23 Jan 2003(Thu)

Japan, China and South Korea are surely on to a winner with the A3 Mazda Champions Cup.

A news conference in Tokyo this week introduced the new competition, which features the champion clubs of these three east Asian nations.

The inaugural tournament will take place at Tokyo's National Stadium from February 16-22, and will bring together Japan's big two of Jubilo Iwata (league champions) and Kashima Antlers (Nabisco Cup holders), together with China's Dalian Shide and Seongnam Ilhwa from Korea.

The prize money on offer is extremely attractive to all four clubs, with $400,000 of a total $850,000 going to the team that finishes top of the group.

Club football is the backbone of the game, not national team football, and the sport's regional governing body, the Kuala Lumpur-based Asian Football Confederation, is constantly stressing this fact.

The AFC will, therefore, welcome a high-profile tournament like the A3 Mazda Champions Cup, as it does not challenge their own AFC Champions League.

Hopefully the fans in Japan, too, will look forward to the six games at Tokyo's National Stadium.

Clearly last year's World Cup brought together Japan and Korea, and this new event is a continuation of that partnership. And with China qualifying for the World Cup for the first time, the game there is enjoying a boom.

Before moving from Hong Kong to live in Japan in 1997, I visited the country several times to watch AFC events such as the Club Championship, Asian Cup Winners Cup and Asian Super Cup. (These three tournaments have now been brought under one new format, the AFC Champions League).

But I was often dismayed by the lack of interest from the public and from the media.

Personally, I find it fascinating to watch footballers from other countries, say Thailand or Iraq, and compare the technique, strategy and fitness with their Japanese rivals.

The game is basically the same around the world, which is what makes it so popular, yet it can be so different at the same time in terms of attitude, approach and mentality.

China will stage the second A3 (A3 meaning the three Asian powers of Japan, Korea and China) in 2004, with Korea taking over in 2005.

According to Kim Won Dong, director general of the Korea League, the final target is to have a 12-team East Asian Super League, with four clubs each from the three leagues playing home and away.

The matches would be played midweek, allowing the three leagues to continue at weekends, and it could start as early as 2006 if sponsors can be found to cover the costs and offer worthwhile prize money.

After the success of the World Cup, there is a new energy in Asian football.

I would encourage fans to support the A3 Mazda Champions Cup, to compare the players from China and Korea with Japan's own stars.

It should be a great week of football.

ends