ABU DHABI (AFP) - Football managers used to screaming themselves hoarse during games are finding little need to reach for a post-match lozenge at the Asian Cup - where their voices echo around sparsely-populated stadia.
This month's tournament in the United Arab Emirates has struggled to attract crowds, with some coaches grumbling about the swathes of empty seats at the continent's showpiece competition.
"I personally think the atmosphere of the Asian Cup could be a little more enthusiastic, more exciting," Iran boss Carlos Queiroz told reporters.
"To be honest not only me but the Chinese, everyone, has been talking about it. (They) expected much better and a more enthusiastic atmosphere all over the country and at all the stadiums."
Hosted under the slogan "Bringing Asia together", the Asian Cup has so far fallen short of persuading enough of the region's fans to turn up and watch games.
Iran look one of the teams to beat, but barely 5,000 watched them thrash tournament first-timers Yemen 5-0 in their opening game at Abu Dhabi's Mohammed bin Zayed stadium - a venue that seats 40,000.
Barely a thousand more showed up to watch holders Australia and four-time champions Japan reach the quarter-finals, while even hosts UAE have played at half-empty grounds.
"We were expecting a bigger turnout," Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE General Authority for Sports, told AFP.
"We are surprised by the lack of UAE fans too," he admitted in an interview. "This is a culture that I hope will change. Loyalty must always be there - win or lose."
Teams have complained of poor facilities with one from the Middle East accusing organisers of "cultural insensitivity" for suggesting their players use the hotel pool to recover from games despite many of the deck-chairs being occupied by bikini-clad holiday makers.
Meanwhile, fans have spoken of being asked by Asian Cup officials to leave their allotted areas to fill seats directly opposite the television cameras.
Just a couple of hundred witnessed Qatar's 6-0 demolition of North Korea in Al-Ain as locals snubbed the game and the long-running blockade of the Gulf state by its neighbours meant it was played in an eery silence.
UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni bizarrely blamed "cold weather" for another disappointing turnout when his side beat Kyrgyzstan 3-2 in extra time to reach the last eight this week.
"Maybe they preferred to stay home and watch it on television," shrugged the Italian, opening another can of worms.
Oman coach Pim Verbeek wanted to watch Asian Cup matches on TV but was puzzled to find they were largely unavailable at hotels, many of which don't show Qatari rights holders beIN Sports.
"It's a pity the games are not on television," shrugged the Dutchman. "I miss that in this tournament."
Crystal Palace piled further pressure on Leicester City manager Claude Puel on Saturday with a comprehensive 4-1 Premier League win over his team, who have now gone seven games without a victory.
Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel - Football
Injured Barcelona forward Luis Suarez to miss China Cup for
LONDON: Real Madrid have knocked Manchester United off the top of Deloitte's Football Money League, but the Premier League still flexed its financial muscle, with all of England 's 'Big Six' featuring in the top 10 for the first time. The Deloitte list ranked clubs on how much money they earn from
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits Dejan Lovren is unlikely to feature against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Lovren is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained against Wolves last month and the Croatia international did not travel with his team-mates to the club's warm-weather training camp in Marbella.
Liverpool's Lovren unlikely to face Bayern, says Klopp
Fulham secured their first clean sheet of the season with some dogged defending in a 0-0 draw with Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday. The hosts, looking for a second successive
Fulham dig deep to deny Newcastle and earn first clean sheet
Gattuso has made many mistakes but let's not forget the squad he has.Milan failed to address their biggest problem which was the absence of a top left winger to take pressure of Suso.They even
Football News - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his side have raised the standard of the English Premier League, after edging ahead of Liverpool in the title race with a 2-0 win at
Guardiola believes City have raised the standard of the
Mon 08 April 2019, 11:10 | Tottenham Hotspur Tickets are now on general sale for both of our International Champions Cup (ICC) matches in Asia this summer. First up, we take on Juventus in Singapore on 21 July.
Spurs Tour - tottenhamhotspur.com
Football: Albirex Niigata could sign up to four Singaporean players in a boost for 2019 SEA Games
Latest ALBIREX NIIGATA | The Straits Times
The most powerful tributes to Gordon Banks came not from the team-mates who played with him, or the strikers who were thwarted by him, or the journalists who chronicled his 20-year career for club
James Ward-Prowse earns England chance as three injured stars
tellmysport.com/soccer/james-ward-prowse-earns-england-chance-as-three-injured-stars-drop-out-of-squad/
James Ward-Prowse will be called into the England squad after Gareth Southgate was hit with a string of pull-outs. John Stones, Fabian Delph and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are pulling out because of injury and will miss the Euro 2020 qualifiers with Czech Republic and Montenegro.
Latest Regional News - sportsmax.tv
Manchester United fullback Diogo Dalot is adamant they can score at Barcelona.United fell to a 1-0 defeat in the first-leg of their Champions League quarterfina Man Utd know we can score in
Fergie: We can match Barca | FOX Sports
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
watch live premier league football streaming online for free iraqgoals
watch champions league soccer live streaming
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming match
watch premier league live streaming xbox
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch soccer online free streaming live reddit
watch premier league games live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live hd
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch soccer aid live stream
watch soccer world cup live streaming
best site to watch live soccer streaming
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch english premier league live streaming free
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch live soccer game today
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
watch premier league live streaming qatar
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch premier league live streaming live free
watch champions league live streaming bola
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch live streaming of premier league football
watch coppa america live streaming kenya
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch soccer online free streaming live first row
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch premier league net live manchester united stream channel
watch soccer live live football streaming cr7
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
tv soccer live stream sky
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch soccer live streaming reddit
watch hd soccer live streaming free
watch the champions league live stream
watch soccer games live stream free app
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming without cable
watch premier league stream reddit
watch coppa america live streaming putlockers
watch champions league live streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming nz
super soccer tv live streaming napoli vs juventus
watch soccer live streaming juventus
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
watch soccer game live espn
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch soccer am live stream
watch champions league live streaming zee5
watch live soccer streaming on iphone
watch coppa america live streaming in india
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch coppa america live streaming free online
watch premier league live streaming yify
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
#myfootballuniverse #soccermemes #goodday #Vip45 #soccer #Sunday #MyDubai #elcasico #goal #beatifulgame #villarealcf #BMW #livesports #hotcoffee #footballdubai #satira #cr7 #meunier #barcelona #streamingbolaid #liverpool #mancity #sunderlandafc #4Series #coffeebreak #liverpool #Bar #frasirap #footballstreaming #oasis #lovefootball #watchlive #golf #afcnews #championship #liverpoolcity #henderson #manunited #leicestercity #ignoranza #Liamgallagher #mancityvsliverpool #americanfootball #valcea #coys #433skills #bestshishacafedubai #nationsleague #insegreto #oasisengland #roadtrip #crossfit #battuteepiche #24x7 #klopp #gunners #mane #Barcelona #oasisandbeatles #alissonbecker #firmino #freekick #manchestercity #kickoff #footballfans #footballmemes #golazo #fcbarcelona #midnight #realmadridcf #league2 #Liverpool #romania #sumbertv #livestreaming #bundesliga #champion #arsenalnews #noelgallagher #football #commentimemorabili #nutmeg #pagani #livestreams #GarageCafeDxb #oudmehta #thebeatles #adidasslipon #gym #premierleague #lfc #bayervshoffenheim
No comments:
Post a Comment