The AFF Suzuki Cup, Southeast Asia’s leading tournament that biennially injects zest into the daily lives of millions, kicks off on Saturday with eight teams bidding to be crowned kings of Asean football.
Thailand coach Kiatisak Senamuang, second left, with his key players, from left, Chanathip Songkrasin, Kawin Thammasatchanan and Charyl Chappuis.
First staged in 1996 and the successor to the Tiger Cup and Asean Football Championship, the AFF Suzuki Cup fires old rivalries, showcases established stars and unearths new talent in a region transfixed by the beautiful game.
The lure of the AFF Suzuki Cup continues to grow with full house crowds and millions of television viewers expected to witness the action over the next month.
Group A will be staged in Hanoi with co-hosts and 2008 champions Vietnam taking on the Philippines, who have reached the semi-finals at the last two editions, four-time finalists Indonesia and qualifiers Laos.
The opening double-header at the My Dinh Stadium today sees the Philippines, who are led by forward Philip James Younghusband, face a potential banana skin in the shape of Laos, who have caused problems for bigger teams at past tournaments, while Vietnam take on Indonesia, now coached by the home side’s former boss Alfred Riedl.
Defending champions Singapore have home advantage in Group B with all their matches being played at the spanking new, 55,000-seater National Stadium.
The opening match tomorrow pits 2010 champions Malaysia against qualifiers Myanmar, coached by Radojko Avramovic who guided Singapore to three Asean crowns, at the Jalan Besar Stadium and the Lions meet three-time winners Thailand at the National Stadium later in the evening.
Two years ago, Singapore lifted the AFF Suzuki Cup for a record fourth time — their other triumphs came in 1998, 2004 and 2007 — thanks to a 3-2 aggregate victory over Thailand in the thrilling two-legged final.
Avramovic stepped aside after the triumph and was replaced by former East Germany coach Bernd Stange, who has introduced a different coaching philosophy and style of play.
Meticulous in his planning, Stange organised an overseas training camp for the Lions earlier this year and they have played seven warm-up matches since September, culminating in victories over Laos (2-0) and Cambodia (4-2).
Singapore celebrate winning the 2012 Suzuki Cup.
“I think two comfortable wins in a row with Laos and Cambodia with a two-goal difference gives us a lot of confidence for the AFF Suzuki Cup,” said Stange. “We are ready to go.”
Thailand also have a new boss in Kiatisak 'Zico' Senamuang who was appointed coach of the full national side after guiding the U23 team to win last year's SEA Games and finish fourth at last month's Asian Games.
Kiatisak won three Asean titles during his playing career. He will be trying to steer Thailand to win back the regional crown as coach.
The region’s young guns will be in sharp focus during the tournament as they bid to polish their reputations on Asean’s biggest stage.
Singapore’s Faris Ramli, an old-school winger, the Thai midfield duo of Charyl Chappius, a great reader of the game, and Chanatip Songkrasan, aptly nicknamed 'Messi J', and Myanmar’s Kyi Lin, one of the finds of the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup, have the ability to light up the tournament.
Teenaged midfielder Evan Dimas, who rocketed to fame last October with a hat-trick for Indonesia in their 3-2 victory over Korea Republic in the AFC U19 Championship qualifiers, scored in his senior international debut against Timor Leste to underscore his claims for a starting spot in Riedl’s team.
Laos will be hoping Soukaphone Vongchiengkham repeats his qualifying form when he scored four goals, including a hat-trick against Brunei DS, while Vietnam striker Mac Hong Quan could trouble defences with his bustling style.
Meanwhile, Riedl may enjoy a very special connection with Vietnam but the Indonesia coach insists that he will be no less determined to lead his team to victory when they take on Vietnam in their opening match at the AFF Suzuki Cup.
Riedl, 65, had three spells as Vietnam’s national coach and led the team to the Asean Football Championship final in 1998 and the Asian Cup quarter-finals in 2007.
However, the former Austria international striker’s connection with the Indochinese country goes far beyond football.
“I got a new kidney from a Vietnamese citizen in May 2007,” he explained.
“He came to Vienna and donated one of his kidney to me and I have had a very nice life since 2007 thanks to this man.
“This is all very well and I also spent six years coaching the Vietnam team in three different spells so I know a lot of people there.
“I was very emotional when I went to Haiphong in September to watch Vietnam’s match against Hong Kong because some former national team players who were under me came up to the VIP area and welcomed me. It was a very good feeling.”
But Riedl will not let his feelings cloud his judgement when Indonesia and Vietnam meet today in their first game of the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup.
“I cannot let emotion get in the way and I hope that when we play against them in the Suzuki Cup, we beat them,” he said.
“My feeling for Vietnam is very good but we’re playing against them in a match, I want to beat them. There’s no question about that.”
The semi-finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup will be held on Dec 6/7 (first leg) and Dec 10/11 (second leg) with the home and away final on Dec 17 and Dec 20.