:
2007, 2008 J.League Division 1 Champions
2008 Japanese Super Cup Runners-up
2008 AFC Champions League Quarter-Finalists
2007 Emperor's Cup Winners
Players to watch:
6. Koji Nakata (Japan)
Defensive midfielder
One of the important players in the Japanese national team. Suffered a knee injury in October 2008 which ended his season. Expected to make his return when the 2009 season begins. Formerly played for FC Basel where he impressed.
11. Danilo (Brazil)
Attacking midfielder
Nicknamed "Zidanilo" by the Kashima faithful, the Brazilian attacking midfielder has won a Copa Libertadores and a FIFA Club World Championship, both in 2005 with former club São Paulo. Scored 5 times in last season's AFC Champions League.
18. Marquinhos (Brazil)
Forward
The top scorer for the 2008 J.League season with 21 goals in 30 appearances. Awarded the Most Valuable Player Award in the same season. Managed a perfect score of 5 goals in 5 appearances for Kashima in the 2008 AFC Champions League season, his debut in the competition.
---
Shanghai Shenhua (China)
Shenhua is a young but relatively successful league in the Chinese football system. They were the last winners of the old Chinese First Division in 2003. It has not won the Chinese Super League, but managed to finish as runners-up thrice (2005, 2006, 2008). Another honour for the Shanghai-based club is their win in the 2007 A3 Champions Cup, where they overcame the Urawa Red Diamonds, Ilhwa Chunma and fellow Chinese side Shandong.
Founded: 1993
Stadium: Hongkou Stadium (33,060)
Coach: Jia Xiuquan
A man whose playing achievements exceed his coaching career. Jia played for Partizan Belgrade for one season in 1988/1989. This is his biggest coaching assignment to date, taking over the hot seat from Wu Jingui late in the 2008 season, and managing to guide Shenhua to a runners-up finish. Formerly the coach of the Chinese Under-23 Football Team.
Recent Honours:
2008 Chinese Super League Runners-up
2007 A3 Champions Cup Winners
Players to watch:
3. Mark Milligan (Australia)
Central defender/midfielder
The youngest player selected for the Australian squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Also participated in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and captained the 2008 Beijing Olympics side. Only 23, Milligan has been watched by several European sides in the past few years, but opted for three year contract with Shenhua.
5. Du Wei (China)
Central defender
Faltered in his European adventure on loan to Celtic, but Du Wei is by no means a pushover in the Asian environment. He has been a regular feature in the Chinese national side since the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.
7. Vyacheslav Hleb (Belarus)
Belarusian international who is the younger brother of Barcelona's Aliaksandr Hleb. Expect to see Arsenal and Barcelona fans coming down to watch the Shenhua games just for a glimpse of the superstar's brother.
---
Singapore Armed Forces FC (Singapore)
The most successful Singapore club since its inception in 1996, SAFFC have won the league a record seven times, and the Singapore Cup four times. They are the first club to win the double twice in a row - in 2007 and 2008, and made history by becoming the first club in the tropical island republic to qualify for the AFC Champions League.
Founded: 1996
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium (6,000)
Coach: Richard Bok
Took over at the helm of SAFFC midway through the 2006 season, and guided them to three consecutive S.League titles, including two consecutive Singapore Cups in 2007 and 2008. Under Bok, SAFFC has excelled in the group stages of the AFC Cup, topping their group in both 2007 and 2008, but in both years, the Warriors were knocked out in the quarters.
Recent Honours:
2006, 2007, 2008 S.League Champions
2007, 2008 Singapore Cup Winners
Players to watch:
3. Kenji Arai (Japan)
Central defender
Arai joined SAFFC from Albirex Niigata (S) in 2006 and established himself in the starting lineup at the heart of defence alongside Daniel Bennett. It was this rock-solid partnership that has protected Shahril Jantan's goal since then.
6. Ahmad Latiff (Singapore)
Attacking midfielder
Currently in his third spell with SAFFC, the disciplinary problems which have plagued Latiff's career seem to have stopped. He combined brilliantly with Therdsak Chaiman in the second round of the qualifying playoffs, which resulted in a 'goal-of-the-month' worthy strike to send SAFFC into the AFC Champions League.
8. Therdsak Chaiman (Thailand)
Attacking midfielder
AFC Champions League football has escaped the 35-year-old midfield general for too long, and he will be savouring his return into the competition with the Warriors. Named the Most Valuable Player in the 2003 competition with his former side BEC Tero Sasana, he spearheaded SAFFC's surge for qualification with three goals in two playoffs.
---
Suwon Bluewings (South Korea)
The Samsung-sponsored club is one of the most successful clubs in Asia. Despite being only 14 years old, the Bluewings have tasted domestic and continental success several times in their short history, even managing to pick up both the AFC Champions League and Asian Super Cup twice in succession, in the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Founded: 1995
Stadium: Big Bird Stadium (43,288)
Coach: Cha Bum-Kun
Cha is a footballing legend to Korea as much as Pele is to Brazil and Maradona is to Argentina. Lowest point of his coaching career was in 1998 FIFA World Cup when South Korea were thrashed 5-0 by the Netherlands in the group stage. He was immediately sacked and banned for five years after hitting out at the Korean Football Association. In 2003, Cha joined Suwon Bluewings and has led them to two K-League titles in 2004 and 2008.
Recent Honours:
2008 K-League Champions
2008 Hauzen Cup
Players to watch:
5. Li Weifeng (China)
Central defender
Standing at 1.82m, Li is known for his heading ability and poor sportsmanship. Infamously kicked out from from the Chinese national team, followed with numerous suspensions from the Chinese Football Association. One wonders who would come out on tops if he were to clash with Ahmad Latiff.
9. Edu (Brazil)
Forward
Eduardo Gonçalves de Oliveira, or better known as Edu, was the club's top scorer in the title-winning 2008 K-League season, with 12 goals. He scored his most important goal for the club in the second leg of the championship playoffs final, where Suwon triumphed over their rivals FC Seoul 2-1 to be crowned champions.
27. Seo Dong-Hyun (South Korea)
Forward
A 23-year-old who made his debut mainly as a substitute with impressive work rate in 2006, he was ruled out of most of the 2007 season due to injuries. However, the 2008 season was the revelation period for Dong-Hyun as he scored nine times in the league, earning him a call-up to the Korean national team along the way.
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