East Asia Cup Fan-vs-Fan: Hong Kong - China - Japan - South Korea

Korea - No one. People say we must defeat Japan but I don’t think so. We must win the competition, winning all those games.

Japan - China. There was so much booing from Chinese fans at the 2004 Asian Cup held in China. We won the game but such a situation boosted my feelings of rivalry.

How is your team doing at the moment?

China -Not well. There is a very big "Anti-match fixing" storm in China. Some big names in the CFA have been sent to jail recently, including the CFA Vice-president Nan Yong and Yang Yimin. More and more dirty news about Chinese football have been reported by media. There are some negative news about current Chinese coach Gao Hongbo and his players. It will certainly affect the normal training for this team.

Korea - In a word, ‘unstable’. Mr. Huh can’t show us the blueprint of the team. It means we don’t know how the team will be changed.

Japan – Trying to insert a new generation of players is not working so well. It would be good to make some more young players play as we did at the qualifying game of Asian Cup against Yemen 6th January this year. I am afraid in the case regular players suffered.

Which of your players will be a success in this tournament?

HK - I don't think any individual of our players will be a success in this tournament. But if I have to choose one, I would pick Chui Tak Man. He was the best Hong Kong player in East Asia Games.

China - In my opinion, this Chinese team can not surprise us. They are weaker compared with Japan and Korea, although there those two teams have no important players coming back from Europe. So I think Chinese goalkeeper Yang Zhi from Beijing Guoan could have three busy games in this tournament. He is a great goalkeeper and was a key man in Beijing Guoan last season.

I wish he will be a success as it will mean that Chinese results might not be so poor.

Korea -Ku Ja Cheol. For a central midfielder, it is all about controlling the game and despite his young age, the Blackburn Rovers target has already shown that he can do so. This kind of tournament will give him more opportunities.

Japan - Sota Hirayama(FW) and Muu Kanazaki(MF). Also I expect Shusaku Nishikawa(GK) because he and Kanazaki are former Oita player( Ryota is an Oita fan!).

If you could choose one player from the other three teams to play on your team, who would you choose?

Hk - Marcus Tulio Tanaka。We need a really strong leader to organize the team from the defensive line.

Tanaka in impressive action against Hong Kong

China - Chinese defenders and goalkeepers are not worse than Japan and Korea. So we need some good midfielders and forwards. I would like to choose Nakamura from Japan, Lee Chung-yong from Korea, and Chan Siu Ki from Chinese Hong Kong. Nakamura and Lee Chung-yong will not play in this tournament but Chan Siu Ki played really well last year.

Korea - I would not choose anyone. What is important is playing as a team because there’s no player in East Asia who has the power to change a game with his ability.

Japan - Lee Keun Ho of South Korea and Jong Tae-se(even though he is a player of North Korea). We have midfielders but no strikers.

Are you happy with your coach?

Hk - No. Kim (Pan-gon) doesn't have much knowledge about tactics. He even doesn't have respect from his players as everybody shouts at him.

China -Not very happy, actually. We could not see much more hope from his team and tactics, the performances in Asian Cup Qualifying matches were really poor. Some fans and media have demanded that Gao Hongbo be fired

Actually，Gao's seat is not stable in this year. He had some relationships with former CFA head Nan Yong in this big storm... CFA has changed a new boss Wei Di, he might think the best way to improve Chinese football is finding a good foreign coach. If Gao is sacked in the next three months, nobody would be surprised.

Korea - I’m satisfied. We can’t change our gaffer right now. Korea fans must believe in him though I can’t say Huh is perfect for the job.

Japan - I don’t like Takeshi Okada’s way of football so much. He chooses
only players he likes. He is indecisive.

China has never defeated Korea. Will that happen this time?

HK -No. I don't see China will defeat Korea in any tournament in near future.

China - No. It will be the same story like before, I think. Some fringe-players in South Korea will be trying their best to take part in the World Cup and the Chinese players and coaches are distracted by problems at home.

Korea - (laughs) At least 50 years it will go on, I’m pretty sure.

Japan -It could be possible because these days Korea team is not as strong as before but it will be difficult.

How will this East Asia Cup affect Japan and Korea at the World Cup?

HK –Not much as China and Hong Kong are not the same level as Japan and Korea are.

China - I don't think it will be a big tournament in Japan and Korea. But for some players, it will be their best chance to show their abilities to their national coaches before World Cup.

Korea - Through this competition Korea will find out their weakness and how they could be improve after friendlies and trainings.