Asian Champions League provides tasty topping

Michael Cockerill in the Sydney Morning Herald:

"MONEY doesn't buy success, but it helps. Urawa Red Diamonds, Japan's biggest club, recently spent three times more on one player (striker Yuki Abe) than Sydney FC, who used to be Australia's biggest club, spend on their entire 23-man squad.

Apart from the odd foray north for friendly tournaments - pioneered by St George in the early 1970s - Australian clubs have had only sporadic contact with Asia - none of it competitive, and none of it financially rewarding. The ACL is certainly competitive, and while it is not yet a money-making venture, it will be."

I'm still amazed how many in the Australian media can’t see what the Asian Champions League will do for Australian football and in particular the A-League. They still believe football is a fad that will all blow over in a few months time.

ACL competition will lead us into the Asian Cup in July, with hopefully Australia putting in another great performance like they did at the World Cup and then it’s A-League time again.

Football is all year round now and it’s not going away.

Thank God the SMH has at least one football writer.

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