"The fallout in Asian football continues as the continent comes to terms with an underwhelming World Cup performance," the AP said, adding that the criticism has gone beyond the results on the field and has expanded into demands for responsibility from soccer officials.
AP reported that the fallout has reached South Korea as the Korea Football Association's president Chung Mong-gyu stepped down amid "harsh criticism" and head coach Hong Myung-bo also resigned last week after the country's group-stage exit after a 1-0 defeat to South Africa.
Likewise, Saudi Arabia's football federation president Yasser Al-Misehal resigned after the team's group-stage exit, while Jordan, making its World Cup debut, parted ways with coach Jamal Sellami.
The futures of coaching staffs for Qatar and Iraq remain uncertain, while Uzbekistan, which finished the tournament without a point, is expected to keep Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro.
AP said the tournament exposed Asia's weak standing on the global stage as "teams from within the Asian Football Confederation managed just three wins in 29 matches at the expanded 48-team World Cup."
Only Japan and Australia advanced from the group stage, although both were eliminated in the round of 32. Iran went unbeaten but drew all three of its matches and failed to reach the knockout stage.
AP pointed out that South Korea's run to the semifinals at the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted with Japan, remains Asia's best-ever finish, adding that the gap with the world's top teams has not narrowed much, while Japan was the "best performer" among Asian teams after a 4-0 win over Tunisia and draws with the Netherlands and Sweden helped it finish second in its group.
Quoting AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, it said Asian teams have "a lot of work to do" to "catch up."
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.