Dont look into the qualifiers bro half the players who were part of it are not there. China are on 10 match unbeaten run and recently beat Oman 4-1 this week.
Iraq are in shit form, golden generation has ended they have some good individual players but cant see them surprising big guns this time.
Worse teams in the tournament have to be Bahrain, Korea DPR and Palestine expect these teams to go out in first round.
Palestine and North Korea progressed through the now dissolved AFC Challenge Cup which India won in 2008. All of them are treated as minnows but DPR Korea is a rising nation in AFC their youth teams are good. Its would be disgrace if India qualify in GR and lose by 6-0, 7-0. First, we should target in developing better players rather than qualifying for Asia Cup
It's not the football aspect alone which I've been thinking but the political situation in those countries. These countries have managed to be in the tournament despite all the difficulties which you can say are the worst possible places to live in the world right now. India being 100 times stable and peaceful than them haven't managed to get a slot. It only points to gross mismanagement!
@atuljg ; Those countries which you mentioned have a better Football pedigree. Iraq and North Korea have played in World Cup. Iraq in 1986 and North Korea in 2010 and 1966. They qualified on merit in World Cup, not any backdoor entry. Iraq has been champion in 2007 AFC Asian Cup. I cant imagine these two teams not qualifying for AFC Asian Cup. India is nowhere near them.
Comments
they qualified as best 3rd placed team
They wont even go to quaters for me
It's a disgrace that countries like Palestine, North Korea, ISIS infested Iraq have qualified for this tournament ahead of India. Simply unacceptable.