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Myanmar to host 2007 ASEAN Women's Cup

Myanmar will host the 2007 ASEAN Women's Championship for the first time during 6-15 September. The South East Asian participants are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam in Group A and Myanmar, Laos, Singapore and Thailand in Group B.

Opening of ASEAN U-17 Championship delayed

The opening match match of the 3rd ASEAN U-17 Football Championship in Pnom Penh, Cambodia, was postponed from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning due to heavy rain. Thousands of fans in raincoats stayed in the Olympic Stadium, until the decision to delay the game between Cambodia and neighbouring Thailand was announced. "I spent one dollar to buy a ticket but it was very sad because the match can't be played," said Nen Nat. "It is an international match and I want to watch it. I can't wait until tomorrow because I won't have time on Monday. Tomorrow I will go back to work," he told Xinhua news agency.

"The Cambodian government accepted our proposal to host this event, although the Olympic Stadium has limited facilities and structures. It is pride for Cambodia," said John N. S. Koh, a senior member of the ASEAN Football Federation, the Asia Football Confederation and the FIFA. All South East Asian nations except the Philippines are participating.

Vietnam beats Malaysia 1-0 in U-20 ASEAN final

Host Vietnam beat Malaysia 1-0 in the final of the U-20 ASEAN Football Championship. The only goal of the match was scored by captain Duc Nhan in the sixth minute. In the semi-finals, tournament host, Vietnam beat Myanmar 3-1 while the stronger Thailand squad was unexpectedly defeated 1-2 by Malaysia. In that game all three goals were scored in the last minutes of the match.

Indonesian men's futsal aims for SEA Games Final

The Indonesia national futsal team has set itself the high target of reaching the finals of the upcoming SEA Games in Thailand, where futsal will be making its maiden appearance in the biannual South East Asian sporting event. "We still have eight months to prepare ourselves. Reaching the finals will be a realistic target," Justin Lhaksana, the national team's coach, was quoted in The Jakarta Post. "Our national team is in top form now with newly-joined young players on board. We've used the recent (ASEAN Football Federation futsal championship) matches in Bangkok as a tryout for our new national team. And they did very well," he said.

Lhaksana added that Indonesia performed well, despite failing to reach the semifinal round of the ASEAN futsal championship. Indonesia beat the Philippines 1-0, drew with Malaysia 2-2 and lost to debutantes Australia 5-3. Indonesia settled third in the group, outrun in total points by Malaysia. "Malaysia had better preparation in the two weeks before the championship, while the Australian team is a world championship regular. I think the Bangkok result was good enough," he said.

Chemby Hutapea, Chairman of the National Futsal Body (BFN) of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), said the body had submitted its list of 20 would-be national team players to Indonesia's SEA Games task force for screening. "They have undergone the first health and physical tests and passed 90 percent of them so far," Chemby said. He said the task force ruled only 15 slots would be available in the men's futsal side. Indonesia will not compete in the women's division.

ASEAN Football Federation executive elections

ASEAN Football Federation President, Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail was unanimously re-elected to lead the South East Asian football management body for another term at the recent 14th AFF Congress. Rithauddeen, a Malaysian, has been the AFF President since 1995. Paul Mony Samuel, the Asian Football Confederation General Secretary, was also unanimously returned as the AFF's Honorary Secretary for another term. Four new Vice-Presidents, Pengiran Matusin Matasan from Brunei, Ravy Khek from Cambodia, Juan Miguel Romualdez of the Philippines and Duong Vu Lam of Vietnam, were elected. Phouvanh Vongsouthi of Laos and Francisco Kalbuadi of East Timor were appointed to the AFF Executive Committee.

Both Australia and the Maldives are members of the Asian Football Confederation's ASEAN Group for administrative reasons but have not been accepted into membership of the ASEAN Football Federation and its ASEAN Football Champrionship (formerly Tiger Cup).

Thailand beats Australia in ASEAN Futsal final

Thailand has won the ASEAN Futsal Championships title for the fifth straight time. In an almost repeat of the last FIFA Futsal World Championship in 2004, Thailand beat Asian Football Confederation newcomer Australia 7-1 before a capacity crowd of 6,000 at the Hua Mak Indoor Stadium in Bangkok. “I don’t think that it will be a problem playing against Australia who have physically bigger players. We will just have to move a lot more,” Thailand's coach Pattaya Peimkum said earlier. “The win is very positive for our preparation for the AFC Futsal Championship,” he said after the final. The next edition of the annual AFC Futsal Championship will be held in May followed by the FIFA Futsal World Championship in 2008.

WSG says one AFF Cup group to play in Vietnam

It appears that the Asian Football Confederation's exclusive commercial partner, the World Sports Group, may have reached an agreement to share the next ASEAN Football Championship with Vietnam's Thanh Nien newspaper group. When Singapore-based Tiger Beer did not renew its 10-year sponsorship of the tournament two years ago, Thanh Nien and Vietnam marketing companies offered to cover the sponsorship providing the event was held in Vietnam and not rotated through other South East Asian nations.

This was rejected by the ASEAN Football Federation and WSG and the 2006-2007 edition was played without a naming sponsor.

Now the newspaper itself reports that one of the two final groups in the next event will be based in Vietnam and said that Ian Mathie, vice chairman of the World Sports Group, had revealed the information to Vietnam media following a meeting with officials from the newspaper and Vietnam Football Federation vice chairman, Le Huu Bang.

Thanh Nien’s editor-in-chief, Nguyen Cong Khe, reportedly again told Mathie that the newspaper wished to become the main sponsor of the event. "But Mathie said his agency had already signed several long-term deals with other partners but agreed to hold further talks for future cooperation."

See also: AFF/WSG back talking to Thanh Nien for AFF Cup (8 Feb) andUS$2M sponsorship still sought for ASEAN Cup (17 Oct 05)

Thailand wins ASEAN youth championship again

Thailand beat Myanmar 5-4 on penalties to retain the ASEAN Youth Football Championship title, AFCMedia reported. Thai goalkeeper Sompong Yod Ard, deservingly named Best Player, dived to his left and saved Myanmar's Si Thu Tuan's penalty in what was a re-match of the 2005 final which Thailand won 3-0. "Deciding the game on penalties, it could have gone either way, so I feel very lucky to have won," said Thai coach Kawin Kaehendecha.

Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy basis for ASEAN league?

The Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for South East Asian U-21 footballers is being raised as the foundation for an ASEAN regional professional league. "The Asian Football Confederation and ASEAN Football Federation age-group tournaments help to develop and prepare the youngsters for the international tournament but we still need our own league, just like in Europe," the HBT opening and closing ceremony chairman Mohamed Zamri Hamdani told Zulhilmi Supaat of Bernama newsagency in Bandar Seri Begawan.

He quoted a 1997 speech by Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah which said: "Soccer has the greatest following in Southeast Asia. Having an ASEAN or Southeast Asian soccer league will deepen the awareness of ordinary people of Asean countries. Let all the best teams of our region compete in the league. If Europe can have a European League, Latin America a Latin American League and Africa its African league, why is there not a Southeast Asian League?"

However Mohamed Zamri said that nothing positive had as yet materialised from the sultan's suggestion. Interestingly, Brunei was less than enthusiastic about the very popular ASEAN Football Championship when it was known as the Tiger Cup and sponsored by a famous Singapore brewery.

Brunei took the initiative to introduce the HBT in 2002 when Indonesia won the first edition. Thailand emerged as the winner in 2005. For this year's tournament, eight countries are taking part in two groups. Group A comprises Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam while Group B comprises Myanmar, Philippines, Brunei and Cambodia. The nine-day tournament will be held in three Brunei venues, the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex and Berakas Sports Complex.

Malaysia to host youth championship in August

Malaysia is reportedly hosting an International Youth Football Championship in Kuala Lumpur from 8 to 15 August 2007, Christopher Raj reported in the New Straits Times. Arsenal are amongst 16 clubs which will be taking part in the competition, the other clubs being Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Barcelona, Porto FC, Chelsea, Ajax Amsterdam, Boca Juniors, PSV Eindhoven, Flamengo, Paris St. Germain, Oatar, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and a Malaysian X11.

The Malaysian event appears to clash with the ASEAN U20 Youth Championships being played in Hanoi, Vietnam, in August. Teams will include Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and host Vietnam.

Eight ASEAN teams in 3rd Brunei King's Cup

The draw for the second ASEAN U-21 Youth Football Championship being held from 3-12 March at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Brunei excludes Laos and Indonesia because of their involvement in the U-23 2008 Olympic qualifiers. However eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will compete for the Brunei King's trophy last won by Thailand. Hosts Brunei Darussalam are in Group B with Myanmar, the Philippines and Cambodia while Group A comprises Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

AFF/WSG back talking to Thanh Nien for AFF Cup

It has taken nearly 18 months and one ASEAN Football Championship (formerly Tiger Cup) played in Singapore and Bangkok without a naming rights sponsor, but World Sports Group, representing the ASEAN Football Federation, is now back to talking to Vietnam's pro-football newspaper, Thanh Nien.

In October 2005, six months after Singapore's Tiger Beer company announced it would not extend its 10-year relationship with the much-loved competition, Thanh Nien had submitted a proposal to take over the US$2 million sponsorship.

Leaders of the Vietnam Football Federation said they were "strongly in support and have confidence in Thanh Nien newspaper" because of its "experience, economic potential and prestige" in sponsoring Vietnam's own U21 national football championships for nine consecutive years and the Vietnam Football Development Company revealed it would contribute about half of the necessary sponsorship funds.

Thanh Nien chief Nguyen Cong Khe said companies and agencies in Vietnam would join hands for the event. "Vietnam Airlines, tourist companies, hotels, restaurants, and sports agencies will certainly come to our aid," he said. In the event of the Vietnamese proposal being accepted, he said, the VFF would be responsible for taking care of transportation, food, accommodation, security, and healthcare services for officials, footballers and the organization board and Thanh Nien responsible for communications, advertising and procurement of sponsorship for the event.

However the Vietnamese partners were warned by then Asian Football Confederation general secretary, Peter Velappan, that the event could not be permanently based in Vietnam, insisting that countries in ASEAN take turns to host it. In March 2006, the AFF then announced that the tournament was renamed the ASEAN Football Championship and would take place in Januaruy 2007.

Thanh Nien has now announced it is re-entering negotiations with the AFF to become the main sponsor of the next ASEAN Football Championship in two years time. "The AFF appointed its exclusive commercial partner, World Sport Group, to hold talks with the Vietnamese side," reported Vietnam Football Federation’s general secretary Tran Quoc Tuan on Wednesday. “AFF Chairman Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeer agreed to send his associates to Vietnam after February 17 to carry out discussions on the cooperation,” he said.

See also: US$2M sponsorship still sought for ASEAN Cup (17 Oct 05)

ASEAN regional footbal league being reconsidered

An ASEAN regional football league is yet again being discussed following the completion of the ASEAN Football Championship (formerly Tiger Cup). ASEAN Football Federation Hnourary Scretary - and Asian Football Confederation General Secretary - Paul Mony said the concept, first mooted seven years ago, was being reconsidered. "The discussions are at an exploratory stage," he reportedly told Singapore's Today tabloid. "The feasibility of such a league is still being worked out and factors like cost are being studied."

The AFF has 11 South East Asian members: Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei and East Timor.

Thailand reprimand for disruption of AFF Cup Final

The ASEAN Football Federation, the administrative body for South East Asian football, has decided not to take any action against Thailand for its protest walkout during the first leg of the ASEAN Football Federation Championship Final in Singapore. According to AFCMedia, the AFF reprimanded the Thai team and issued them a warning to refrain from such behaviour in the future. The Thais "were irked" by referee M Ravichandran’s decision to award a penalty to hosts Singapore and walked off the field. The match was delayed for 15 minutes before AFF officials persuaded the Thai team to return and resume action. Thailand lost that leg 2-1 and in the return leg a 1-1 draw ensured that Singapore retained the title.

Thailand assures Singapore of Cup Final security

Singapore's national football team has been assured by Thailand authorities that there will be strict security for tomorrow night's crucial second leg of the ASEAN Football Championship at Supachalasai Stadium in Bangkok. Tension is high following the controversy which erupted in the first leg when Singapore won 2-1 following a penalty awarded against Thailand by Malaysian referee C. Ravichandran. According to Tor Chittinand in the Bangkok Post, a top-level meeting on the security situation was held at the Football Association of Thailand headquarters yesterday between Thai officials, members of the ASEAN Football Federation and the Singapore Ambassador, Peter Chang. FAT President Vijitr Getkaew said there would be more than 600 policeman at the event including 100 Tourist Police.

Thailand's coach, Chanvit Phalajivin said his team has "no choice but to go all out on attack ... 'It is also important our players remain calm. If we can control our tempers we will win.'' The Thai team has an added incentive in that the Thai Beverage Marketing Company Limited, producers of Beer Chang, has promised a bonus of two million baht for the Thai team if they win the title.

Singapore's players appeared at ease at training. Striker Noh Alam Shah, who was involved in the penalty incident on Wednesday, said he was not worried. ''We are not afraid at all and I think there will not be any problem with the Thai people, '' he said. ''The Thai players are our friends and I'm sure the referee won't be biased.'' Singapore's coach, Radojko Avramovic said he was confident his team would win the title. ''We are not under pressure and will play our normal game. We are not concerned about the first leg, that's over. We have to do well in the second match,'' he said.

EAFF accepts Northern Mariana Islands FA

The Executive Committee of the East Asian Football Federation, a regional affiliate of the Asian Football Confederation, has decided to include the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association as a provisional member. A provisional member does not have voting rights but otherwise is given the same rights as other member associations.

The EAFF also confirmed the dates for the men’s and women’s EAFF Championship which will be held in 2008. The men’s preliminary competition will take place from 15-24 June 2007 in Macau and the Finals will be hosted by China in February 2008. The preliminary competition for the women’s competition will be held from 9-16 July 2007 in Guam with the Finals taking place at the same time as the mens'.

The committee also approved a joint youth tournament with the ASEAN Football Federation next year.

AFC to resume assistance to Cambodian football

The Asian Football Confederation will resume funding of Cambodian football after observers said elections for the Cambodian Football Federation presidency were free and fair. General Sao Sokha, the national Military Police commander and close ally of Prime Minister Hun Sen, was re-elected as CFF president on Saturday for a four-year term. The new CFF executive committee comprises Senior Vice President Ravy Khek, Vice President Keo Sarin, Treasurer Bopha Saradeth Phuong and General Secretary Yean Chheang.

Rene Z Adad, deputy chairman of the AFC's legal committee, said the polls were legitimate and international aid would resume. "I was very much impressed with what we have witnessed," Adad told a news conference reported by Ek Madra of The Guardian. "It really followed the democratic process. As the rules have been followed, the election therefore has to be recognised."

Sao Sokha said financial support for the war-scarred country was essential. "Cambodia is a poor country and has just has earned its peace. I urge FIFA, the AFC, the AFF and others to provide for us support both financially and technically so that we can improve our soccer."

Cambodia invites FIFA, AFC to observe football poll

South East Asian nation Cambodia has invited foreign observers to oversee elections for a new football association president following a threat by world governing body FIFA to expel the country from international competitions. Football chiefs in the impoverished nation said they had asked FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the ASEAN Football Federation to attend the 9 December polls to prove there was no political interference in running the national game.

"We want them to support us to give us legitimacy," Yean Chheang, secretary-general of the Cambodian Football Federation told Reuters. "So we have to invite them to see the re-selection process with their own eyes to end all suspicions they have had in the past. We need to survive, we have to have support from outside," he added.

FIFA threatened to ban Cambodia from international matches and withdraw its support for the cash-strapped CFF after General Sao Sokha, the national Military Police commander and close ally of Prime Minister Hun Sen, was elected to replace Khek Ravy, a politician from the royalist FUNCINPEC party. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said the April election had been "flagrantly violated on the grounds of political interference" and called for Khek Ravy to be reinstated. Sao Sokha hit back at Blatter, saying he would not bow his head to FIFA and Cambodia did not need its help. A CFF official said Khek Ravy, CFF head for eight years, will be among the 20 candidates contesting the election.