Australia
Star men
Tim Cahill – It’s not just corner flags that will rejoice when the ex-Everton man retires; defenders around Asia are counting the days. One of the best headers of the ball in the world, the 35-year-old also packs a mean volley - just ask the Netherlands. A big name and big game player and already a legend but lifting the continent’s biggest prize in Sydney would be something else.
Mile Jedinak – Formerly the owner of one of the most striking beards in European football, the midfielder needs to produce his inspirational Crystal Palace form for his country to truly earn his “jedi” moniker. The AFC international player of the year of 2014 can start 2015 with a bang.
Coach
Ange Postecoglou – His savaging at the hands of broadcaster SBS after failing to qualify the Young Socceroos for the 2007 Under-20 World Cup will be nothing compared with what will happen if January goes badly. Poor results, one win in ten, have been largely forgiven during a regeneration/preparation process but it is now time for Australia’s great coaching hope to deliver.
Serial champions - Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory have all been crowned premiers twice, while Brisbane have won the championship three times in the league’s nine-year history.
Pedigree - Despite a Fifa ranking of 100, pretty good. A World Cup regular and so far, the continental version has gone pretty well with two appearances both ended by Japan – at the quarters in 2007 and in the final four years later.
Great sporting moments - So much to choose from but in football, beating Uruguay to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Once there, coming from behind to beat Japan in the opening game will live long in the memory.
Distance travelled to get to Australia - It’s in their own backyard this time.
What would they be doing if not playing football? There’s always football - the Aussie rules version, that is - and the debate as to which sport deserves which name can fill the hours if the Socceroos exit early.
Random fact - This Asian Cup is the first to be held completely in the southern hemisphere. Also, Australia could become the first country to possess the Asian Cup and Asian Champions League trophies at the same time.
Kuwait
Star men
Bader Al-Mutawa – One of West Asia’s biggest stars provoked a bitter war of words between owners of his Kuwaiti club Al Qadsia and Nottingham Forest when he went for a month’s trial in England in 2012. He impressed but was not given a permit. According to some calculations – game winning goals, first goals etc - he was the world’s leading goalscorer in 2010.
Coach
Nabil Maâloul - The Tunisian replaced Jorvan Vieira, the Brazilian who led Iraq to the 2007 title and built his success partly on wearing two watches, in December. Maâloul did a decent job with Qatar’s army team Al-Jaish in the few months he was there, but that is the limit of his experience in Asia.
Serial champions - Al Qadsia. A club with over 50 titles and 16 league trophies in its bulging cabinet, and went through six coaches in just over 18 months in the 2000s.
Pedigree - Better than you may think. Champions in 1980 during the team’s golden era when it made the 1982 World Cup. Hasn’t made it past the group stage since 2000 however.
Great sporting moments - It’s hard to imagine the average FA boss storming onto the pitch during a World Cup game to get a goal overturned but that is what Kuwait FA president Prince Fahid did in 1982 against France, claiming that his players had heard a whistle and stopped playing.
Distance travelled to get to Australia - 13,000km.
What would they be doing if not playing football? Cricket? There are apparently more cricket teams in the country than any other sport.
Random fact - Back in 2012 the coach of the national team, Goran Tufegdžić was shot while on leave back in his native Serbia over a land dispute. He returned to take the team to third at the 2013 Gulf Cup.
Random Australian connection - Daniel Mullen made his debut for the Socceroos back in a 2011 Asian Cup qualifier in Canberra that Kuwait won 1-0. He became the first to wear a three-digit shirt number with his 107.
South Korea
Star men
Son Heung-min - With jet-fuelled heels, a floppy Beatles haircut and romantic ties with K-pop stars, the Bayer Leverkusen player is starting to enter superstardom in Korea.
Ki Seung-yeung – Had things been different, then the Swansea City player could be turning out for the Socceroos. After two years in Brisbane he returned to Seoul and embarked on a successful career with titles in Korea, Scotland and the League Cup in England. Has upset fans in the past with controversial comments on social media but is playing his way back into the nation’s affections.
Coach
Uli Stielike - The German, who played in the World Cup final (a loser in 1982), the European Championship final (a winner in 1980) and the European Cup final (a loser in 1977), prefers to speak Spanish in his new job after his long playing stint at Real Madrid. Doing his best to introduce the tan leather jacket to Asian football.
Serial champions - Seongnam is the most successful club, but all seven titles came under the ownership of the Moonies. Since Reverend Moon died, so have Seongnam’s chances of number eight anytime soon.
Pedigree - They have Asia’s best record at the World Cup but won the last of their two continental titles back in 1960. Not always desperate for success in this tournament, it could be different this time.
Great sporting moments - Knocking out Portugal, Italy and Spain on the way to the last four of the 2002 World Cup would take some beating. Finishing fifth in the 2012 Olympics medal table also went down well.
What would they be doing if not playing football? Becoming a professional starcraft player can be more lucrative than making it in the K-League.
Distance travelled to get to Australia - 8,300km.
Random fact - The most-wired country has the fastest internet in the world and one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption. A combination that can provoke interesting reactions to football failure.
Random Australian connection - Sam Harrington is Australian and has found fame in Korea as a comedian, so much so that he became a good luck mascot for Korean football ahead of the 2014 World Cup. It didn’t really work out.
Oman
Star men
Ali Al-Habsi - The former firefighter arrived in the English Premier League via Muscat and Norway and had, along with Tim Howard and Mile Jedinak, the best beard in European football. He was linked to Bayern Munich in 2007, and is now on loan at Brighton.
Abdulaziz Al-Muqbali – The Andy Cole of West Asian strikers. Sometimes needs a few chances to score but when the 25-year-old is good, he’s very good.
Coach
Paul Le Guen - The former Rangers manager fell out with Barry Ferguson over a favoured British savoury snack, Monster Munch, though criticising anyone who can eat the pickled onion variety is very brave indeed. The Frenchman did not last long in Glasgow but is one of the longest-serving coaches in Asia.
Pedigree - No World Cup appearances and failed to make it past the group stage in two Asian Cup appearances so far though came very close to getting out of the Group of Death in 2004.
Serial champions - Dhofar are the most successful team with nine crowns to their name, but have not won since 2005. They are currently coached by Jo Bonfrere, the former South Korea coach fired in 2005 despite leading the team through qualification for the 2006 World Cup.
Great sporting moments - A national holiday was declared when Oman won the 2009 Gulf Cup of Nations, West Asia’s biennial bash, after two successive defeats in the final.
What would they be doing if not playing football? Bull-butting, a cross between bull-fighting and sumo wrestling, where bulls lock horns and try to push the other out of the arena.
Distance travelled to get to Australia - 11,700km.
Random fact - The centre of the global frankincense trade. Almost all of the product comes from the western region of the country.
Random Australian connection - Oman were the first ever opposition for Australia in the Asian Cup back in 2007 when the Socceroos picked up a point thanks to a late goal from Tim Cahill. Good thing that Australia don’t rely on him anymore …
