AFC’s tough stand boosts Pro League

AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam said the success of the Pro League, due to be launched in 2009, is hugely dependent on the professionalism of Member Associations and clubs.

As such, a measure of ruthlessness was required, unlike Vision Asia, which was meant to assist countries depending on their current technical and administrative capabilities.

“We had to establish conservative minimum criteria that would allow us to compare leagues and determine which Member Association would be eligible to participate in the AFC Champions League and with how many clubs,” Bin Hammam said during his speech at the Leaders of Football Conference in London.

“In this instance we were not interested in tailoring solutions for our members. We didn’t have to.

“Our primary objective and responsibility was safeguarding and building value into the AFC Champions League. Those who wanted to participate have to accept the definitions and criteria without conditions or exceptions.”

AFC Pro League officials used the English Premier League and other top leagues in Europe as benchmarks for what they wanted to see in Asia.

When initial comparisons were made, the results were somewhat surprising and disappointing.

“We assessed the top 23 members against the said criteria and came out with an amazing result,” said Hammam. “Only one country met all the criteria, and that was Japan.”

However, AFC held firm and refused to lower its requirements. As a result, member associations around Asia scrambled to improve their structures and management methods in order to fulfil AFC's criteria.

“Those that fell below the bar knew exactly what they needed to do,” said Bin Hammam. “I am extremely proud with the commitment some of the Member Associations have shown to comply with the international standards set by the AFC Champions League from 2009.

“This will represent the beginning of the professional age in Asia.”