Much more, in terms of significance, than a run of the mill youth tournament, what effectively is the mini-Asian Cup on the AFC calendar is primed instead to set the tone of the continent\u2019s football for the years ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The importance of the tournament can be quickly measured by the coaching staff in attendance. Five of the sixteen coached at last year\u2019s senior Asian Cup, whilst Thailand\u2019s Akira Nishino also takes up what is becoming a prevalent trend of head coaches juggling senior and U23 managerial duties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until recently this was a pretty unfamiliar concept; a senior coach having to balance youth development alongside the first team, yet in Asia, as is increasingly becoming the case across a spectrum of football practices, nations are becoming ever more proactive in their attempts to step ahead of the global competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s an approach that has divided opinion, with naysayers cynically suggesting it\u2019s a cheap way out for their respective football associations. However the benefits of having one coach overseeing both senior and U23 sides has broad plus points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It aids in consistency, in both playing style and expectation, removing an increasingly unnecessary distinction in national team call ups that regularly fluctuate between age phases. It also brings forward the priority of Olympic qualification (top three finalists this month will ensure a place at this summer\u2019s event). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While overlooked by large parts of the of the world, the Olympics continues to be held in high regard by much of Asia, on par with the Asian Cup and in some cases even the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n