No favourites in FIFA Asean Cup, warns analyst

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no room for favourites in the inaugural FIFA Asean Cup, where one poor result could derail a team's campaign, said football analyst Datuk Richard Scully.

Division 1 features eight teams split into two groups, with Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore in Group A, while Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines make up Group B.

The group winners will advance to the final, while the runners-up will contest the third-place playoff.

Malaysia open their Group A campaign against Bangladesh on Sept 25 before facing regional rivals Indonesia on Sept 28 at the Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta and Singapore on Oct 1 at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung.

The tournament is being played during the FIFA international window, allowing participating nations to call up their best available players without clubs resisting their release.

Richard said the format means teams cannot afford a slow start, with every match carrying significant weight.

"Who's the favourite? Nobody's the favourite. It's an equal playground now. The first match will determine whether you're in or you're out," said the former Football Coaches Association of Malaysia (FCAM) vice president.

"I think Asia will parade the best players for its national teams."

Richard believes having the strongest squads available will give the tournament greater value, allowing countries to measure themselves against the best in the region and establish a clearer benchmark for their national programmes.

"I think FIFA has come out with a good methodology to ensure the best players in Southeast Asia come out and represent their national teams. It gives us a benchmark (of the national team's strength," he said.

But he warned that the format also means even the strongest teams can be eliminated by a single mistake.

"Even the best team can be knocked out. One penalty and the game is over. So what are you going to say? That you are good on paper? It doesn't matter," he said.

For Malaysia, Richard believes there is no reason to be overawed by Indonesia or Singapore despite the different challenges facing the three teams.

"Malaysia are as equal as them despite what's happening around us. We have to stay focused and be consistent," he said.

Richard added that Malaysia should use the tournament to assess the consistency of their core players rather than judge the team's progress solely on results.

Indonesia are expected to have their foreign-based and heritage players available, while Singapore are coming off qualification for their first Asian Cup.

"Winning matches is not the answer at the moment for me. I would look at the consistency of the core players who are representing the nation," he said.