AFC president slams 'disrespectful' Man Utd
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From : http://www.espnstar.com/epl/epl_newsdetail_5809714.html
AFC president slams 'disrespectful' Man Utd
by Martin Parry
KUALA LUMPUR, May 7, 2007 (AFP) - AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam on Monday launched a stinging attack on Manchester United, calling them "disrespectful" and demanding they cancel their Asian tour.
The pre-season commercial tour in July clashes with the Asian Cup finals, prompting bin Hamman to suggest the new Premier League champions put something back into Asian football instead of grabbing its money.
"Cancel your tour -- this is the message on behalf of the whole Asian football family, all our players, our coaches," he said in response to AFP questions on the sidelines of the Asian Football Confederation Congress here.
"It is disrespectful. This is not the solidarity we expect from the football family.
"We expect Manchester United to look for something more than money. Asia is giving them so much money during the on-season. One month every four years and they cannot spare it to not play in Asia?"
Bin Hammam fears the presence of Manchester United will divert attention away from the July 7-29 Asian Cup -- the region's flagship competition being co-hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The AFC is pinning hopes on the tournament sparking new interest in Asian football from Asian fans.
Last month United announced they would warm up for the 2007-2008 season with a tour that takes them to Japan, South Korea, Macau and Malaysia.
They plan to kick off against J-League champions Urawa Red Diamonds on July 17 in Saitama before travelling to the South Korean capital for a showdown with FC Seoul on July 20.
Alex Ferguson's team are then due to head to Macau for a match against Shenzhen on July 23, before ending the tour in Kuala Lumpur on July 27 against a Malaysian XI.
Bin Hamman said the Asian Cup dates were set by FIFA and each association hosting matches had signed guarantees not to promote or hold any other football games throughout July and for three days after the Cup concludes.
He suggested the Football Association of Malaysia could face disciplinary action but reserved his harshest criticism for United, who were handed the league title on Sunday when Chelsea could only manage a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
"We are trying to encourage more spectators to watch Asian football but it looks like the people at Manchester want to fight this idea and corner this market," he said.
"Frankly, it is a colonial way of thinking. It is not fair play at all.
"We can prevent them playing in Malaysia but I don't want them to play in Korea, Japan or China either. They are welcome in June, they are welcome in August, but not in July."
He said he had been in touch with the Football Association as early as last September about the tour and had initially received assurances that it would not clash.
Bin Hammam added that he had the support of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
"He is of the opinion that everybody must respect the calendar. It is simple," said bin Hammam.
Blatter is in Kuala Lumpur but was not immediately available for comment.
In another slap to the Red Devils, the AFC supremo pointed to their arch-rivals Chelsea as a team that was putting back into Asia.
"We have a very good example from Chelsea who have signed an agreement to develop football at the grassroots in Asia, That is a good example," he said.
In March, Chelsea signed a deal with the AFC to provide financial and technical support to mainly grassroots football clubs across China until 2010. -
The AFC president should look at his own soccer players and wonder why people would rather go pay to watch Man Utd than to watch his AFC cup for free.
In fact I rather watch Sunderland then the Singapore team. -
but he was saying the truth that man utd is just doing their usual marketing in asia market they are not trying to help improve asia football they are in for only moneyOriginally posted by jianfish9:The AFC president should look at his own soccer players and wonder why people would rather go pay to watch Man Utd than to watch his AFC cup for free.
In fact I rather watch Sunderland then the Singapore team.
unlike chelsea is trying to help to develop asia football as well as marketing -
i think its juz some clashes of policies ba
things will work out right ?
they are some korean, chinese playing for Man U
at least considered helping Asian football ba ? -
yaya...anything that talks bad,criticises manutd are song to your ears
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agreed.Originally posted by I_love_my_toilet:i think its juz some clashes of policies ba
things will work out right ?
they are some korean, chinese playing for Man U
at least considered helping Asian football ba ? -
man utd recruit this players just because they have quality not because they are doing asia football a favourOriginally posted by I_love_my_toilet:i think its juz some clashes of policies ba
things will work out right ?
they are some korean, chinese playing for Man U
at least considered helping Asian football ba ?
park is quite a good hardworking midfielder
dong has been good for man utd reserve
if both of them don't perform they will be send home -
if like tat doesnt helpOriginally posted by ghimpheng:man utd recruit this players just because they have quality not because they are doing asia football a favour
park is quite a good hardworking midfielder
dong has been good for man utd reserve
if both of them don't perform they will be send home
so exactly how to help asia football ? -
Do what Chelsea did?Originally posted by I_love_my_toilet:if like tat doesnt help
so exactly how to help asia football ? -
I think if you watched Football Focus on ESPN just now you would actually know that Man Utd is helping Asian Football.
Even their panelist Shebby Singh agrees totally that Man Utd coming to Asia can only help Asian football.
If one can't even get up to watch a good team like Man Utd play, how then will people even bother to watch AFC cup.
Anyway, I find all this quite lame and courting flame from pro Man Utd forums. Its like some wife complaining that her husband go watch Man Utd play but don't want to go shopping with her. -
Should we keep Asian players just for the sake of marketing and money then if not for their skill and talent?Originally posted by ghimpheng:man utd recruit this players just because they have quality not because they are doing asia football a favour
park is quite a good hardworking midfielder
dong has been good for man utd reserve
if both of them don't perform they will be send home -
i think it's actually the AFC that is disgraceful
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It seems to me that Chelsea would like to emulate Man U in terms of their marketing appeal. Like what Real Madrid did.
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And u think Chelsea will never do it to Asian players?Originally posted by ghimpheng:man utd recruit this players just because they have quality not because they are doing asia football a favour
park is quite a good hardworking midfielder
dong has been good for man utd reserve
if both of them don't perform they will be send home
Cmon..they even left their english bright prospects on the bench
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i tot you guyz hate shebby singh ? now he say good comment of man utd then support him ? next time he say negative comments on man utd u hate him again ?Originally posted by jianfish9:I think if you watched Football Focus on ESPN just now you would actually know that Man Utd is helping Asian Football.
Even their panelist Shebby Singh agrees totally that Man Utd coming to Asia can only help Asian football.
If one can't even get up to watch a good team like Man Utd play, how then will people even bother to watch AFC cup.
Anyway, I find all this quite lame and courting flame from pro Man Utd forums. Its like some wife complaining that her husband go watch Man Utd play but don't want to go shopping with her. -
we do not need to emulate chelsea as the blues have even better plans than man utdOriginally posted by Rock^Star:It seems to me that Chelsea would like to emulate Man U in terms of their marketing appeal. Like what Real Madrid did.
Chelsea have already entered USA , China And Asia Market while man utd have not enter China Market and maybe USA if i am not wrong -
They've had tours in the USA years ago alrdyOriginally posted by ghimpheng:we do not need to emulate chelsea as the blues have even better plans than man utd
Chelsea have already entered USA , China And Asia Market while man utd have not enter China Market and maybe USA if i am not wrong And they've alrdy set up a chinese only man utd website -
i said maybe usa so they not yet enter china market yet ? it is a big market in chinaOriginally posted by lpx88:They've had tours in the USA years ago alrdy And they've alrdy set up a chinese only man utd website
and chinese man utd website does not mean entering china market -
With a website dedicated only for Chinese fans to follow up on the team's progress, and now picking of young talents like dong from China and also tours with the Chinese clubs i dont see why they are far behind in the China marketOriginally posted by ghimpheng:i said maybe usa so they not yet enter china market yet ? it is a big market in china
and chinese man utd website does not mean entering china market -
From : http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=428565&cc=4716
Blatter calls on United to reschedule Asia tour
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has thrown his weight behind calls for Manchester United to look again at this summer's controversial tour of Asia.
The newly-crowned Premier League champions have caused uproar by scheduling their visit to the continent to coincide with the running of the quadrennial Asian Cup, which will be co-hosted by Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand in July.
Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam launched a scathing attack on the English champions yesterday and Blatter has backed demands for United to reconsider.
'The Asian Cup is on a date reserved for competitions for the confederations and they should also be respected by clubs who are touring in the same region where these competitions are taking place,' said the FIFA president.
'I would personally appeal to the club, to the associations, but also to the organisers in the different countries. We have an opportunity for solidarity for football.'
Malaysia is the last stop on United's jaunt on July 27, with the tour kicking off in Tokyo on July 17 followed by a stop in Seoul three days later and a match in Macau on July 20.
Those dates clash with the latter stages of the continental championship, which will feature all four co-hosts as well as defending champions Japan and nations such as China, South Korea and Iran among the 16 participants and runs from July 7-29.
As a result, the tour was not ratified by the AFC during their Congress in Kuala Lumpur.
The FIFA president has already been in contact with Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson and he hoped the Old Trafford club would reconsider.
'I had an opportunity to speak with him the other day when we met in Nyon and he said `I will work on that' but that it's not so easy because this was an invitation by the government (of Malaysia), not the federation,' said Blatter.
'But we have a structure in FIFA and I told the sports minister here in Kuala Lumpur yesterday that when you organise a tour you have to go through the national association. They have to ratify such a match. They have to inform the confederation.
'For the clubs, FIFA's okay is not necessary but I'm sure if such a case will be presented to the club, Manchester United, that the organisers of the tour will understand such a situation.'
The match was to form part of the country's celebrations of 50 years of Malaysian nationhood but Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, the president of the Football Association of Malaysia, conceded the game may not now go ahead.
'We have to abide by the ruling, I guess,' he said. 'That's the order of the day and we have to abide by that. If they want to come at that time they can't come. Now the sanction has not been given so we have to follow the ruling. They can't come during the Asian Cup, they have to rearrange.
'By the look of it, the Asian Cup will have to take precedent. This is bad news for the fans but this is the feeling of the family of Asia.' -
The side discussion has a lot of subjective information rather than objective information.
Anyway, I think main issue here is that Man U is choosing to have their tour same time as the Asian Cup Finals. So there may be a clash of events and competition for spectators and viewwership.
Not so much about the development of Asian Football directly but a matter of clash of events. Although personally I do not think one club would make so much difference.
I guess AFC would prefer if Man U chose to conduct their pre-season training elsewhere, instead of in AFC and compete for specators with matches for the Asian Cup Finals. That is only my personal view though.
Notice the issue is about money because AFC wants people to attend their matches.
If it were about development of Asian soccer itself directly, then exposing Asian more players to teams like Man U, Chelsea or Arsenal can only be good for them. More matches is always good. I think the problem now is with the timing of it. And since you can't expect Man U or any other club to have a different pre-season date, the viable solution would be to hold their pre-season in another continent/region.
It would be true that any club that goes to play in asia would raise its profile, hence it's marketability. But I don't think the AFC would object had there not been a possible clash of events. -
who does not want $$ ??? somemore manu is in debt now. Its the $$ those europe clubs wants from us.. they dun lack talents, for wad help asian teams to get better?? Its all about marketing.... bullshit if u tell me europeans teams trying to rise the standard of asia football.. too naive to think they r help us... Angmos have been s.u.c.k.i.n.g our $$ for hundreds of years. i dun think this ever change.
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This whole thing is so silly. Malaysia will host their last match of the AFC games on the 25 of July and it will head to Indonesia from then on. United will only play in Malaysia on the 27 of July, 2 full days after it have ended it time in Malaysia.
The only problem here is that the Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam is worry that people would rather watch United than the AFC matches and selling the broadcast to tv stations (Like starhub) would be more difficult to get a higher sum.
United are there only because of an invitation by the Malaysian government. The invitation was done even before the start of this current season when united announced they would be coming to asia. The government paid a lot of money to bring united over (i belief part of it could come from the Malaysian sponsored Air Asia as well) as part of the country's celebrations of 50 years of nationhood and they and the million of fans across asia will only stand to lose.
I say it would be better if united head back earlier after their match on the 23 of Jul to prepare for next season...
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Asia wants to see Man U but AFC has its own agenda too. Too bad, Asian football is just not up to scratch.
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Emulate Chelsea or Man U, you mean?Originally posted by ghimpheng:we do not need to emulate chelsea as the blues have even better plans than man utd
Chelsea have already entered USA , China And Asia Market while man utd have not enter China Market and maybe USA if i am not wrong
Chelsea should try to emulate Man U, be it EPL, Champions League, FA Cup or anywhere else.