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Man Utd’s Park tips Australia to win Asian Cup
(AFP)
4 July 2007
KUALA LUMPUR - Manchester United winger Park Ji-Sung has tipped Australia to win the Asian Cup, but warns against writing off his South Korean teammates despite injuries depleting their squad.
Park, who is still recovering from knee surgery and will miss the Asian Cup, sees the star-studded Socceroos, many of whom line up against him in the English Premier League, as the team to beat.
“I think it could be Australia because they qualified for the round of 16 at the World Cup last year and the experience of their players in Europe makes them one of the best teams at the Asian Cup,” he told the Asian Football Confederation.
“I believe that their participation will help Asian football to improve and rapidly move to a higher level in world football.
“It provides a great foundation to make Asian football stronger and gives fans more of a chance to watch a better quality of football in Asia.”
Nevertheless, he is confident South Korea will be there at the bitter end, despite a spate of injuries that have deprived them of Tottenham’s Lee Young-Pyo, Reading’s Seol Ki-Hyeon and veteran captain Kim Nam-Il.

Korea have not tasted Asian Cup victory since 1960 and are grouped in the July 7-29 tournament with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Bahrain.

“It will be tough for the Korean team because they will be missing a number of experienced players,” he said.

“However, Korea should still have a strong enough side to compete in the Asian Cup because of the country’s young talented players.

“I am sure that the tournament will give the team a chance to move forward with these young players.”

South Korea won the first two editions of the Asian Cup in Hong Kong in 1956 and on home soil four years later.

Three times since, in 1972, 1980 and 1988, they have reached the final but Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia denied them on those occasions.

Korea get their campaign underway on July 11 in Jakarta against Saudi Arabia.