Asian Cup 2019: Premier League players in international action
Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle will be the hardest-hit by players leaving to participate in the Asian Games – though who else misses out?
The Asian Cup is now fully underway with the group stage matches having just kicked off, with Australia eager to lift their second title in a row.
The likes of Japan, South Korea and Iran are all in action for the better part of a month, with several of their key players representing Premier League sides.
With the top-flight of English football observing no pause for the Asian Cup, a slew of players will be missing from crucial Premier League action as they travel to represent their national teams – but which players will be missing from club duty? Goal takes a look.
Asian Cup 2019: India haven’t conceded from open play with the current back four
The defensive organisation of the team has certainly come to the fore of late....
The Indian national team registered a morale boosting 4-1 win over Thailand on Sunday evening in their Group A opener of the Asian Cup 2019. India currently top the Group A standings with three points leaving the likes of UAE, Bahrain and Thailand in their wake.
While the likes of Sunil Chhetri, Anirudh Thapa and Jeje Lalpekhlua won all the plaudits for their goals alongside the impressive performance from Ashique Kuruniyan, the defensive work also needs to be highlighted.
In fact, Teerasil Dangda's goal in the 33rd minute against Thailand was the first leaked in by India when the likes of Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Anas Edathodika and Subhasish Bose have started.
In the five matches they have started in defence, the Blue Tigers are yet to concede a goal from open play – such has been the defensive organization of the current Indian setup.
In the Intercontinental Cup held in Mumbai last year, Stephen Constantine handed Bose his India debut against Chinese Taipei which they won 5-0. Thereafter, he continued with the same back four against Kenya in the group stage 3-0 win and the final where they triumphed 2-0.
Also in the international friendly against Oman in December, the same back four were handed a start and India managed to keep a clean-sheet.
Constantine has certainly revitalized the Indian defence completely, having handed debuts to Kotal and Jhingan in March 2015 against Nepal while Anas played his first India game in Cambodia on March 22, 2017.
For those who were interested in knowing Thai media reactions after their humiliating loss
“Cricket-mad India shocked and humiliated Thailand 4-1 in the team's first Group A match of the Asian Cup football tournament on Sunday.”
“Immediately after the match, the Football Association of Thailand released Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac, already under strong criticism for weak performances by the War Elephants all during last year,” read the Bangkok-based newspaper.
The Thai media’s focus was basically threefold – praise for the Indian team, congratulations for Chhetri on overtaking Messi and criticism of Rajevac.
“Chhetri passes Messi as India shock Thailand 4-1 at Asian Cup,” said The Nation as they quote the forward and centred their report around the record-breaker.
“Sunil Chhetri overtook Lionel Messi in international goals as cricket-mad India stunned Thailand 4-1 at the Asian Cup football tournament on Sunday, the veteran striker scoring twice in their Group A opener to surpass the Barcelona superstar.”
While the media was straightforward in acknowledging that the better team won, they were also brutally honest about the fact that this result was perceived as an upset.
The Daily News reported that Thailand enjoyed a better head-to-head record and were deemed favourites ahead of the opener.
“Ranked 118 according to FIFA, War Elephants were up against 97th ranked India. But in the 21 meetings between the two sides, Thailand won 11 times and India won just four times,” read the Daily News.
This further pointed to the fact that the War Elephants now face a daunting task of having to overcome stronger opponents in UAE and Bahrain.
Asian Cup diaries: Indian football's goodwill and the Nepali connection
The goodwill for Indian football at the Asian Cup encompasses a wide variety of journalists, who spot India on the accreditation lanyard and then start talking positively. The Asian Cup is a virtual mini-World Cup, and press from across Asia, Oceania, Europe and the Americas are present to keep an eye on emerging talents, or looking for angles on stories associated with coaches who have a link to their specific region.
The Indian Super League (ISL) seems to have marked India out as a football country to watch out for. Opposition teams too are talking about how the Indian team must have benefited from playing with big players and coaches who have made their way to India in recent years.
It also comes through from a lot of people working in Abu Dhabi, many from the sub-continent. A security guard at the university campus where the UAE team trains, tells us that he is eagerly looking forward to seeing how India play against the hosts, while a Pakistani gentleman helps the Indian journalists find a taxi, but not before a sequence of questions about why his team is not there in the Asian Cup.
"So, why is Pakistan not here?"
"Because they didn't qualify."
"Why did they not qualify?"
"Because they didn't play well enough."
"Why are they not good at football?"
"Maybe because they spend more time and energy on cricket?"
"Oh yeah, that sounds right."
**
Most of the taxi drivers I have met on this trip -- an average of four cab rides a day thus far -- have been Nepali. One of them was extremely happy to learn about the Indian team's 4-1 win against Thailand. He was even more excited to learn that three of the goals were scored by players of Nepali origin (Sunil Chhetri, like both Anirudh Thapa and my ride for the day, is apparently a Thapa if one uses his full name), and that the bench has another such player in Vinit Rai. My friend likes his cricket -- Sandeep Lamichhane has become a household name across the world, and hails from a village very close to his. He himself has been to Gorakhpur, where his father and uncle were posted while serving in the Indian Army's Gurkha regiment, though they have moved back to Nepal after retirement.
The same day, the return trip had another Nepali driver, Amrit Thapa, who was more of a football buff. He remembers the Bangabandhu Gold Cup final of 2016 which Nepal won with striker Nawayug Shrestha's hat-trick, and was happy to learn that I had commentated on that game. "Arre sir, agar paisa sahi se istemaal ho toh Nepal har sports mein aage hoga (If funds are utilised properly, Nepal will be world-beaters across all sport)," he says.
**
When Iran played Yemen on Monday night, the team lists would belie the gulf between the two teams. Only three Yemenis in the starting eleven play for teams back home, as opposed to four for Iran. That is largely because the Yemeni League has been suspended after the 2013-14 season due to the war.
Under Carlos Queiroz, former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Iran have refined their game to the level that they gave a genuine scare to both Spain and Portugal last summer in Russia. The match begins with a spirited attack or two from the diminutive Yemen striker Ahmed Al-Sarori, who plays in the second division in Qatar, but before long, Iran have a 3-0 advantage on the back of a Mehdi Taremi brace.
The game is a physical, often hot-tempered affair, but at the end of it, while the Yemen players sink to their knees, the Iran players are the first to come up to them and help them to their feet and give them a pat on the backs.
"With more energy and focus, they will become a stronger team. This is football -- I think they will come [up]," says Rubin Kazan striker Sardar Azmoun, who was among the first to congratulate Saoud Al Sowadi, a valiant presence in the Yemen goal despite a 5-0 scoreline.
**
Not all football conversations in Abu Dhabi have been about the Asian Cup, though. A chatty taxi driver from Kumasi, Ghana called Felix, initiated one such conversation by asking what this writer had come to Abu Dhabi for. It wasn't difficult to explain the context to him -- his car was one of several in the city that have been decked with the Asian Cup official rear sunshade.
Felix is a die-hard Manchester United fan, and was deeply upset with his favourite club's decision to appoint Jose Mourinho (not surprisingly, he smiles ear-to-ear of late) because he thinks Mourinho of even the second Chelsea stint was a deeply divisive, unhappy figure as coach. Felix tried his best to get through me about which team I support, and was not convinced that I have none. When at last I confessed that I used to like AC Milan back when Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini played together, he made a statement that would make me smile.
"Now imagine, if one Indian footballer goes on to become an AC Milan star, how would that make you feel?"
Yesteryear football hero Shyam Thapa who had redefined the back-volley during his playing days couldn't stop praising the entire team for their sublime performance in India’s AFC Asian Cup opener against Thailand.
"I recalled my playing days seeing these young chaps – Ashique Kuruniyan and Anirudh Thapa play. Ashique has terrific energy and speed while Thapa's finishing was too good,” he maintained.
“The Coach has done a great work bringing so many young players in the National Team. They are capable of running at the same speed and playing with same intensity for 90 minutes. It will help us going forward,” he added. "Moreover, the team has experienced players like Chhetri and Sandesh who can guide these boys on the pitch.”
Thapa, the current Chairman of the AIFF technical Committee, didn't hide his emotions while describing the four goals – India’s biggest victory in AFC Asian Cup overcoming the 3-1 win against Hong Kong in 1964.
"All the goals were brilliant. The composure showed by Sunil before the penalty was terrific. The second goal was a terrific example of the team game. Udanta's pass was perfectly finished by Chhetri. Truly masterclass,” he explained.
He further said that Anirudh Thapa is a special player and the future holds bright for the youngster. "The baccha (Thapa) showed the right attitude and chipped it in. The future is bright and he is on the right path."
"The toe-poke by Jeje was something extraordinary too. What I found so positive was that not a single goal came by fluke. The game plan was executed well.”
India are slated to face hosts UAE in their next fixture and the former striker feels "midfielders will have a tough task ahead."
"The midfielders have a tough task ahead against UAE. They need to be on their toes all throughout. The team which will control the midfield will get to win the match. They need to go deep to lay a hand in the defence as well as coordinate with the forwards up front.”
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Asian Cup 2019: Premier League players in international action
The Asian Cup is now fully underway with the group stage matches having just kicked off, with Australia eager to lift their second title in a row.
The likes of Japan, South Korea and Iran are all in action for the better part of a month, with several of their key players representing Premier League sides.
With the top-flight of English football observing no pause for the Asian Cup, a slew of players will be missing from crucial Premier League action as they travel to represent their national teams – but which players will be missing from club duty? Goal takes a look.
Asian Cup 2019: India haven’t conceded from open play with the current back four
The Indian national team registered a morale boosting 4-1 win over Thailand on Sunday evening in their Group A opener of the Asian Cup 2019. India currently top the Group A standings with three points leaving the likes of UAE, Bahrain and Thailand in their wake.
While the likes of Sunil Chhetri, Anirudh Thapa and Jeje Lalpekhlua won all the plaudits for their goals alongside the impressive performance from Ashique Kuruniyan, the defensive work also needs to be highlighted.
In fact, Teerasil Dangda's goal in the 33rd minute against Thailand was the first leaked in by India when the likes of Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Anas Edathodika and Subhasish Bose have started.In the five matches they have started in defence, the Blue Tigers are yet to concede a goal from open play – such has been the defensive organization of the current Indian setup.
In the Intercontinental Cup held in Mumbai last year, Stephen Constantine handed Bose his India debut against Chinese Taipei which they won 5-0. Thereafter, he continued with the same back four against Kenya in the group stage 3-0 win and the final where they triumphed 2-0.
Also in the international friendly against Oman in December, the same back four were handed a start and India managed to keep a clean-sheet.
Constantine has certainly revitalized the Indian defence completely, having handed debuts to Kotal and Jhingan in March 2015 against Nepal while Anas played his first India game in Cambodia on March 22, 2017.
https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/asian-cup-2019-india-goals-open-play-defence/15qb94szlslg51hpii0bp2q8vm
“Cricket-mad India shocked and humiliated Thailand 4-1 in the team's first Group A match of the Asian Cup football tournament on Sunday.”
“Immediately after the match, the Football Association of Thailand released Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac, already under strong criticism for weak performances by the War Elephants all during last year,” read the Bangkok-based newspaper.
The Thai media’s focus was basically threefold – praise for the Indian team, congratulations for Chhetri on overtaking Messi and criticism of Rajevac.
“Chhetri passes Messi as India shock Thailand 4-1 at Asian Cup,” said The Nation as they quote the forward and centred their report around the record-breaker.
“Sunil Chhetri overtook Lionel Messi in international goals as cricket-mad India stunned Thailand 4-1 at the Asian Cup football tournament on Sunday, the veteran striker scoring twice in their Group A opener to surpass the Barcelona superstar.”
While the media was straightforward in acknowledging that the better team won, they were also brutally honest about the fact that this result was perceived as an upset.
The Daily News reported that Thailand enjoyed a better head-to-head record and were deemed favourites ahead of the opener.
“Ranked 118 according to FIFA, War Elephants were up against 97th ranked India. But in the 21 meetings between the two sides, Thailand won 11 times and India won just four times,” read the Daily News.
This further pointed to the fact that the War Elephants now face a daunting task of having to overcome stronger opponents in UAE and Bahrain.
https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/afc-asian-cup-2018-19-thailand-india-group-a-media-reaction/aetvhmpmjzo21n4qqghk2srre
Asian Cup diaries: Indian football's goodwill and the Nepali connection
The goodwill for Indian football at the Asian Cup encompasses a wide variety of journalists, who spot India on the accreditation lanyard and then start talking positively. The Asian Cup is a virtual mini-World Cup, and press from across Asia, Oceania, Europe and the Americas are present to keep an eye on emerging talents, or looking for angles on stories associated with coaches who have a link to their specific region.
The Indian Super League (ISL) seems to have marked India out as a football country to watch out for. Opposition teams too are talking about how the Indian team must have benefited from playing with big players and coaches who have made their way to India in recent years.
It also comes through from a lot of people working in Abu Dhabi, many from the sub-continent. A security guard at the university campus where the UAE team trains, tells us that he is eagerly looking forward to seeing how India play against the hosts, while a Pakistani gentleman helps the Indian journalists find a taxi, but not before a sequence of questions about why his team is not there in the Asian Cup.
"So, why is Pakistan not here?"
"Because they didn't qualify."
"Why did they not qualify?"
"Because they didn't play well enough."
"Why are they not good at football?"
"Maybe because they spend more time and energy on cricket?"
"Oh yeah, that sounds right."
**
Most of the taxi drivers I have met on this trip -- an average of four cab rides a day thus far -- have been Nepali. One of them was extremely happy to learn about the Indian team's 4-1 win against Thailand. He was even more excited to learn that three of the goals were scored by players of Nepali origin (Sunil Chhetri, like both Anirudh Thapa and my ride for the day, is apparently a Thapa if one uses his full name), and that the bench has another such player in Vinit Rai. My friend likes his cricket -- Sandeep Lamichhane has become a household name across the world, and hails from a village very close to his. He himself has been to Gorakhpur, where his father and uncle were posted while serving in the Indian Army's Gurkha regiment, though they have moved back to Nepal after retirement.
The same day, the return trip had another Nepali driver, Amrit Thapa, who was more of a football buff. He remembers the Bangabandhu Gold Cup final of 2016 which Nepal won with striker Nawayug Shrestha's hat-trick, and was happy to learn that I had commentated on that game. "Arre sir, agar paisa sahi se istemaal ho toh Nepal har sports mein aage hoga (If funds are utilised properly, Nepal will be world-beaters across all sport)," he says.
**
Under Carlos Queiroz, former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Iran have refined their game to the level that they gave a genuine scare to both Spain and Portugal last summer in Russia. The match begins with a spirited attack or two from the diminutive Yemen striker Ahmed Al-Sarori, who plays in the second division in Qatar, but before long, Iran have a 3-0 advantage on the back of a Mehdi Taremi brace.
The game is a physical, often hot-tempered affair, but at the end of it, while the Yemen players sink to their knees, the Iran players are the first to come up to them and help them to their feet and give them a pat on the backs.
"With more energy and focus, they will become a stronger team. This is football -- I think they will come [up]," says Rubin Kazan striker Sardar Azmoun, who was among the first to congratulate Saoud Al Sowadi, a valiant presence in the Yemen goal despite a 5-0 scoreline.
**
Not all football conversations in Abu Dhabi have been about the Asian Cup, though. A chatty taxi driver from Kumasi, Ghana called Felix, initiated one such conversation by asking what this writer had come to Abu Dhabi for. It wasn't difficult to explain the context to him -- his car was one of several in the city that have been decked with the Asian Cup official rear sunshade.
Felix is a die-hard Manchester United fan, and was deeply upset with his favourite club's decision to appoint Jose Mourinho (not surprisingly, he smiles ear-to-ear of late) because he thinks Mourinho of even the second Chelsea stint was a deeply divisive, unhappy figure as coach. Felix tried his best to get through me about which team I support, and was not convinced that I have none. When at last I confessed that I used to like AC Milan back when Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini played together, he made a statement that would make me smile.
"Now imagine, if one Indian footballer goes on to become an AC Milan star, how would that make you feel?"
Yesteryear football hero Shyam Thapa who had redefined the back-volley during his playing days couldn't stop praising the entire team for their sublime performance in India’s AFC Asian Cup opener against Thailand.
"I recalled my playing days seeing these young chaps – Ashique Kuruniyan and Anirudh Thapa play. Ashique has terrific energy and speed while Thapa's finishing was too good,” he maintained.
“The Coach has done a great work bringing so many young players in the National Team. They are capable of running at the same speed and playing with same intensity for 90 minutes. It will help us going forward,” he added. "Moreover, the team has experienced players like Chhetri and Sandesh who can guide these boys on the pitch.”
Thapa, the current Chairman of the AIFF technical Committee, didn't hide his emotions while describing the four goals – India’s biggest victory in AFC Asian Cup overcoming the 3-1 win against Hong Kong in 1964.
"All the goals were brilliant. The composure showed by Sunil before the penalty was terrific. The second goal was a terrific example of the team game. Udanta's pass was perfectly finished by Chhetri. Truly masterclass,” he explained.
He further said that Anirudh Thapa is a special player and the future holds bright for the youngster. "The baccha (Thapa) showed the right attitude and chipped it in. The future is bright and he is on the right path."
"The toe-poke by Jeje was something extraordinary too. What I found so positive was that not a single goal came by fluke. The game plan was executed well.”
India are slated to face hosts UAE in their next fixture and the former striker feels "midfielders will have a tough task ahead."
"The midfielders have a tough task ahead against UAE. They need to be on their toes all throughout. The team which will control the midfield will get to win the match. They need to go deep to lay a hand in the defence as well as coordinate with the forwards up front.”
https://the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=9417