grimfan
07-14-2007, 03:06 AM
(The AFC Asian Cup is the most prestigious football trophy in Asia, the Asian equivalent to the Copa America or European Championship).
I'm not trying to be racist, and I feel like a hypocrite for singling out Australia in the AFC because if UEFA did the same thing with countries like Turkey or Israel, I would get really pissed off. I have nothing against Australia either because I've never been there, don't plan on going there anytime soon, and I generally know squat about how people are over there.
However, as the start of the AFC Asian Cup neared, I found myself filled with increasing dread at the prospect of debutante Australia carrying off the continent's most prized hardware. What would it say about the respectability of Asian football if a White country that had just joined the federation a few years before walked off with the ultimate prize? What if Australia swept through the entire tournament, making a mockery of all the development and enthusiasm of Asian football since the 2002 World Cup? The image of buzzcut Aussies smirking on the field in their easy glory while defeated and exhausted Thais, Japanese, Koreans, Iraqis, etc. lay in their wake stirred up horrifying parallels to colonialism.
The arrogant attitude of the Australian players didn't help either. In several articles, they spoke as if they were the obvious favourites in the tournament. While they were undoubtedly one of the expected victors, it was not the David vs. Goliath they seemed to be implying. For one thing, the Japanese squad is ranked higher by FIFA, and Iran and South Korea are only a few spots behind Australia. But the Socceroos didn't even mention any of their worthy challengers by name, referring to them as merely the general "stiff competition" (from formidable Japan to lowly Bahrain, with little difference amongst them all) they expected to face in their inevitable triumph over wimpy Asian athletes.
But alas, sweet reality has kicked in and the Australians find themselves in a deep hole, with only a point to show for their two games played. Even if they get lucky and make through the round, they'll have realized that the AFC, while not comparable to UEFA or CONMEBOL, is certainly no bush league, and that they should feel right at home and not feel out of place as if they should be in UEFA or something.
Of course, the half-assed excuses have already surfaced. Most common are the complaints about the weather, implying that Asia's some kind of alien and uninhabitable land. Suck it up. Is it any coincidence that Europe never wins a World Cup when it's played out of their little Western European comfort zone? Granted, Brazil and Argentina have never won in Europe, but they can claim World Cup victories in Mexico and East Asia. Europe only wins when they have home field advantage, with everybody else having to adjust. Why don't they just integrate??? And another explanation for their poor performance is the coach's accusation that the players don't really want to be there. WTF? Players don't want to participate in their federation's most important tournament? Is Southeast Asia (where the tournament is held) too exotic and savage for your cultured, convict-descended tastes?
Anyway, no offence to Australia, but I hope they crash and burn out of their maiden Asian Cup run. Then, maybe with some humility and respect, they can return in another 4 years and play their hearts out and win like honourable champions.
I'm not trying to be racist, and I feel like a hypocrite for singling out Australia in the AFC because if UEFA did the same thing with countries like Turkey or Israel, I would get really pissed off. I have nothing against Australia either because I've never been there, don't plan on going there anytime soon, and I generally know squat about how people are over there.
However, as the start of the AFC Asian Cup neared, I found myself filled with increasing dread at the prospect of debutante Australia carrying off the continent's most prized hardware. What would it say about the respectability of Asian football if a White country that had just joined the federation a few years before walked off with the ultimate prize? What if Australia swept through the entire tournament, making a mockery of all the development and enthusiasm of Asian football since the 2002 World Cup? The image of buzzcut Aussies smirking on the field in their easy glory while defeated and exhausted Thais, Japanese, Koreans, Iraqis, etc. lay in their wake stirred up horrifying parallels to colonialism.
The arrogant attitude of the Australian players didn't help either. In several articles, they spoke as if they were the obvious favourites in the tournament. While they were undoubtedly one of the expected victors, it was not the David vs. Goliath they seemed to be implying. For one thing, the Japanese squad is ranked higher by FIFA, and Iran and South Korea are only a few spots behind Australia. But the Socceroos didn't even mention any of their worthy challengers by name, referring to them as merely the general "stiff competition" (from formidable Japan to lowly Bahrain, with little difference amongst them all) they expected to face in their inevitable triumph over wimpy Asian athletes.
But alas, sweet reality has kicked in and the Australians find themselves in a deep hole, with only a point to show for their two games played. Even if they get lucky and make through the round, they'll have realized that the AFC, while not comparable to UEFA or CONMEBOL, is certainly no bush league, and that they should feel right at home and not feel out of place as if they should be in UEFA or something.
Of course, the half-assed excuses have already surfaced. Most common are the complaints about the weather, implying that Asia's some kind of alien and uninhabitable land. Suck it up. Is it any coincidence that Europe never wins a World Cup when it's played out of their little Western European comfort zone? Granted, Brazil and Argentina have never won in Europe, but they can claim World Cup victories in Mexico and East Asia. Europe only wins when they have home field advantage, with everybody else having to adjust. Why don't they just integrate??? And another explanation for their poor performance is the coach's accusation that the players don't really want to be there. WTF? Players don't want to participate in their federation's most important tournament? Is Southeast Asia (where the tournament is held) too exotic and savage for your cultured, convict-descended tastes?
Anyway, no offence to Australia, but I hope they crash and burn out of their maiden Asian Cup run. Then, maybe with some humility and respect, they can return in another 4 years and play their hearts out and win like honourable champions.