Top 3 in Asian cup to recieve direct qualification...

[El Zilcho]

Not good news at all, one of the main reasons we made the move to Asia was to play more competetive fixtures!

------------------------

FFA unhappy with Asian decision over Cup qualifiers

Football Federation Australia admit they're not supportive of the Asian Confederation's move to lessen the workload of the region's biggest nations.

It's been ruled that teams which come first, second and third at the 2007 Asian Cup will receive automatic qualification to the 2011 tournament - removing the competitive qualifying programme that would follow the 2010 World Cup.

FFA high performance manager John Boultbee described the move as "alarming", and told the Daily Telegraph: "It would take away a year's games.

"If you look at our Olympic program, for instance, we'd have 14 games for the Olympic team but potentially none for the senior team, which is a bit imbalanced.

"Also the teams that are top of the tree in 2007 are not necessarily at the top in 2011," he added.

-----------

[Biggo]

disappointing to say the least but the FFA would surely organise friendlies and being in AFC would simply increase our exposure to large tournaments in preparation to the world cup (which is still a good thing)

[PaulNyal]

It is disappointing but it doesn't apply to the World Cup so Australia will still get the massive benefit (over the old Oceania region) of multi matches to qualify for World Cup 2010. Australia will more than likely bid to host the Asia Cup in 2011 and hosts always don't have to qualify so the issue really is only a concern for 2015+. By then Australia will hopefully be a regular top 10 Nation and the A-League will be so strong that Countries will be begging to tour here.

[RobyB]

FFA unhappy with Asian decision over Cup qualifiers
tribalfooball.com - August 09, 2006

Football Federation Australia admit they're not supportive of the Asian Confederation's move to lessen the workload of the region's biggest nations.

It's been ruled that teams which come first, second and third at the 2007 Asian Cup will receive automatic qualification to the 2011 tournament - removing the competitive qualifying programme that would follow the 2010 World Cup.

FFA high performance manager John Boultbee described the move as "alarming", and told the Daily Telegraph: "It would take away a year's games.

"If you look at our Olympic program, for instance, we'd have 14 games for the Olympic team but potentially none for the senior team, which is a bit imbalanced.

"Also the teams that are top of the tree in 2007 are not necessarily at the top in 2011," he added.

What do you think about this development? It looks like a disaster for us.

[El Zilcho]

is there an echo in here?