Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia should look beyond Asean Cup, says Steve Darby
The Asean Football Federation’s crown jewel, the Asean Championship Cup, kicks off on Dec 8.
Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor Leste are placed in Group A, while Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam are in Group B. All teams will play two matches at home and two away during the group stages.
The Harimau Malaya, minus several players from Johor Darul Ta'zim and Selangor FC, will take on Cambodia in Phnom Penh on Sunday and are expected to reach the semifinals.
Twentytwo13 spoke to former football coach Steve Darby to get his views about the upcoming tournament.
The Englishman is back home in Liverpool but still keeps tabs on the region and hopes to return to coaching here one day.
Darby has coached in five Southeast Asian countries and served as Peter Reid’s assistant when Thailand lost the 2008 Asean Cup final to Vietnam.
What do you think about the Asean Championship Cup? Will we miss the stars, given that teams are not obligated to release their players, as the tournament falls outside FIFA’s international window?
Darby: I don’t think it has lost its sparkle to the fans, as nationalism is the biggest attraction.
The Southeast Asian fans are not stupid. They know they are not winning a World Cup or even the Asian Cup – although they are getting closer to the latter. So, to win a competition is a rare and enjoyable occurrence.
Having been in a final with Thailand against Vietnam (2008), I can tell you the Asean Championship Cup means something to the fans, whether they are in Bia Hoi in Hanoi, Vietnam, or sipping hot coffee in Kelantan or Johor, Malaysia. They will watch the tournament and argue long and hard about every result.
Who is your pick to win, and why?
Darby: There should be four teams with a realistic chance of winning – Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia, which may finally fulfil its undoubted potential.
Vietnam would be the favourite as it has a strong squad, and it matters to the country.
Having said that, I think these ‘Big Four’ should treat the Asean Championship Cup as a development competition and field their Under-23 squad (and play the Under-19s in the SEA Games). They should aim to win the Asian Cup and eye World Cup qualification.
If they expose their juniors to these two tournaments, more players will get tough international experience. That would allow the smaller nations to taste possible victories as they would send their best team.
What must smaller nations do to compete with the ‘Big Four’ in the Asean Championship Cup and beyond?
Darby: The first aim of any smaller nations should be to ‘close the gap’ on the big four and hopefully make it a ‘Big Five!’ It’s not a short-term process, but Laos is closing the gap.
Its football association president, Viphet Sihachakr, is spending Fifa money wisely on superb facilities and employing good coaching staff at all levels. I can see Laos joining the ‘Big Four’ soon.
The key for smaller nations is to establish quality administration, strengthen local leagues free from corruption, and employ coaches who understand the region’s culture.
They also have to be logical, as the playing pool of Indonesia or Vietnam is massively larger than Brunei or Singapore.
Who are the players to look out for?
Darby: For Vietnam, Nguyen Tien Linh is a proper old-school striker who works hard for the team and is a rarity in Southeast Asian football – a goal scorer.
Thailand is sending a young team, but I have always liked Supachok Sarachat, who has had the character and mental toughness to play in the J-League.
The most exciting Malaysia player for me is Syafiq Ahmad, but I’m also hearing great things about Syamer Kutty Abba. It’s hard to choose an Indonesian player as it has fully embraced the naturalisation route.
So, you disagree with naturalisation?
Darby: If a player has a genuine heritage connection to a country, such as a parent or grandparent – like Malaysia’s Brendan Gan – then that player has every right to represent that country.
However, I’m against the naturalisation route as this opens the way for mercenaries and blocks the path for locally-born players to have the honour of playing for their country. I have coached in five Southeast Asian countries, and I can see the genuine sincerity local players have when they play for their country.
There will always be ‘grey’ areas like Daniel Bennett and Alex Duric, who were patriotic, but there are examples of foreign players who just see it as a money-making, or passport-obtaining activity.
How far can Malaysia go in the tournament?
Darby: Malaysia has a relatively young side and should be happy with the semifinals, as I can’t see any teams stopping Vietnam, although the ‘unknown’ Indonesian team may cause a shock.
If given a chance, which team would you like to coach?
Darby: Looking at the quality of the squads, I would have to choose Vietnam and would like the winning bonus!
The Asean Championship Cup is a great tournament, and I value my silver medal with Thailand. I still think that we were robbed in that final! That is the beauty of this competition; it produces memories and great passion.
