A Unique Development Strategy for Football

The President firmly believes that Asia, with its 3.7 billion population, has the potential to produce many world-class footballing nations. His ultimate goal is for an Asian team to one day win the FIFA World Cup.

Hammam has identified 11 disciplines – akin to 11 players on the football field – that Vision Asia must address if Asian countries are to catch up with their counterparts in Europe and the rest of the world.

They are: National Associations (goalkeeper); Marketing, Grassroots, Coach Education, Referees, Sports Medicine (defenders); Men”s Competitions, Women”s Competitions, Futsal (midfielders); Media, Fans (forwards).

AFC has already recruited experts with specialist skills in each discipline. These consultants are being assisted by development officers, one for each of the four zones – West Asia, Central/South Asia, South East Asia and East Asia. For the Vision Asia programme, Asia has been divided into four zones.

Dato” Peter Velappan, AFC”s long-serving General Secretary, is Vision Asia”s Project Director.

Vision Asia”s success can only be achieved by ensuring the correct structures are in place.

The initial action plan calls for the Vision Asia team to visit national associations to assess the situation in each Asian country. Following the assessment stage, target goals will be set and recommendations for improvement will be made to the national associations involved. From then on, it is the NA”s choice to implement the Vision Asia game-plan for their country at its leisure.

Eight National Associations have been chosen for the pilot programme: China PR, Hong Kong,India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Yemen and Jordan.

Vision Asia has the support of world governing body FIFA, whose President Sepp Blatter told the world that “The future is Asia”.

The AFC has since adopted the phrase as its motto. Vision Asia is key to ensuring that the ambitions embodied in these four words are fulfilled.

(AFC)