What exactly is a lemon?

There’s been a lot of talk over the past week or so in Australia over whether or not the 2015 Asian Cup will be a success but for me the key is in defining the specific notion of success.

2011 Asian Cup Champions – Japan

I’m currently writing from Jakarta, the venue for that dramatic final in 2007 when Iraq won their first Asian Cup and I can tell you the people here don’t know or care who Eddie McGuire is – the President of an AFL club who made the now infamous claim that the next Asian Cup will be a lemon.

We assume he means a complete failure and while I don’t share those sentiments there’s a lot of work to be done to ensure the event goes off smoothly.

Since I first lived in Japan in 1999 I’ve followed and been to more Asian Cups than most Australians so feel reasonably qualified to look back and assess what Australia needs to do to create a ‘showpiece event.’

There are a raft of measures that can be used to define success – attendance, viewing figures, ephemeral ideas of ‘atmosphere,’ security breaches, safety, infrastructure and on and on.

The first point that’s worth noting is that the FFA actually wanted to and managed to secure the rights.

Australia’s place in Asia has not always been welcomed and there remains a small band of dissenters who’d like nothing more than to see the back of the FFA – for this reason alone it’s important that Australia is seen as fully embracing the region.

Giving and not just taking.

I’ve written extensively on the A-League’s refusal to adopt the 3+1 rule and thus fully integrate itself with the other major leagues throughout the confederation so the fact Australia was prepared to bid to host the AFC’s flagship tournament was in itself a positive move.

However, and to my knowledge it’s never been reported in Australia but the FFA came perilously close to being denied the hosting rights.

A day after the final cutoff for bids (and with rumours swirling that the FFA was forced to provide last-minute bank guarantees to the AFC), Kuwait put forward a rival bid.

Normally, you would have expected this to have been at least explored but some behind-the-scenes maneuvering ensured that the tournament would head to Australia as ‘the sole bidder.’

There’s another story here yet to be fully told about a change in the AFC statutes to no longer allow sub-confederational rotation but that’s for another day.

Suffice to say I think the mere fact that Australia wanted to host the tournament is a positive step forward

The key now is to ensure the groundwork is properly laid.

Michael Brown and Shane Harmon – both with extensive experience at other sports – have snared the top two roles.

These are the key men who will determine whether or not the event is a ‘lemon’ and while I personally believe there should have been someone with organizational experience of football involved it’s perhaps not a fatal blow.

Eyebrows have certainly been raised in some sections of the AFC over just how little ‘football knowledge’ the pair have but there’s still time for that to come together.

By football knowledge I don’t mean an understanding of the laws of the game but more an appreciation of what a football fan wants/needs and to comprehend what is the planet’s most haphazard confederation.

Almost 20 different major language groups; half a dozen differing religions; vastly different socio-economic backgrounds, nations that are at war and those at peace; strings of different football pedigree and heritage.

Will the Australian fans turn up?

The key figures in the LOC have, despite their experience elsewhere, never faced as complicated a challenge as this.

Major decisions have already been made – the call to exclude Perth and Adelaide upset many and there’s some talk that Canberra may be cut from the final list of venues.

The state governments in Victoria, NSW and Queensland are believed to have heavily backed the initial venue list and so the decision was made to cut other key areas and indeed whole states.

On the one hand, it’s a big blow for football lovers in those regions but also a logical one given the geography of the country.

Only twice previously – in Iran and China – have the AFC faced a similar problem.

The first time (1968) Iran hosted Tehran was the sole venue, the next (1976) Tabriz was included but the matches were centralised.

China presented a massive problem by using 4 venues dotted around the country and this is where I think Australia has got it right in a partial restriction.

But, it’s got it wrong by not following Iran’s lead and playing all group matches at the same venue.

This issue really has the potential to up the ‘lemon value’ – rather than using say Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra for the group stages we are now asking people to fly all the way here – and then fly a whole lot more.

It makes the tournament prohibitively expensive; I know from personal experience in 2004 in China there was no way that you’d go to Chongqing or Chengdu when you could simply stay in the east and shuttle between Beijing and Jinan.

Through no fault of the LOC Australia has a woeful rail network meaning flying is the only option and this, in my opinion, will keep away a vast majority of not only fans but also media that otherwise would have travelled.

Which means there is a need to focus on domestic attendances and this is an area where the FFA has struggled in the past.

Again, the value of centralising venues could have meant that specific regions with a large population from that nation could have been targeted – Japan in Brisbane, Iran in Melbourne, China in Sydney and so on.

There are however major pitfalls with simply assuming that the ‘migrant population’ will just turn up. The FFA and A-League clubs have shown a woeful lack of interest in utilizing foreign-language media throughout Australia – in my opinion, to their detriment.

Anyway, attendances have varied widely throughout the tournament’s history; for those that remember Lebanon in 2000 you could count most crowd figures on the fingers of the assembled players.

China reached huge heights – but only for selected fixtures. Indeed the final in 2004, given the historical and political tensions between the China and Japan remains one of my most vivid footballing memories.

2007 was a hotch-potch with 4 venues but still then and in 2011 supporter numbers where by-and-large at historical averages.

The simple fact remains that Asia, in football terms, is a vast region and not everybody can afford to take off and travel to the other end of the planet.

TV viewing figures are also quite often misleading as timezones will determine how many people tune in. Australia 2015 can expect a large audience from the big players in north-Asia and that’s a hell of a lot of people.

Yet, just as importantly the kickoff times will make things hard for those in the Middle East (likely to provide the majority of nations competing)

Similarly, ‘atmosphere’ is often used as a determinant of success but as we’ve seen with the never-ending debate about Qatar’s 2022 hosting rights what one person defines as excitement another derides as inappropriate.

So surely a tournament that manages to get all these ‘little’ things largely right is what we’re aiming for.

Maybe a combined travel ticket that includes flights to and within the venues; targeted cultural events to help promote and enliven the tournament; free-to-air television exposure; fanzones as we’ve seen FIFA implement so successfully; foreign-language tabs on the official website and an organizational approach which ensures no A-League Grand final-type stuff-ups occur.

It may be difficult to judge what constitutes a successful Asian Cup but it’s easy to tell when one goes wrong.

Scott is currently travelling around Asia and you can read more of his opinions and stories on Asian Football Feast over the coming months. Be sure to also read his regular blogs for The World Game.

Argentinian midfielder Dario Conca (right) scored a stoppage time penalty as Guangzhou Evergrande edged out Buriram United

Dario’s Conca scored a stoppage time penalty on Tuesday as Guangzhou posted a 2-1 win over fellow continental debutants Buriram to top Group H ahead of J.League champions Kashiwa Reysol, while also eliminating former winners and reigning K-League champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

And after FC Tokyo lost 1-0 to Ulsan Hyundai on Wednesday to finish as Group F runners-up, the J.League side will make the trip to Tianhe Sport Center on May 30 for the one-off knockout tie.

Guangzhou, though, will have a new coach at the helm after Korean Lee Jang-soo confirmed his departure from the current Chinese Super League leaders following the win over Buriram.

After riding their luck to beat FC Tokyo thanks to Kang Min-soo’s first half strike, last year’s K-League runners-up Ulsan will entertain Kashiwa after the tournament debutants beat Jeonbuk 2-0 in Korea thanks to goals from Leandro Domingues and Junya Tanaka.

Elsewhere, Esteghlal have been handed the ideal chance to gain revenge for missing out on the Iran Pro League title by just one point after being drawn to face three-time domestic champions Sepahan in a mouth-watering tie in the Round of 16.

Prior to the final round of Group Stage fixtures in the AFC Champions League, Sepahan had shared a goalless draw with Mes Sarcheshme on Friday to claim a third consecutive Iranian Pro League title ahead of both Esteghlal and Tractor Sazi.

And with Sepahan beating Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli 2-1 thanks to a late header from Mohsen Bengar to finish at the top of Group C, Zlatko Kranjcar’s side will entertain Esteghlal at Foolad Shahr Stadium on Tuesday after the play-off winners finished second in Group A despite a 2-0 win over Nasaf.

Also in the West, two-time winners Al Ittihad and UAE Pro League side Al Jazira will entertain Iran’s Piroozi and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli after posting the highest points totals in the Group Stage.

Mohammed Faouzi scored deep into stoppage time as Al Ittihad rounded off their Group B campaign by coming from behind twice to beat Al Arabi 3-2 in Jeddah on Wednesday, while Brazilian forward Ricardo Oliveira scored all four of Al Jazira’s goals as the 2011 UAE Pro League champions recorded a 4-3 win over Al Rayyan of Qatar.

Both Al Ittihad and Group A winners Al Jazira amassed 16 points from their six games to post unbeaten records in the Group Stage along with Al Hilal, Japan’s Nagoya Grampus and Korean duo Ulsan and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma.

Al Ittihad, who won the AFC Champions League in 2004 and 2005, reached the semi-finals last year while Al Jazira are making their first appearance in the knockout stage after failing to qualify for the last three years.

Piroozi will make the trip to Jeddah’s Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium next week after coming from a goal down to beat Al Shabab Al Arabi of the United Arab Emirates 3-1 thanks to goals from Eamon Zayed, Mehrdad Pooladi and Hossein Badamaki.

The Iran Pro League side, though, were forced to settle for a runner-up finish in Group D after Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal beat Qatar’s Al Gharafa 2-1 to secure a place in the knockout stage for a fifth consecutive season.

And Al Hilal will entertain tournament debutants Baniyas after Senegalese forward Andre Senghor and substitute Amer Abdulrahman scored to hand the UAE Pro League side a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor.

Finally, 2008 finalists Adelaide United will entertain Japan’s Nagoya Grampus after beating Gamba Osaka 2-0 to top Group E, while Uzbekistan champions Bunyodkor will face 2010 winners Seongnam in Korea after beating Pohang Steelers 1-0 in Tashkent.

Adelaide had already secured qualification but claimed a fourth win of the campaign to top the group as Sergio van Dijk scored his first goal of the campaign in Osaka, while Nagoya beat Central Coast Mariners 3-0 but missed out on top spot in Group G to Seongnam on goal difference.

Seongnam’s 3-0 win over Tianjin Teda in China proved crucial as the K-League side edged out Nagoya, with Bunyodkor claiming a fifth consecutive appearance in the last 16 after Anvar Gafurov’s header at the start of the second half was enough to edge 2009 champions Pohang.

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The situation is just as it was predicted prior to the season. With over half a season already played in the Malaysian Super League, Kelantan are looking odds on for yet another title triumph. And if there is one reason behind their dominant season so far, it has to be that element of consistency.

Bojan Hodak

Even in Europe, consistency plays an essential role in a team’s success. There is no doubt that Real Madrid managed to pip Barcelona to the La Liga title this year with that extra edge in terms of consistency favouring Jose Mourinho’s men. So far, that seems to be the case with Kelantan.

From the first 16 games in the Malaysian Super League, Kelantan have notched up 11 wins, losing only once against Selangor. Better still, they have conceded only 11 goals which is undisputedly the best defensive record in the league thus far. These stats indeed reaffirm the superiority that the East Coast side holds within the Malaysian Super League currently.

Having lifted the Malaysian Super League title under the tutelage of Dato’ M. Karathu last year, the Red Warriors were understandably touted as favourites for this campaign.

Predictably, they did kick off the 2012 season impressively, notching up four wins in their first five fixtures. Despite that, they were not spared controversy as the crisis between Coach Peter Butler and Kelantan FA President Tan Sri Annuar Musa resulted in the former being sacked despite being in the midst of the season.

But while many expected that to be a turning point in Kelantan’s impressive start to the season, they were all proven wrong yet again. Former UPB My-Team coach Bojan Hodak was drafted to continue the legacy and the Croatian has impressed immensely with his astute tactics and flair.

The Red Warriors initially struggled to find the chemistry with their foreign signings, as Mohammed Ghaddar and Denny Antwi failed to showcase their capabilities under Peter Butler. But the arrival of Bojan Hodak triggered a revival in fortunes and we have all seen the deadly form of Ghaddar since then.

But besides consistency, what has been the unique aspect of Kelantan’s performance so far this season?

Fluid tactics and free-flowing football

How do we define Kelantan’s football and how to they implement their brand of football into tactics involving different players? In previous seasons, a tactic that we have rarely see employed in Malaysian football is the ability to maintain possession in the opponent’s half, including Kelantan. They rarely packed the box when the ball is out wide at the conclusion of an attacking move in contrast to the brand of football elsewhere in Asia.

But the whole dimension seems to be different for Kelantan now. They are patient in holding onto the ball and they are more composed in building up attacks as well. Nurul Azwan Roya and Badri Radzi look absolutely dominant in midfield and both players are capable to building up from the back. The Red Warriors are equally composed upfront, where Norshahrul Idlan Talaha and Mohammed Ghaddar have been pulling the strings outstandingly.

Success begins at the back

Mahmoud Ghadar

Success means winning things, which is the obvious solution to create the desire to win more games. But an important element of success is defensive stability. This is something that has been visible with the Red Warriors. They have the confidence at the back, and the likes of Subramaniam and Obinna Nwaneri have proved to be a great combination in shutting down the opposition. This requires defensive experience and having good leaders who understand the importance of defending smartly.

The Subra-Obinna partnership seems to be doing the trick for Kelantan, with opposition teams finding it hard to penetrate them. It totally translates into their statistics where they have only conceded 11 goals in the Malaysian Super League so far.

Determination and Grit

In order to successfully dominate a particular match, pressuring the opponent and attempting to regain possession is absolutely essential. That element of ‘closing down’ is vital and Kelantan have been portraying that immensely. Very few squads have that ability in the Malaysian Super League and Kelantan are definitely one of them.

The Red Warriors have always been solid as a squad, but the arrival of Bojan has seen them improve individually as well. Key players like Badri and Indra Putra are more than capable of replicating roles in midfield, while Subramaniam is equally versatile in any defensive position. That flexibility throughout the field has been a significant aspect of Kelantan success so far this season.

The barriers to success are complex, but Kelantan have proved that they are more than capable of matching up to any challenge. Most importantly, the Red Warriors are oozing with confidence on the back of their impressive run this season.

The campaign isn’t quite coming to an end yet, but if Bojan Hodak’s men can maintain their terrific tempo, I see no reason why they will not retain their Malaysian Super League title.

Ghanaian striker Derek Asamoah scored his second goal of the campaign two weeks ago

The K-League side only need to avoid defeat at Jar Stadium to advance from Group E alongside Australia’s Adelaide United, although their task is complicated by Bunyodkor’s need to claim all three points to advance to the Round of 16 for a fifth consecutive season.

With Adelaide ensuring qualification following a goalless draw with the Uzbeks champions at the start of May, Kim Jin-ryong and DerekAsamoah scored as 2008 AFC Champions League winners Pohang beat Japan’s Gamba Osaka to move two points clear of Bunyodkor with just one game remaining.

“The match against Bunyodkor is now very important,” said coach Hwang Sun-hong, who won the Asian Club Championship twice with Pohang as a player in 1997 and 1998, following the win over Gamba.

“As it will be a decisive game, I will ask my players to keep their concentration for the next match.”

Bunyodkor, who have lost in the Round of 16 for the last two seasons after reaching the semi-finals in 2008, beat Pohang 2-0 in Korea on Matchday Two and warmed up for the return fixture with a 2-0 win over Olmaliq Friday to move level on points with Nasaf at the top of the Uzbek League.

“Everything is now in our hands as we have the last match at home in our city against Pohang Steelers, and if we beat them we will be in the next stage,” said Bunyodkor coach Mirdjalal Kasimov following the goalless draw with Adelaide.

“It will be difficult, but it is possible to win and go through to the next stage.”

With the defeat by Pohang signaling elimination for 2008 champions Gamba, Adelaide need to win in Japan to be certain of top spot in the group although a draw or defeat could still be enough as long as Pohang fail to beat Bunyodkor.

“They are a good side and they’ve got a lot of respect in Asia and they’re not going to come out next Wednesday night and play to lose – no professional team does,” said Adelaide coach John Kosmina.

“We’ve got to go there in the frame of mind that we’ve got to get a result, it doesn’t matter that we’ve already qualified, we’ve got to get a result.”

Iain Fyfe is set to start at centre-back in place of the injured Osama Malik for Adelaide, with Sergio van Dijk pressing for a start up front after Bruce Djite started all the previous five games in the competition.

In Group F, Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai entertain fellow qualifiers FC Tokyo with top spot up for grabs, while Beijing Guoan travel to Australia to face Brisbane Roar.

With Ulsan and FC Tokyo already assured of qualification, the Japanese Emperor’s Cup winners need to avoid defeat to earn home advantage against the runner-up from Group H.

Ulsan, who lost 2-1 to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the K-League on Friday, will be without suspended Japanese midfielder Akihiro Ienaga.

In the West, AFC Champions League ever-presents Pakhtakor travel to the United Arab Emirates needing to pick up all three points to advance from Group B ahead of the tournament debutants Baniyas.

With unbeaten two-time winners Al Ittihad already assured of top spot ahead of their meeting with Qatar’s Al Arabi, second place Baniyas hold a one-point advantage over Pakhtakor after the pair shared a 1-1 draw in Tashkent on Matchday Two.

Defender Egor Krimets will miss the game for Pakhtakor after being sent-off during the 2-1 home defeat by Al Ittihad, while Baniyas midfielder Sultan Al Ghafri is also suspended.

Finally in Group A, play-off winners Esteghlal need just a point from their visit to Uzbekistan to face already-eliminated AFC Cup winners Nasaf to advance from Group A alongside Al Jazira.

Esteghlal coach Parviz Mazloomi, though, must re-shuffle his side with midfielder Andranik Teymourian and defenders Hanif Omranzadeh and Ali Hamoudi suspended.

Al Jazira have already won the group after posting four wins from five games, but face an Al Gharafa side in Doha who must win and hope Esteghlal fail to beat Nasaf to advance to the last 16 of the AFC Champions League for the first time.

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Lee Dong-gook has scored four goals during the 2012 ACL campaign

The pairing of the 2011 K-League, J.League, Chinese Super League and Thai Premier League champions in the same group was always bound to ensure a highly competitive campaign, and it has delivered with all four still in contention to advance ahead of the final round of Group Stage fixtures.

Jeonbuk need just a point at home to debutants Kashiwa to advance to the knockout stage for a third consecutive season, while victory for the 2006 champions will secure top spot and home advantage in the Round of 16.

Jeonbuk beat Guangzhou 3-1 in China last time out at the start of May with Lee Dong-gook scoring twice in the closing stages as last year’s tournament MVP and top goalsocer took his 2012 tally to four to leave last year’s beaten finalists on the verge of a place in the last 16.

Kashiwa realistically need to win to keep their hopes alive, with the J.League side level on points with fellow continental debutants Guangzhou, who travel to Thailand to face Buriram.

Guangzhou know victory will secure qualification after beating Kashiwa at home on Matchday Four while a draw will also be enough as long as Jeonbuk avoid defeat at Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

And given the importance of the game, Chinese Super League leaders Guangzhou left for Thailand last Tuesday and Korean coach Lee Jang-soo fielded a second string line-up in Friday’s 3-1 defeat by Dalian Shide.

But Lee will be without suspended number one goalkeeper Yang Jun with Li Shuai set to deputise, while Argentinean midfielder Dario Conca is unlikely to feature after being handed a nine-match suspension by the club following the home defeat by Jeonbuk.

Buriram, meanwhile, are a point adrift at the foot of the table despite suffering back-to-back defeats by Jeonbuk before losing to Kashiwa last time out, and also must hope the J.League side fail to win in Korea.

Coach Attaphol Puspakom will also be forced into at least one change with Cameroonian defender Yves Hermann Ekwala suspended after being sent-off in the 1-0 defeat by Kashiwa.

“We know that we are very strong at home,” said Buriram striker Franck Ohandza, who scored twice in the 3-2 defeat by Jeonbuk on Matchday Four.

“People love football in Thailand. They (our fans) really inspire us, they love us, and we love them.”

In Group G, 2010 champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma need just a point against already-eliminated Tianjin Teda in China to advance, while Nagoya Grampus entertain Central Coast Mariners with both sides seeking three points at Mizuho Athletic Stadium.

Australia’s Central Coast kept their hopes alive of a maiden appearance in the last 16 after picking up their first win in the AFC Champions League against Tianjin two weeks ago, and Graham Arnold’s side need a repeat performance in Japan to secure qualification.

“We are absolutely still in it with six points,” said Arnold following the 5-1 win over Tianjin on Matchday Five.

“We have performed well so far expect for the Seongnam game and there were reasons for that. We have got two weeks before Nagoya and we know what we have to do.”

Arnold will be without suspended right-back Pedj Bojic as the Mariners look to join fellow A-League side Adelaide United in the last 16.

Second placed Nagoya, though, need just a draw to maintain their one point advantage over the Mariners to advance to the last 16 for a second consecutive season.

In the West, Iran’s Piroozi know victory over already-eliminated Al Shabab Al Arabi in Dubai will secure qualification, while Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and Qatar’s Al Gharafa meet in Riyadh with both sides still in contention.

Al Gharafa must win to qualify for the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League for just a second time but will be without suspended Brazilian striker Diego Tardelli, while Al Hilal need only a point to advance to the last 16 for a third consecutive season.

Al Hilal, who lost in the Round of 16 to domestic rivals Al Ittihad last year, can still advance should they suffer a first defeat of the campaign as long as Piroozi fail to beat winless Al Shabab Al Arabi.

With Piroozi in the driving seat to top the group, the runner-up from Group D will face two-time winners Al Ittihad in the last 16.

Finally in Group C, Iran’s Sepahan and Saudi League runners-up Al Ahli have both already secured qualification, with top spot to be decided as the pair meet at Foolad Shahr Stadium, although the visitors need just a point due to their superior goal difference.

Al Ahli, though, will be without suspended Victor Simoes after the Brazilian striker scored his fourth goal of the campaign in the 3-0 win over Lekhwiya at the start of May but was also booked for the second time.

With the qualification picture already decided, UAE Pro league side Al Nasr can finish with victory over Qatar champions Lekhwiya in Doha.

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It’s holiday season in Japan with the arrival of “Golden Week”, a confluence of several public holidays that gives most of Japan the chance to take their longest extended break for the year. Much to the football fan’s delight, however, Japan’s professional football players have three games in eight days to contend with.

Sandwiched between two weekends Round 9 was 2 games short as the J-League’s Asian Champions League combatants had their games held back until the end of June. With the way the season has panned out so far it featured a number seemingly uneven match-ups between teams at either end of the table, but that didn’t mean that we weren’t up for a few surprises.

Consadole Sapporo 1-0 Cerezo Osaka

Sapporo players celebrate their first win of the season (J. League Photos)

Consadole Sapporo were still winless going into their ninth league match and barring a massive turnaround in fortunes even at this early stage are bound for the second division next year, it seems. Travelling to the fresher climate in the far north of the country was Cerezo Osaka who have been running hot and cold so far this season, as their 4-1-3 record attested.

Against the cellar dwellers, however, one would expect a team ever-capable of scoring a more than a handful of goals and headlined by explosive young Japan-representative midfielder Hiroki Kiyotake to take three points back south to Kansai.

Sapporo’s Yusuke Kondo had other ideas, however, snatching the lead for the home team in the 25th minute. Cerezo attacked throughout, corners mounting up as well as shots. Whilst clinging to a slender lead, Sapporo were still dangerous, doggedly defending from the front. On 55 minutes Shunsuke Maeda dribbled from near the half way line and through three defenders to get a 1-on-1 with the keeper but put his off-balance shot just wide of the right hand post.

Cerezo Manager Sergio Soares had rung the changes in the second half in an attempt to make up the deficit, but strangely “super-sub” Ryuji Bando was left unused on the bench whilst Brazilian forward Kempes toiled fruitlessly up front for the whole game. Sapporo hung on to get their first win of the season, much to the joy of their passionate fans.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0-1 Albirex Niigata

Niigata surprised the more fancied Hiroshima (J. League Photos)

Sanfrecce Hiroshima sitting in second position met second last Albirex Niigata at Hiroshima’s Big Arch Stadium. The attacking style established at Sanfrecce under manager Mihailo Petrovic hasn’t been lost after his defection to Urawa Reds in the off-season and they’ve put weaker teams such as Kawasaki and Gamba to the sword already this season.

Niigata, on the other hand, have struggled to create and put away chances and Cerezo Osaka are their only scalp of the season so far. The pattern of this game followed a similar trajectory in that Hiroshima created most of the chances and Niigata given slim pickings.

Yet the deciding goal of the contest came from one of those in the 63rd minute when Albirex spread the ball out to the right wing to advancing full back Jun Uchida, who had the time to put in a measured high cross to the back post. Hiroshima defender Ryota Moriwaki cleared poorly, simply knocking it back to the penalty spot where  Naoya Kikuchi running in, pounced and shot truly past the exposed Hiroshima keeper, Shusaku Nishikawa.

Despite out-shooting the visitors, Sanfrecce couldn’t find an equaliser and added a third narrow loss to their record this season, dropping to third on the table whilst the three points lifted Niigata to 16th but with still much to do to convince many that they are not bound for the second division next season.

Sagan Tosu 1-1 Vegalta Sendai

Sagan Tosu shocked league leaders Vegalta Sendai (J. League Photos)

Top of the table Vegalta Sendai had a long away trip down to the most southern of Japan’s main islands, Kyushu, to play Sagan Tosu of Tosu-city in Saga Prefecture.

Both teams play a very similar style of game, quite physical and generally sitting back, crowding the midfield and hitting on the counter. This season it should be noted, though, that Sendai have scored the highest number of goals in the league and that they are startting to play a bit more of an expansive game on occasion, whilst Tosu have taken Vegalts’s crown as the most miserly defense to this point.

In the seventh minute Tosu got an early warning when Sendai’s Toshihiro Matsushita volleyed a cross into the ground and over Tosu’s keeper, only to rebound off the bar. The home team responded with chances of their own, the first from a long throw, cleared by Sendai midfielder Shingo Tomita but only as far as the dangerous Kota Mizunuma lurking just outside the box. His shot went just a fraction high and wide of the left post, whilst the shortly afterward Yohei Toyoda with a free header didn’t make Sendai keeper Takuto Hayashi work hard enough for a save, easily catching it whilst falling away to his left.

As so happens when a team doesn’t put away it’s chances, they then fall behind. Vegalta went ahead in the 19th minute when a long free kick into the box was headed out to the aforementioned Tomita at the top of the penalty arc who controlled the ball with his upper body, then half-volleyed they ball across the face of the goal and into the top right-hand corner of the net.

They didn’t find their equaliser until the seond half when a long ball from Naoyuki Fujita split Vegalta’s defence and that man Yohei Toyoda outraced the defence, then making no mistake as he fired past keeper Hayashi. The draw keeps Sendai undefeated for the season and five points clear of second place, but they may have been hoping for more against the newly-promoted Tosu.

Shimizu S-Pulse 3-0 Kashima Antlers

Shimizu continued Kashima's horror season (J. League Photos)

Kashima Antlers are going through a re-building and regeneration year in 2012, and their early results reflected this – no wins in the first five games and only one goal and one point. They then had something of a mini-revival, defeating FC Tokyo and the teams from both sides of Osaka in the last three weeks, including 5-0 smashing of fallen giants Gamba Osaka last weekend.

Shimizu S-Pulse, making their best start to a season for some years, however, brought the Antlers crashing back down to earth again with a 3-0 win at their home ground, Nihondaira Stadium.

Shinji Ono made a somewhat rare start for the team in orange as he is used mostly off the bench these last couple of seasons, a change that perhaps came as a result of Australian midfielder Alex Brosque’s suspension after receiving two yellow cards in Shimizu’s 9-man defeat of FC Tokyo last weekend.

The first goal came in only the 5th minute when Kashima’s keeper Sogahata saved an own goal on reflex but the ball spilled right at the feet of Sho Ito who blasted it into the back of the net. Toshiyuki Takagi did it all himself for the second on 72 minutes, taking the ball ten metres in from the half way line, dribbling virtually unopposed to the top left corner of the box, cutting onto his right boot, firing a curling shot past the hapless Sogahata.

Only three minutes later Genki Omae, denied a penalty shout in the first half, made it three for the home side after veteran Naohiro Takahara won the ball in defence, found Takagi in space on the left who took the ball downfield and put in a curling cross for Omae who volleyed home in one of the most clinical counters you will see.

Kawasaki Frontale 4 – 3 Jubilo Iwata

Seven goals were scored in the Kawasaki-Jubilo clash (J. League Photos)

Jubilo have been up around the top end of the table for the past few weeks after a mostly positive start to season 2012, young rising star Hiroki Yamada featuring heavily in most of their wins. They encountered a couple of speed bumps recently with losses to S-Pulse in the Shizuoka Derby three weeks ago, then last week falling to Cerezo Osaka, but would fancy their chances against the inconsistent Kawasaki Frontale.

Kawasaki have already been through a managerial change after Naoki Soma was axed a only five games into the season.

Whilst not a disastrous start to the 2012 season with two wins, one draw and two losses, the team’s disastrous form slump in the middle of last season cast a long shadow over Soma. Frontale’s general manager cited “playing style” as the reason for Soma’s dismissal with the team sitting in 11th position.

The first goal for the day came on the 30 minute mark for the home team, when a ball out from the middle of the ground to Kawasaki’s Takuro Yajima on the left who dribbled down towards the goal line, worked free enough to get a cross in for Ryota Oshima who flicked it past the Jubilo’s keeper Naoki Hatta.

Frontale had to wait until early in the second half for their next goal, coming after they patiently worked the ball around the box, looking for an opening. Jumpei Kusukami initiated a give and go, passing from the left to goal-scorer Oshima, Kusukami then took off into the box and received a nice return pass. He was bumped over in a challenge over from Jubilo’s Kosuke Yamamoto, resulting in a somewhat soft penalty that was duly put away by Yajima Takuro.

And only two minutes later Yusuke Tanaka put in their third when he capitalised upon a mix up between Jubilo defender Yoshiaki Fujita and his keeper. Jubilo’s Yamamoto soon made amends for the penalty, at least, scoring on the 59 minute mark, yet Kawasaki put in their fourth only three minutes later when a 20 metre through ball from right back Kyouhei Noborizato split Jubilo open, Yajima ran onto it and scored his second for the afternoon.

Jubilo Iwata’s Kosuke Yamamoto chimed in with his second for the day to make it four goals in 14 minutes at Todoroki Stadium, but even Yoshiro Abe’s goal in injury time couldn’t make up Frontale’s lead and the goal-fest ended at 4-3.

Vissel Kobe 3 – 0 Omiya Ardija

Vissel Kobe did it easy over Omiya Ardija (J. League Photos)

The closest match-up for the day, in table position at least, saw Omiya Ardija travel to western Japan to play Vissel Kobe. Vissel were the dark horse of many a pundit at the start of the season with a number of key acquisitions in the off-season, the highly-credentialed Takuya Nozawa from Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka’s veteran midfielder Hideo Hashimoto in particular.

Starting off strongly with two wins they seemed to live up to the tag, but then went winless for the next four weeks.

In the wake of last week’s loss to Yokohama F-Marinos, manager Masahiro Wada was dismissed and they faced Ardija under caretaker coach Ryo Adachi. Omiya were expected to show some improvement this season with the acquisition of the impressive Cho Young-cheol from Albirex Niigata, and Brazilian midfielder Carlinhos; the visitors were fresh off a rare two successive wins, including a 2-0 victory over Urawa in the Saitama Derby, and rightly buoyed by recent results.

It seems that Omiya’s away form from last season has deserted them, however, and the match had barely begun when Kobe scored. It was only the third minute when Keijiro Ogawa pounced on an under-hit back pass from Kim Young-gwon.

Even though Omiya were having difficulty creating their own chances, the home team then had to wait until the second half to get their second after Ryota Morioka was fouled in the process of dribbling a couple of Omiya defenders, and Nozawa Takuya stepped up for the free kick. He placed it perfectly for Lee Gwang-seon who jumped high yet uncontested at the far post and nodded the ball past Omiya’s keeper Takashi Kitano. It was only six miuutes later that Kobe’s third came, with second half substitute Hiroto Mogi scoring with his first touch after following up Ryota Morioka’s parried shot to give caretaker Manager Adachi an impressive first up victory.

Urawa Reds 1 – 2 Yokohama F-Marinos

Marquinhos scored a late winner for Yokohama (J. League Photos)

The Red and Blue Derby, as it is sometimes known, features two of the Tokyo area’s largest teams, Urawa Red Diamonds and Yokohama F-Marinos. With a rivalry stretching back into pre-J. League era when they were known as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nissan Motors FC, the teams have shared some classic and hot-tempered battles over the years.

This week these two teams met coming from opposite ends of the table and of fortunes. Last season Urawa scraped through a relegation battle, whilst Yokohama were in contention for the title until September, but the form slump that saw them slide to finish 5th extended into the new year under new Manager Higuchi Yasuhiro.

After the worst start to a season in club history, Yokohama are potentially in for a 2012 not too dissimilar to Urawa’s 2011. Urawa brought in Sanfrecce’s former manager Petrovic and have quickly settled into his attacking game plan, along with big signings in Abe Yuki returning from Leicester City and Makino Tomoaki back for a year on loan from FC Koln have seen the Reds start brightly, turning a rebuilding year into possibly something more.

With the Reds on the rise the fans have come back and are in full voice, and a league-wide season-high crowd just shy of 45,000 were on hand for the Golden Week edition of the Red and Blue Derby. Both teams started well, with Urawa having the best of early chances but couldn’t make the most of them. Marcio Richardes had two free kicks from just outside the penalty area, the first he put just outside the left hand upright, the second over the crossbar.

Tomoaki Makino also had a gilt-edged chance to put the Reds on the scoreboard first, taking advantage of confusion amongst the Marinos defenders to earn a free header from a corner but couldn’t direct it down. It wasn’t all one way, however. Even early on it was evident that the Marinos were playing with an intensity not seen since their season opening 3-all draw with 2011 champions Kashiwa Reysol. They chased down every loose ball and moved from defence to their attacking third with hitherto unseen purpose, speed and efficacy.

In the 12th minute one of these forays into Reds territory earned a corner kick, taken by Shunsuke Nakamura. His target was Yuji Nakazawa some five meters in front of the far post, but Urawa’s Makino headed away outside the box. There waiting was Yokohama’s Manabu Saito, however, who had just enough distance from Urawa’s Tadaaki Hirakawa to get the ball down and on the volley stroke the ball with his left foot in a slow arc through the congested penalty area and into the back of the net.

Marinos from there on controlled most of the play in the first half, patiently playing the ball around the halfway line and back, if required, waiting for the right opening to play the ball forward, much to the frustration of Reds’ vocal supporters and players alike.

At half time Petrovic was forced to make a change, Genki Haraguchi replaced Yosuke Kashiwagi who later confessed to have under-performed. The second half heated up, becoming more physical and there were a string of yellow cards given to Marinos players as they attempted to hold the Reds back.

In the 67th minute a lightning-quick Marinos counter ended with Shingo Hyodo forcing a fine save from Red’s keeper Nobuhiro Kato. It took an exceptional piece of individual skill to even the scores, and after trailing for more than an hour Urawa’s Makino Tomoaki sent the stadium into rapture after taking on three Marinos players, penetrating the box and curling the ball past diving Marinos keeper Hiroko Iikura’s outstretched left hand.

The away team had the last say in the game though, and it was high-profile, high-paid veteran signing Marquinos who dramatically scored the decider in the 88th minute. After being sidelined since the pre-season with a back injury, the 36 year-old hadn’t even been able to take part in contested training, and could only watch on in set-play practice.

He must have been taking notes, however, for he positioned himself perfectly for a corner kick directed to the far post by Shunsuke Nakamura, the former League golden boot jumped and powerfully headed from beyond the 6 yard box, giving the defenders and keeper no chance. No doubt Urawa Reds will be disappointed in both their performance and the result, but equally it was a well-deserved win to Yokohama F-Marinos.

Kazuma Watanabe scored twice as FC Tokyo beat Brisbane Roar 4-2

With UAE Pro League side Al Jazira already through to the Round of 16, Mohammed Abusabaan headed in a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time as last year’s semi-finalists Al Ittihad sealed top spot in Group B with a 2-1 victory over 10-man Pakhtakor.

Tournament debutants Baniyas of the United Arab Emirates moved up to second place and within sight of a place in the knockout stage after posting a comprehensive 4-0 away win at bottom side Al Arabi thanks to goals from Fawzi Bashir, Francisco Yeste, Nawaf Mubarak and Andred Sengho.

And with 2011 UAE Pro League runners-up Baniyas entertaining Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor in a fortnight’s time, Gabriel Calderon’s side only need a point on Matchday Six to advance alongside 2004 and 2005 champions Al Ittihad.

“Our target now is to go as far as we can and maybe we can even win this tournament,” said Al Ittihad’s Spanish coach Raul Caneda.

“Being the coach of Al Ittihad is not easy because the team have a good history in this competition and you have a responsibility because your team must win and play well.”

Saudi League runners-up Al Ahli, meanwhile, advanced from Group C alongside Iran Pro League leaders Sepahan with a 3-0 victory over Qatar champions Lekhwiya.

Abdulraheem Jezawi, Victor Simoes and Taisir Al Jassim were on the scoresheet as Al Ahli advanced to the last 16 for the first time since 2005, with Karel Jarolim’s side now needing just a draw in Iran on Matchday Six to secure top spot in Group C after Sepahan beat 10-man Al Nasr 3-0 in Dubai.

In Group E, 2008 finalists Adelaide qualified for the Round of 16 for a third time in five years after sharing a goalless draw with Uzbekistan champions Bunyodkor.

With Kim Jin-ryong and Derek Asamoah scoring as Korea Republic’s Pohang Steelers beat Japan’s Gamba Osaka to eliminate the 2008 champions, Bunyodkor now must beat Pohang at home in two weeks’ time to advance at the expense of the K-League side.

In Group F, Emperor’s Cup winners FC Tokyo beat Brisbane Roar 4-2 and Ulsan also maintained their unbeaten record with a 3-2 win over Beijing Guoan, with the sides set to meet in Korea on Matchday Six to decide who will top the group and earn home advantage in the one-off Round of 16 tie.

Elsewhere, last year’s beaten finalists Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors moved two points clear at the top of Group H after Lee Dong-gook scored twice in the closing stages to secure a 3-1 comeback win over Guangzhou Evergrande in China.

Despite Jeonbuk playing the final 25 minutes with 10 men following the dismissal of captain Cho Sung-hwan, Lee’s double handed the 2006 champions a third consecutive win in the competition.

With Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol beating Thailand’s Buriram United 1-0, all four teams are still in the hunt for a place in the last 16 although Jeonbuk need just a point at home to Kashiwa on Matchday Six.

Both Thai treble winners Buriram and Chinese champions Guangzhou will be looking for three points when the sides meet in Thailand, with Buriram a point adrift of both Guangzhou and Kashiwa.

In Group G, Australia’s Central Coast Mariners boosted their qualification hopes as the A-League side posted their first ever win in the AFC Champions League as two first half goals from Daniel McBreen laid the foundations for a 5-1 win over China’s Tianjin Teda.

The Mariners now need to beat Nagoya Grampus, who shared a 1-1 draw with Korea’s Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, in Japan, while Seongnam entertain already-eliminated Tianjin with Central Coast a point adrift of the unbeaten table-topping duo.

With Al Jazira securing top spot in Group A with a 4-1 win over Uzbekistan’s Nasaf thanks to a first half hat-trick from Ricardo Oliveira, Iran’s Esteghlal moved within a point of a place in the last 16 as two goals from Arash Borhani secured a 3-0 win over Qatar’s Al Rayyan.

Finally, Moroccan striker Youssef El Arabi fired home a second half winner as Al Hilal leapfrogged Piroozi at the top of Group D with a 1-0 away win over the Iranian side.

Al Hilal now simply need to avoid defeat at home to Al Gharafa in two weeks’ time to advance, although the Qatari side need to win after keeping their qualification hopes alive as late goals from Aruna Dindane and Otman El Assas secured a 2-1 win over Al Shabab Al Arabi.

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Adelaide scored a last gasp winner against Pohang

Vidosic missed the dramatic 1-0 home win over Korea Republic’s Pohang Steelers two weeks ago, which lifted the Reds three points clear of the K-League side and Bunyodkor at the top of Group E with two games remaining.

But Vidosic featured prominently on Thursday as Adelaide beat local side White City 7-0 as coach John Kosmina looked keep his charges sharp following the completion of the A-League season at the end of March.

“After the game he seemed OK and he had some really good moments where he accelerated and knocked a couple of long balls in, and for me it’s not just about the running, it’s about the kicking,” said Kosmina.

“Kicking is probably more damaging for hamstrings than the running is, so he loaded up OK and there’s a good chance he might start on Wednesday.”

Adelaide beat Bunyodkor 2-1 in Tashkent at the start of the campaign and have moved within touching distance of a place in the last 16 for a third time in three appearances after reaching the 2008 final with further wins over Japan’s Gamba Osaka and Pohang.

“We don’t want to go to Japan in just over two weeks chasing a result because as much as Gamba are bottom of the group at the moment, playing in front of their home crowd they’ve certainly got a lot to play for apart from pride, so it becomes not imperative I suppose, but we’d prefer not to go to Japan needing three points to get through,” added Kosmina.

“The team has been smooth. We had a bit of a hiccup in Pohang a couple of weeks ago but that’s behind us and I think we rectified that. The thing is now to maintain that consistency and take it into next Wednesday night.”

Bunyodkor will be without defender Artyom Filiposyan through suspension as the current joint Uzbek League leaders look to extend their unbeaten streak to four games in all competitions.

Elsewhere, Al Jazira are the only side to have secured qualification for the last 16 and the UAE Pro League side can secure top spot in Group A and home advantage in the next round with victory over 2011 AFC Cup winners Nasaf.

Unbeaten Al Jazira top the table by four points from Qatar’s Al Rayyan, who travel to Tehran to face third place Esteghlal with the Iran Pro League side just a point further off the pace.

In Group B, unbeaten two-time champions Al Ittihad can secure passage to the Round of 16 for a third time in four years with a point against Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor in Tashkent, while a fourth win in five game will secure top spot for last year’s semi-finalists.

Al Ittihad will be without defender Mishal Saeed through suspension, while midfield duo Dilshod Sharofetdinov and Oybek Kilichev are ruled out for Pakhtakor, who could qualify with victory in Tashkent should Baniyas lose to Qatar’s Al Arabi.

Finally, Japan’s FC Tokyo and Korea Republic’s Ulsan Hyundai need just a point against Australia’s Brisbane Roar and China’s Beijing Guoan respectively to qualify from Group F.

FC Tokyo and Ulsan top the table by six points, with Brisbane travelling to Japan and Beijing entertaining the K-League side knowing they must win to keep their chances alive ahead of the final round of fixtures later this month.

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Muriqui scored twice as Guangzhou beat Kashiwa 3-1 two weeks ago

Guangzhou sit a point clear of last year’s beaten finalists Jeonbuk and Thai treble winners Buriram United following last month’s 3-1 home win over Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol, who are a further two points off the pace with just two games remaining in the Group Stage.

And Lee Jang-soo’s Guangzhou, who remained a point clear at the top of the Chinese Super League as Muriqui’s late strike secured a 1-0 win over Tianjin Teda on Friday, know a second home success of the campaign and a third three points of the campaign overall will secure passage to the last 16.

Resurgent Jeonbuk began the campaign with back-to-back 5-1 defeats by Guangzhou and Kashiwa but two wins over Buriram have kick-started the campaign of the 2006 champions, who have a 100% record of advancing from the Group Stage in five appearances in the AFC Champions League since 2004.

Jeonbuk, who have lost just once in their last seven games in all competitions, know victory could also secure their passage to the Round of 16 for the third successive season should Buriram beat Kashiwa.

Coach Lee Heung-sil, though, will be without defender Park Won-jae through suspension as Jeonbuk look to build on Friday’s 5-2 win over Gwangju which lifted the defending champions up to fourth place in the K-League.

J.League champions Kashiwa, meanwhile, know they must return to winning ways in Group H after failing to pick up another win since the fireworks against Jeonbuk with Nelsinho Baptista’s side winless in their last four games in all competitions, while Buriram must also bounce back following back-to-back losses to Jeonbuk.

In Group G, table-toppers Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma and Nagoya Grampus meet in Korea, while winless duo Central Coast Mariners and Tianjin look to keep their hopes alive in Australia.

Former champions Seongnam and Japan’s Nagoya sit three points clear at the top of the table and the winner at Tancheon Sports Complex will secure passage to the last 16 with a game to spare.

Central Coast are out to bounce back from their 5-0 defeat by Seongnam two weeks ago, while Tianjin coach Josip Kuze will be without suspended trio Zhou Liao, He Yang and Cao Yang as the two teams seek to capitalise on any slip-ups in Korea to keep their hopes alive ahead of the final round of fixtures.

In the West, Iran’s Piroozi can qualify for the knockout stage with victory at home to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in Group D, while Al Shabab Al Arabi of the United Arab Emirates make the short trip to Doha to face Qatar’s Al Gharafa.

Nine-time Iranian champions Piroozi top the table by three points from fellow unbeaten side Al Hilal and they can expect another bumper crowd at Azadi Stadium after an AFC Champions League record 96,200 watched the 1-1 draw with Al Gharafa two weeks ago.

Al Hilal will be without Sultan Al Beshi after the defender was sent-off two weeks ago against over Al Shabab Al Arabi in Riyadh as Youssef El Arabi’s double secured a first win of the campaign for the 2010 semi-finalists, who started their campaign with three consecutive draws.

Both Al Gharafa and Al Shabab Al Arabi are in desperate need of a first win of the campaign to keep their hopes alive, although the home side will be without Hamed Shami and Iranian striker Farhad Majidi due to suspension.

Midfielder Adel Al Balooshi will also miss the game for Al Shabab Al Arabi after picking up a second yellow card of the campaign during the defeat by Al Hilal.

Finally, Group C leaders Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia and Sepahan of Iran can secure qualification with wins over Al Nasr and Lekhwiya.

Saudi Pro League runners-up Ahli and Iran Pro League leaders Sepahan currently sit a point clear of Qatar champions Lekhwiya, with UAE Pro League side Al Nasr a further three points adrift.

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There are several firsts that let you know the season is well and truly underway. The first goal came fourteen minutes in from the predictable boots of Jeonbuk’s Lee Dong-Guk.

Huh Jung-moo

Just over twenty-four hours later Incheon’s Gu Bong-San received his second yellow card and the season’s first red away at Jeju United. Three weeks in and Lee Keun-Ho notched up the league’s first hat-trick for Ulsan and, as inevitable as the ref not spotting that the ball was a yard over the line or that the left back was clearly feigning that injury, seven weeks in the K-League was nursing its first, but by no means last, managerial casualty.

By that stage there was already a short queue of nominees lining up for the chop, so it was almost a little anti-climactic for those bloodlusters that Incheon United’s beleaguered Huh Jung-Moo resigned rather than receiving the Korean version of the P45 that was probably in the post to him already.

Those opening seven games had heralded a lacklustre five points, three of which came at home to Daejeon, the only team lower in the standings, then and now. Walking out on the team just twenty months after walking in, few of the Meet You Hall Boys supporters club will have been sad to see the back of Huh and his sleep-inducing brand of football.

However, seven games prior to his departure, things looked altogether brighter. A fantastic new football-specific stadium and the arrival of two wily old foxes in Kim Nam-Il and Seol Ki-Hyun lead to the impression that maybe there were good times ahead for the club that finished in an uneventful 13th place last season. In fact, Huh’s optimism was such that on the eve of the big kick off he stated that he would quit his post were his team to finish outside the top eight at this season’s thirty game cut off point.

Uneventful was the word to describe Incheon’s final year at the Munhak Stadium, but you’d have to go further and say that their games to start this year have been nothing short of dire. Just like last year they are the league’s second lowest scorers, but unlike last year when they averaged slightly over a goal a game, this year they are averaging barely one every two games. If you’re going to move to a new ground and try to attract new fans to come to it, then you need to offer potential punters something worth watching. Virtually the only thing of interest to have happened at Sungeui Stadium this season has been the two Daejeon fans who attacked the mascot.

Perhaps it’s a little unfair to place all the blame with Huh Jung-Moo. Upon leaving his post he revealed that financial difficulties at the club had seen the players not being paid on time (with Huh’s reportedly high salary is unlikely to have helped matters) and that high-ranking officials at the club are involved in a power struggle. But having said that, Huh’s draw-prone, defense-first football is never likely to win over doubters or new fans unless they are coupled with success that had been severely lacking during Huh’s short tenure.

The Incheon hot seat remains decidedly cold two weeks after Huh’s departure, with assistant manager Kim Bong-Kil still keeping it as warm as his goalless two losses have so far have allowed. Instead of numbing the eyes Huh is now going for the ears as he’s picked up his mic. as a television co-commentator once again. He’ll possibly soon receive overtures from abroad, especially China where the stock for Korean managers is currently high after former FC Seoul coach Lee Jang-Soo lead Guangzhou Evergrande to the Super League title last year.

A recently fired Super league coach is said to be in the frame to replace Huh back at Incheon. Chang Woe-Ryong was at the helm in 2005 when United improbably ended the year as league runners-up in just their third campaign. Whether he’d fancy a challenge even hight then the one he took back then remains to be seen. Just two points above Daejeon in the unthinkable relegation-assured bottom spot, Incheon United need to get pull their socks up soon or they’ll risk the most unwanted of firsts: being the first club to be relegated from the K-League.

GYEONGNAM LOOKING TO FOLLOW SUIT

Huh Jung-Moo is gone and Choi Jin-Han at Gyeongnam may well be going.

Choi Jin-han

Two years ago Gyeongnam made the playoffs under coach Cho Kwang-Rae and last season, with Cho having moved on to take the top job with the national team, the incoming former FC Seoul reserve team coach Choi Jin-Han got them pretty close again to the top six.

Since their inception in 2006, Gyeongnam have been able to place themselves as many fans’ second team, they rely on selling their better players and have one of the league’s strongest footballing foundations in place.

The conveyor belt youth system continues to churn out K-League and even international quality players, whilst the astute scouting system does better than most in recruiting those risky South American imports.

With this in mind, last year’s midseason sale of Brazilian striker Lucio to Ulsan and the similarly big bucks transfer of the talismanic Yoon Bit-Garam to Seongnam didn’t herald the wave of pessimism it might have done at other mid-table clubs. The consensus among supporters pre season was still that a top eight spot was more than attainable.

But public opinion is as fickle as form and two wins from nine games will try the patience of most any fans. Worse still, only one point from four games in front of the home fans, including losses to the projected home bankers of Sangju and Gangwon have led to anxiety in the stands and a concerns among a fractured playing squad.

As a team representing the province, Gyeongnam play games in the different cities of Gyeongsangnam-do and during these travels Choi Jin-Han has apparently lost the dressing room. Our Gyeongnam correspondent James Edrupt recently grabbed the inside scoop from a club representative.

Coach Choi is struggling to impose his authority on the squad’s more prominent members. If the team is performing, as it did for much of last season, errors can be overlooked or appear minimized, but so far this term Choi has been busy fiddling with his formation, forcing players to line up out of position and making a hash of understanding opponents’ game plans.

Things came to a head in the recent home loss to Gangwon, the away side’s first away victory for some eighteen months. Subbed players disappeared down the tunnel without acknowledging their manager and post-match veteran goalkeeper Kim Byung-Ji stood up to Choi in forcefully voicing his opinions.

The manager was said to have two games left to save his job. The first was Saturday’s rain-drenched goalless draw with league leaders Suwon. The performance was much improved and could have offered a first home win with a little extra cutting thrust in attack. Things are unlikely to get easier in the second game, a trip to free-scoring Jeju United this weekend. It’ll be a really tough ask to win on the island, where Jeju have picked up ten points from twelve this season. You’ll have to ask the Gyeongnam board if another hard-fought point is enough to signal that the future is bright enough for Choi to retain his role, or you can give it a week and such questions will be publicly answered.

With Cho Kwang-Rae now out of employment again and still in close contact with his old pals at Gyeongnam, Choi Jin-Han appears to be on borrowed time…and the managerial merry-go-round is waiting just off set with Huh Jung-Moo eager for Choi’s company aboard the ride.

Iain is behind the Outside View blog and podcast, we highly recommend you visit the blog and download the podcast.