Korea Republic and Japan lead the Asian charge

If South Africa 2010 has shown one thing, it’s that the sands of footballing supremacy are shifting.

That’s a good thing.

It’s also logical - in that, as FIFA continues to take the sport’s showpiece to new corners of the globe then the old order should struggle when outside their playground.

I said it in the build-up to the finals (and by and large it’s been justified) that the nations which either had the opportunity or which took the time to travel and play in South Africa in the months and years leading up to the tournament would be more likely to find success.

Japan travelled to Port Elizabeth last November to experience conditions near their base in George and are now through to the second round; likewise Chile who arranged a fixture in Polokwane more than a year ago and then there’s the USA, Brazil and Spain who have all progressed after valuable experience at the Confederations Cup.

Most of the nations that made the effort to experience first-hand the local accommodation, travel times, climate, training pitches and other factors are now through to the knockout stages; most of those that didn’t – foremost amongst them the European nations - are on their way home.

And on that front, this World Cup has been an unmitigated disaster for the European old guard – only six of their 13 representatives could progress from the Group Stage, while more than two thirds of the North and Central American nations progressed, all five from South America and half of the Asian nations also reached the knockout stage.

While African participation has been hugely disappointing, Asia has had thus far one of its best tournaments – and yet again it is the two regional superpowers, Korea Republic and Japan, leading the way.

In 2002, the Koreans recorded Asia’s best ever finish with a semifinal berth and Japan also reached the second round but as the story so often goes, those results were only achieved due to the fact the tournament was co-hosted in those two countries.

That excuse, largely perpetrated by Euro-centric commentators, no longer washes.

When Japanese coach Takeshi Okada boldly declared that his nation was aiming for the semifinals most (including many within Japan) thought the man mildly deluded. But a side that has married frugality at the back to a typically fluid passing game is now just two matches away from achieving that aim.

That’s in no small part down to the continued blossoming of Keisuke Honda –a man now rightly regarded as the heir to Hidetoshi Nakata’s crown. The 24-year-old has been at the heart of everything positive from Japan – all the while playing out of position as a lone front-man.

A superb mix of impeccable technique, wonderful positioning off the ball and physicality has many tipping that should Japan progress deep in the tournament, it’s not unthinkable that Asia could have its first Golden Ball winner. If a 'best XI' were named today he’d be one of the first players chosen.

Likewise Korea have been flying the Asian flag high. In Park Ji-sung and Park Chu-young they undoubtedly have genuine world-class stars but it’s the structure instilled by coach Huh Jung-moo as well as the contributions of the unheralded brigade – the likes of Lee Jung-soo as well as youngsters Lee Chung-yong and Ki Sung-yong - that have been the most impressive.

Elsewhere, their northern neighbours were embarrassed by Portugal but generally performed well against Brazil and Cote D’Ivoire and Australia only failed to progress on goal difference.

The argument for a re-allocation of qualifying places is for another day but when Asia can now show that more than half their representatives are good enough to progress in a tournament that saw less than a half of UEFA nations do so, then that’s a persuasive argument.

It’s my belief that Asia will be the first confederation to crack the dominance of Europe and South America to win a World Cup and while it may not come in South Africa, as the tide of money and political change shifts East, to the very lands in which the sport has its genesis, Asia's time will surely come.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/scott-mcIntyre/blog/1010805/Korea-Republic-and-Japan-lead-the-Asian-charge