Asian History – Another Step
After five year just competing in the AFC
Cup under AFC road plan, Singapore S-league got rewarded for it efforts in Asia
as the Republic had send nine of it ten representatives to the knockout stage from
the East and no other leagues in the East had matched it in it achievements.
Both Home United and Geylang
United also went further and make it to the semi-final for the first time in
S-league got a qualifying spot for the AFC
Champions League and an automatic spot for the AFC Cup from 2009 onward and it
meant Singapore players could improved further now as a spot in the group stage
of the AFC Champions League meant local could go up against better players from
Japan and Korea.
Even in the revamped AFC Cup, there was a much
tougher anticipation as one, or even two teams, from the Thai
and Vietnam league joined in the fray along with the possibility of the
Indonesian League as well.
There was the chance now for more than the allocated teams in the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup as the Finalists in
the AFC Cup have a shot in the AFC Champions League qualifiers.
But one of the most important point to
showcase AFC determination to improve Asian football is the increase in funding
with overUS$20 million pumped into AFC Champions League and AFC Cup; an increase
of over three fold.