I can't search on my mobile for past threads. I think the website needs a update.

Anyways Uzbekistan are beating England in the 89th min it's possibld you can be reading this when the match is over. Asia is catching up fast to the rest of the world 

This will upset some who still thinks the Europeans & Sth Americans still rule football.
 Remember the last WC, a certain Chris Sutton predicted all Asian teams would come last in their group, I think he got 2 right Qatar, the hosts & Saudi Arabia who beat Argentina 
Iran beat Wales
Sth Korea qualified over Uruguay.
Japan qualified top of the group of death which included Germany & Spain & lost only to Croatia in a penalty shootout.
We all know how the Aussies went.

Japan the quality, the touch, the technical ability of all the top teams in the world, they are now getting the experience to win big tournaments.
Sth Korea in Son, the best Asian player ever, have one of the best players in the world.

U17s football is wild mate... often very unpredictable results I wouldn't read too much into it... I agree Asian countries are catching up though, just wish we were part of the same rise in talent sometimes.... 

Chris sutton is an arrogant wanker even by pundit standards 

You can watch the under 17 world cup on FIFA TV btw 

Completly disagree.

Asia is still remarkably poor and furthermore it's probably the most boring snoozefest confed. 

I don't think I have ever once watched a game not involving Australia. Poor teams, poor locations 

Maybe 2 or 3 countries tops have any good players. There are signs of improvement but it's really just Japan and South Korea if we are honest. 

Don't mean to be rude but this is hardly a claim to fame 

Saudi Arabia beating Argentina at WCUP was no fluke. The top 4 sides in Asia ie. Japan, Sth Korea, Saudi A, Socceroos have some decent skills & tactics now

https://youtu.be/spLV1gF0fkI?si=hiyfPMzDEqwQ5VtU

uuuummmmmmmmm sorry mate but WTF?

Maybe because you didn't watch that's why you don't know much. Japan is a world class already recently beating Germany, Peru, Canada , Turkey and Tunisia with ease by 2-3 goals. South Korea have some world class players...Lee Kang In , Kim Min Jae and Son value can buy a whole Socceroos + Olyroos squad.  Uzbekistan is also a very very skillful team n  recently almost beat Mexico at home if not for that Mexico last minute goal.  Saudi & Iran also a very strong team with besic first touch are much much better than the Socceroos and Iran got the best ball transition best Counter attack in Asia. Even Thailand basic football is better than Australia. One thing Australia have dvantage over Asian team tho is their physical advantage and height that's why they re one of the top team &   still hard team to beat in Asia.

If Asian teams like SA are so ‘remarkably poor’ then how did they beat Argentina in Qatar?

Can anyone name a good player that isn’t Japanese or South Korean? 

Maybe try answering this first

If AFL, Rugby League, Rugby Union & Cricket didn't exist, we'd be the best in Asia. Somehow get the kids playing Football instead of the other 4 sports mentioned, would be a massive start.

Greed is the problem.
Making parents pay over $2000 per season to play NPL is just one reason kids go elsewhere and this needs to change.
Sometimes kids mates play other sports.
Plus the outright hatred by AFL of football is putrid and portrayed by their puppets at Channel 7. 
Channel 9 just ignore football.
And then Channel 10 don't do enough contra

One game that sent shockwaves because it was a shock. You will always have one off results - especially in the first game. You cannot judge anything on one game

Where did they end up after this? Bottom

they then got done by poland and mexico 

It still took great skill to score 2 open play goals vs Argentina who only managed to score 1 penalty.  As for finishing bottom of group Poland and Mexico are both decent teams. 

France vs Uzbekistan is on now

A late winner for France against Uzbekistan. Massive effort for the AFC and Central Asian Football. They've got great youth teams so now the question will be if they can get to Europe and cope. A lot stay in their comfort zone.

They weren't "poor" in that particular game. They stuck to a fairly straight forward (and smart) game plane and it paid off...

Perhaps the match stats may give you a clue, have a look at Argentina's offsides :)


Calling it  fluke is unkind but it is not an easily repeatable feat thats the point.... One off shock matches happen all the time but the Saudis are NOT a good side... In fact in all of Asia, apart from Japan and South Korea, there are no good sides... Us included.

Agree with this.
Just look at the history of the U-17 WC finalists (compared to the "real" (mens) WC)
FIFA U-17 World Cup - Wikipedia

Most titles: Nigeria (5)
Other teams with multiple wins: Brazil, Ghana, Mexico
Team that have won it once: France, USSR, Saudi Arabia, England, Switzerland.

Losing finalists;
Spain, Germany, Mali, Scotland, Uruguay and ... Australia.

Some of you have a real thing for the Japanese NT hey 

yeah, no doubt they played the game of their lives 

Not juts a "thing" mate... for my part its down right ENVY.............

+ fouls 21 ! to SA lol....now that slows down and upsets argies getting some of their own medicine haha...

SFan, its just common sense having most players in top5 leagues certainly outweighs rest of Asia NT's.

Mehdi Taremi plays for Porto 60 goals 110 games was top goal scorer in the premiera Liga in Portugal.
Saman Ghoddos plays for Brentford. 

Eldor Shomurodov  
Sardar Azmoun 
Alireza Jahanbaksh 
Ehsan Hajsafi
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdukodir_Khusanov

This Uzbek teenager has already made multiple appearances for Lens since signing in September. 

Fair play, we have 1. 

Fair call Taremi is a beast. Big game against Barca tomorrow, taking any points out of the Nou camp will be enough to qualify for knockout stages I reckon. 

'Can anyone name a good player that isn’t Japanese or South Korean?'

you did only ask for 1.

Japan has invested in football, Australia have not. It was a long term investment, The gap between Australia & Japan is just widening.