Articles by Paul Williams

About Paul Williams

Paul Williams is an Adelaide-based football writer who has reported on the comings and goings of Asian football for the past decade. Having covered the past two Asian Cups, he writes regularly about the J.League for Optus Sport in Australia, while he also regularly contributes to Arab News. Further, he has previously been published by outlets such as FOX Sports Asia, Al Jazeera English, FourFourTwo, and appeared on numerous TV and radio shows to discuss Asian football.

Opportunity awaits as Asia’s ‘next gen’ prepare for ACL challenge

April 13, 2022 Paul Williams

After an historic and intriguing start to the west zone of AFC Champions League over the past week, it’s time for clubs in the east to start their campaigns and the storylines look just as […]

OPINION: Asian Super League the wrong outcome to the right discussion

April 6, 2022 Paul Williams

The press release that dropped from the Asian Football Confederation last Wednesday evening seemed harmless enough. The formation of another Task Force – doesn’t football love a Task Force – to examine ways, to quote […]

OPINION: Does it matter where you play?

April 4, 2022 Paul Williams

Saudi Arabia stamped their qualification for Qatar 2022 with a display against Australia at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City Stadium that was the perfect encapsulation of modern Saudi football. They were disciplined and aggressive. They […]

Gama’s dream clash 80 days in the making

March 11, 2022 Paul Williams

“I think about this game every day.” Clichés abound when you ask coaches about anything other than the next match in their schedule. ‘Just taking it one match at a time’ or ‘we’re only focused […]

European success shouldn’t define Indian players: Jhingan

February 2, 2022 Paul Williams

So eager was Sandesh Jhingan to hit the ground running when he landed in Šibenik, a picturesque Croatian city on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, that despite the burning jet lag from a torturous […]

OPINION: India’s withdrawal highlights challenges of playing through COVID

January 25, 2022 Paul Williams

Brave is the person who stages an international tournament in the middle of the worst global pandemic in a century. With players, staff and officials flying in from all different parts of the world, amid […]

Socceroos’ slump threatens to derail Qatar 2022 hopes

January 25, 2022 Paul Williams

As the Australian Open tennis draws to a close this week, it will be hard for much to cut through in the Melbourne sporting landscape, as the newspapers and talkback radio shows will be filled […]

Matildas clash ‘just another game’: Stajcic

January 18, 2022 Paul Williams

New Philippines coach Alen Stajcic would have every reason to be out for revenge when his Philippines side face Australia on Match Day Two of the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup, such was the way […]

Expanded Women’s Asian Cup offers hope for developing nations

January 15, 2022 Paul Williams

For the first time in almost two decades, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup has expanded to feature 12 teams at this year’s tournament and with more FIFA Women’s World Cup spots available than ever before, […]

Is the AFF Suzuki Cup too important?

January 4, 2022 Paul Williams

Anyone who has borne witness to the passion and noise in the grandstands at the AFF Suzuki Cup will tell you just how significant and important this regional showpiece is within Southeast Asia. For the […]