Asia's quest for perfection

In economic circles today, talking about Asia being at the heart of the new global order is de rigeur.

If the economies of India, China and South Korea had a dollar for every time an analyst pointed to them as the future drivers of growth, they would already be Developed Economies.

What has this got to do with football? Nothing. Except to say that not only wealth and growth will find a new resonance in these Asian powerhouses in the near future, but so will football. In South Korea it already has.

South Korea is currently in the process of doing to Japan what Japan did to the USA in the 1980s-90s.

Samsung and Hyundai have come to represent quality and value for money, while Toyota is coping with large-scale recalls and Sony, with a lack of invention.

On the football field though, the Koreans and the Japanese both worked in tandem to truly bring the sport to the continent in the form of their joint-hosting of the World Cup in 2002.

Until then, Koreans dominated archery and the Japs often came off as rather desperate imitators of American sports like baseball.

The Koreans made it to the semifinal of that edition, no small feat by any stretch of the imagination. (Even if the referee seemed to favour the Koreans in their quarterfinal against Italy, where they won by a golden goal).

In this edition of the World Cup, the Koreans showed that the game has truly taken root in their national sports system.

In losing to Uruguay, the Asian side lost none of their pride, or the respect they had gained from all in South Africa. They showed quality, skill, guile, temperament and the highest level of fitness in all their games.

As an Asian watching the World Cup I can only say that from continental point of view, it was uplifting to see South Korea no more just making up the numbers, but there to score and go for the win. And in some style, too.

Which brings us to the real surprise of the tournament for me – Japan. Their 3-1 dismantling of Denmark saw not only the two best free-kicks of the World Cup so far, but one of the best passing games on show. In Kesuike Honda Japan has a potential global superstar.

As representatives of Asia, Japan have always been the “haves”. However, nowadays, as they struggle to wake up from an economic coma brought on by their infamous ‘lost decade’, on the football field, the team displays a nous that suggests a throwback to the classic Japanese ‘kaizen’ philosophy.

Rather than big, giant steps forwards, Tulio Tanaka Yuki Abe and Yasuhito Endo are at the heart of a system that makes small, but sure gains, moving the ball upfield with little short, 10-metre passes. Perfection is the quest. Coach Takeshi Okada has made sure everyone has a stake in this venture. That is kaizen and that is the way these Samurai play.

I fancy Japan to beat Paraguay. Just like I fancied South Korea to beat Uruguay.

Again I could be wrong, but whatever the result, Asia can walk away from the World Cup with its head held high.
 

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