Europe - at what cost to Asia?

Lebanon 2000 saw a significant rise in the standard of Asian football and a Japanese team that is arguably the finest the continent has ever boasted. But several of the European-based superstars didn't even make it across the Mediterranean. Tim Maitland asks at what point does the flow of talent to Europe become detrimental to the Asian game.

A chance encounter with the manager of English Premier League side West Ham United has exposed a worrying trend for those Asian players currently being lured by the Deutschmark, the Lira, the Peseta or the Pound.

Harry Redknapp was in Dubai for the four-team LG Cup tournament involving the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Korea Republic and Kuwait. The popular Englishman, who is well regarded in his own country as one of the more scrupulous and reputable managers, had traveled to the Emirates to make sure that a proposed deal with the Australian defender Hayden Foxe was not hijacked by supposedly interested Italian clubs. His trip was in vain because while he was there the application for Foxe's work permit was turned down.

However, at the same time he revealed that West Ham were also in negotiations to sign a Japanese player. Except that Redknapp did not know which one.

This might not seem strange in some countries where the first team is run by a coach and decisions on playing personnel are made at a higher level, but Redknapp is an old-style English manager. He decides what players he needs and would normally have seen a prospective signing several times and have been personally involved in the transfer negotiations.

It took only a raised eyebrow to solicit a response.

"To be honest it is more of a commercial deal," Redknapp quickly explained. "It's something my Chief Executive has been involved in. If it were a football deal of course I'd know all about him.

"We've been involved in talks with his club. Our Managing Director Paul Aldridge had a meeting with the club. But we got turned down for a work permit for Hayden Foxe, an established Australian international. If we can't get him into the country what chance do we have with a Japanese lad? Anyway I'm only looking at him as a player. If he came over and wasn't any good he wouldn't be any use to me." In other words one of England's top clubs was willing to sign a player in a way that contradicts all their usual procedures, regardless of whether or not their manager thinks he can get anywhere near the first team. The bottom line is the bottom line. The suspicion has to be that West Ham believed that they could make a profit even if the footballer concerned never kicked a ball in anger.

This should not come as a surprise. Perugia signed Hidetoshi Nakata from Bellmare Hiratsuka for US$3.3 million in August 1998 and sold him on to AS Roma for US$10 million a little over a year later. That's a pure profit of over US$6 million before you even begin to factor in the value of television deals with Japanese stations who previously had never heard of the team from the mid-Italian medieval town.

Equally, the direct and indirect effect of Nakata-fever raised Perugia's profile beyond their wildest dreams. During that year the red shirts of Perugia were everywhere, given pride of place ahead of the colours of Juventus, Inter and AC in every shop, be it in Milan or Rome, that hoped to catch a few tourist dollars. One can only begin to imagine what the global effect Nakata-fever had on Perugia's worldwide merchandise sales.

"I've been following with great concern the commercial exploitation of Asian players, especially the Japanese and Chinese," said AFC general secretary Dato' Peter Velappan. "When Nakata was signed by Perugia there was a huge commercial plan to exploit the Japanese following of their superstar. It involved the televising of their matches in Japan, merchandising and the setting up of supporters clubs. All to gain further financial advantage.

"When Fan Zhiyi and Sun Jihai went to Crystal Palace I was informed that Crystal Palace were not only televising matches in China, but also setting up fan clubs. Now other teams are trying to do the same."

Playing at Perugia allowed Nakata to develop or to prove, depending on your viewpoint, that he was capable of playing for a top Serie A club. It's impossible to say whether Perugia realized what they were signing with Nakata, or whether, in their attempt to tap into the Japanese market, they simply hit the jackpot. Certainly there are many Koreans questioning their motives in the recent signing of Ahn Jung-hwan - a player who was not included in their Asian Cup squad, but who does enjoy pin-up status at home.

What is most worrying is that teams are willing and ready, as the West Ham case suggests, to sign Asian players purely for commercial reasons and regardless of whether their coach or manager believes they will be an asset to his team.

"While we encourage Asian players to go to Europe, their clubs should not sell the player to a team whose main aim is to exploit their superstar status," said Velappan.

"There has to be a balance between the player's welfare and the exploitation of their commercial potential. It has to be within limits. The sole motive must not be exploiting the player."

China's Fan Zhiyi is one player who has thrived in Europe, playing for Crystal Palace in the English first division. Unlike many other Asian players he was thrown into the first team almost immediately and feels that building a good working relationship with the club is vital.

"When I joined Crystal Palace they gave me many chances to play," Fan said. "The club and I communicated very well and we grew to trust each other. It is important that Asian players choose a club that will give them the chance to play. Some clubs may only give you 10 or 15 minutes in each match and you cannot get an understanding of what you must do from that. Meanwhile, the Asian player must go all out during games and in training. They should play for their pride."

The message is clear. Before signing on the dotted line the Asian player and the selling club must be sure that the motives of the buying team are the right ones.

"When Baichung Bhutia went to Bury there were several aims; they wanted to encourage more Asian boys in England to take up the game and they wanted to try and attract more South Asian expatriates to their matches," said the AFC general secretary.

"They signed him to play him. This was a good deal for everyone. It benefits both player and club. Our Asian players have to be careful with their choice of clubs. They must make sure that the club has a reputation for integrity and good discipline and that they have a good coaching staff. They should choose a team where they can compete with other players and establish themselves in the first team. It's pointless going to a club to warm the bench or play in the second team."

This is certainly the approach that the 20-year-old Indonesian striker Bambang Pamungkas has taken. Wanted by Germany's Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bambang instead elected to join EHC Norad in the Dutch third division at the suggestion of first division side Roda JC Kerkrade.

"It's not about money, it's about experience," he insisted. "The Indonesian players think I'm only an amateur. They think I'm crazy. But I say that's your opinion. But this is my career and not even my agent can force me to do things I don't want to do. I want to build a career. Now I have a bit more experience. When I had my first trial I couldn't do anything because I couldn't play the European style. Roda knew I had skill, but I wanted to go to the third division first, and then when I'm fitter and stronger I can go to a big club because then I'll know how to play."

There are other areas of concern that have arisen from the Asian Cup. Thailand's superstar Kiatisuk Senamuang, who has had an unhappy time with another English first division team, Huddersfield Town, never arrived in Lebanon despite being named in the Thai squad. The reasons are not clear. Thailand's coach Peter Withe said the player nicknamed 'Zico' had been given permission to find a new club and was trying to resolve his future. It later emerged that 'Zico' was having trials with Crystal Palace, but at the time the player was reported to have claimed that he never received official confirmation that he had been called up.

At the same time Iranian wing-back Mehrdad Minavand was placed on the transfer list by his Austrian club Sturm Graz amid claims that he had not informed them that he would be joining his national team in Lebanon.

There is a continual battle in Europe between the needs of the clubs and the national teams of the increasingly cosmopolitan band of players. Until FIFA's international calendar takes effect, Asian tournaments are always going to clash with Europe's domestic leagues and clear, concise and professional communication is needed from Asia's national associations to make sure that Asia's best are involved in Asia's biggest matches.

source: AFC Website