Sunday, December 28, 2008
Congratulations Vietnam
You had to feel for Datsakorn Thonglao, pain was etched on his face as he collected his runner's up medal but football is all about winners and Vietnam have sprung a surprise by breaking the duopoly of Singapore and Thailand and winning the AFF Cup for the first time.
I think I said in a couple of posts that the team that does the business on the road stands the best chance of glory and the Vietnamese have done that by going to both Singapore and Bangkok and getting the result. Oddly they were held both times at home but that's football lah.
Winning it was the easy bit. Now they have to defend it in 2010, and expect them and Malaysia to share hosting duties then, and you can be sure that the Thais and Singaporeans will be wanting that trophy back.
Can Indonesia rise to the challenge by mounting a serious bid in two years time or they destined to be ever the bridesmaids? Or can Malaysia, buoyed by successive seasons of foreigner free football, do better?
Exciting times in South East Asia football. Vietnam have raised the bar and it's up to the others to keep pace with them.
I think I said in a couple of posts that the team that does the business on the road stands the best chance of glory and the Vietnamese have done that by going to both Singapore and Bangkok and getting the result. Oddly they were held both times at home but that's football lah.
Winning it was the easy bit. Now they have to defend it in 2010, and expect them and Malaysia to share hosting duties then, and you can be sure that the Thais and Singaporeans will be wanting that trophy back.
Can Indonesia rise to the challenge by mounting a serious bid in two years time or they destined to be ever the bridesmaids? Or can Malaysia, buoyed by successive seasons of foreigner free football, do better?
Exciting times in South East Asia football. Vietnam have raised the bar and it's up to the others to keep pace with them.
# posted by Me @ 9:13 PM 
