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Asian Tours By European Clubs

John Duerden looks at European Clubs on the Asian Gravy Train

The summer of 2005 was like the gold rush. It saw a host of European clubs embarking on money-making, fan-finding and sponsorship-seeking tours around Asia. It was difficult to move without bumping in to a western football team.

2006 seems a little different. This may have something to do with the fact that the World Cup accounted for a sizeable (for some) portion of the close–season but it would be nice to think that the get-rich-quick attitudes that had been displayed towards the giant continent and the imagined giant markets they contain are starting to change.

European executives' eyes light up at the mention of Asia – the promised football land that is supposed to contain scores of willing sponsors and billions of potential fans desperate to watch European clubs play on television and wear their shirts around the centers of Shanghai, Sapporo or Singapore. Such a utopia never existed.

The flashing pound or euro signs obscured the fact that most European football teams had little knowledge of the hugely diverse and complex Asian market. For many of the suits behind the scenes, the closest they got to an Asian football experience was seeing a picture of Arsenal Football Club in their local North London Indian restaurant on a Friday night.

Ignorance can be costly. There has been an awful lot of garbage talked about Asia, especially in England with its market close to saturation. Premier League clubs are looking elsewhere to make money and wild and ridiculous tales of 400 - 600 million Chinese people tuning in to see their two of their compatriots turn out for two mediocre Premier League teams, Everton and Manchester City, was bound to turn willing heads and quicken greedy hearts.

If ignorance is rife, cynicism isn't far behind. It feels like, every time an English team signs a player from the Far East, the words "breaking into" "raise profile" "new markets" "financial opportunity" can be heard whether it is from the club, the media or the fans.

Japanese midfielder Junichi Inamoto was even nicknamed 't-shirt' by his Arsenal colleagues during his short and unsuccessful stay in North London - though perhaps in the regard of the blond-haired star who barely played - they had a point.

The attitude is widespread throughout the media too. When an Asian football star moves to England, I get ready for e-mails and phone calls from various local and national newspapers and radio stations asking whether thousands of Seoulites will soon be sporting Reading FC shirts or how best Celtic can make the most of their Japanese connections.

While media attitudes may take longer to mature, there are signs that the clubs have cottoned on to the fact that they have to change their approach.

Last summer was the catalyst. A year ago, Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Everton, Villa Real and even smaller outfits like Manchester City, Bolton and Birmingham could be found 'playing' in some sweltering Asian city at some point of the summer.

There was a backlash at the perceived exploitation of the European teams that would arrive in an Asian city, stay aloof in plush hotels, play a half-hearted game and be on their way with cash-laden bags loaded up for the next port of call.

Manchester United earned $5 million for four games in Hong Kong, China and Japan. However, the club was far from alone in failing to put anything back into the various communities that they briefly visited.

Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam wasn't happy.

"We are very concerned about European teams coming to Asia," said the Qatari "and leaving after collecting money without leaving any kind of legacy behind. They did not do anything to help national associations with any kind of football programmes."

Hamman may have been happier to see that the local fans were less willing than before to shell out for tickets that were expensive by Asian standards.

Less than 25,000 people in Beijing watched the local team take on United and Hong Kong attendances were 8,000 down when compared to previous visits. Real Madrid, apart from David Beckham, was greeted with mild disdain bordering on indifference in Japan.

There are signs that Europe has heeded the lesson. This doesn't mean that Asia is suddenly unattractive but that different methods are being tried to win her heart.

Chelsea, who don't have the support of United or Liverpool in the east, though they it is catching up, started with the massive $80 million sponsorship deal with South Korean electronics giant Samsung. The richest club in the world has already visited Korea and will due so again before too long.

In the meantime, the English champions have donated money to the AFC to help football develop on a continent wide business. Manchester United has expressed its intentions to invest in the infrastructure of Asian football.

Less glamorous suitors had already been thinking of more roundabout ways. Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United won't find their posters on many walls in the Far East just yet but they have put down roots and put out feelers in China.

United now own Chengdu Blades, a second division Chinese team, and have forged close ties with the Middle Kingdom. The Wanderers, the last club of now retired Japanese icon Hidetoshi Nakata have been spending time in the central city of Wuhan and have financed a football centre there.

While tours of Asia will continue, the decrease in excessive expectations of English and European clubs is to be welcomed as is the introduction of more long-term business strategies. The Asian football gold rush, if it ever happened at all, is over and it's time for Europe and Asia to work together on a more equal footing.

John Duerden

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