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| Ulsan Hyundai head coach Hong Myung-bo, right, celebrates with the team's midfielder Yoon Bitgaram after the latter scored a goal against Gangwon FC during the K League 1 match at the Munsu Stadium in Ulsan, March 1. / Yonhap |
By John Duerden
The problem with football being such a worldwide game is that there are always various tournaments that need to be played. And when you keep pushing back various commitments due to the coronavirus pandemic, there comes a point when you can't push them back any more. June is that time.
There are two commitments on the continent. The first is down to the clubs, the Asian Champions League. Jeonbuk Motors, Ulsan Horangi (current champion of the tournament), Pohang Steelers and Daegu FC will meet teams from Japan, China, Australia as well as Southeast Asia. This competition, which has been expanded this year from 32 teams to 40 (this is not a perfect time to be adding new teams to the mix), usually kicks off in February. That was never going to happen this year given the travel restrictions and quarantine rules that are in existence around Asia.
It was put back to April and May and then, Thursday, it was put back once more to June and July. There's more. The groups will not take place in the usual home and away format. All four teams in the group will play their games in one "centralized hub." The problem is that there is a shortage of willing hosts in the eastern half of the continent. There are ten groups in all. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and India will take care of the western half of the competition, Thailand will host three on the eastern half but there are still two groups to be confirmed.
This causes a problem for South Korea ― and other countries. The problem with playing the Champions League is that it is going to clash with qualification for the 2022 World Cup. Most would see this as the priority. Qualifiers stopped in November 2019 and should have restarted at various times but have been delayed until this June and can't be delayed again. From June 3 to June 15, the Taeguk Warriors have to play four games and complete Group H in the second round. Win the group and they are guaranteed a place in the third and final stage which kicks off in September. June 15 is the deadline to finish the group. A failure to do so could even cause teams to be thrown out.
There is some good news however. South Korea will host the remaining games in Group H, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed Friday. That means North Korea, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka and Lebanon will all come to the Land of the Morning Calm. It will reduce travel and stress for coach Paulo Bento and his men.
It may well be however that those national team players who represent the four K-League teams in the Asian Champions League will have to stay home while their team-mates in the club tournament will be facing other teams in the same situation.
For now, the focus is on getting everything played and finished, however possible.
