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2015 Asian Cup

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Posted January 09, 2015 02:54 · last edited January 09, 2015 02:57

Leggy wrote:

The top four favourites  are Japan,South Korea, Iran and Australia.

Japan must be the favourites again after winning three of the last four tournaments (2000, 2004, 2011)

Japan and the Saudis have won seven of the last eight tournaments.

However you can rule out the Saudis this time as they're in a bit of a decline.

South Korea are the perennial chokers - they haven't won since 1960 but regularly make the semis.

(An incredible stat. for a major Asian team)

Apart from Japan, the Saudis and S. Korea, only four other countries have won the Asian Cup - Iran (three times), Iraq, Kuwait and Israel (and Israel are no longer part of the AFC)

Iran are another perennial choker  - they've won three times but not since 1976  - despite having excellent sides in the 1990's and early 2000's featuring very good Bundesliga players.

I kind of hope South Korea do well and finally break their 54 year duck.

I wouldn't begrudge success to the Aussies either after unluckily losing the last final to Japan in extra time 1-0. 

Also I hope Palestine put up a good show, the real underdogs whose players have been trying to train under Israeli attack and security hassles the last year and whose coach recently quit.

Also FIFA and the AFC are ahead of the UN in giving full country status to Palestine (whose people were the majority inhabitants of the territory now comprising Israel and Palestine for 1300 years before the historically small Jewish minority took over the whole area 1948-68).

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Big Pete 65 edited January 09, 2015 02:57
Leggy wrote:

The top four favourites  are Japan,South Korea, Iran and Australia.

Japan must be the favourites again after winning three of the last four tournaments (2000, 2004, 2011)

Japan and the Saudis have won seven of the last eight tournaments.

However you can rule out the Saudis this time as they're in a bit of a decline.

South Korea are the perennial chokers - they haven't won since 1960 but regularly make the semis.

(An incredible stat. for a major Asian team)

Apart from Japan, the Saudis and S. Korea, only four other countries have won the Asian Cup - Iran (three times), Iraq, Kuwait and Israel (and Israel are no longer part of the AFC)

Iran are another perennial choker  - they've won three times but not since 1976  - despite having excellent sides in the 1990's and early 2000's featuring very good Bundesliga players.

I kind of hope South Korea do well and finally break their 54 year duck.

Also I hope Palestine put up a good show, the real underdogs whose players have been trying to train under Israeli attack and security hassles the last year and whose coach recently quit.

Also FIFA and the AFC are ahead of the UN in giving full country status to Palestine (whose people were the majority inhabitants of the territory now comprising Israel and Palestine for 1300 years before the historically small Jewish minority took over the whole area 1948-68).