SINGAPORE - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will send inspectors to domestic leagues around the region with the aim of raising standards and producing world-class teams.

The inspectors will visit 11 countries on the continent to assess the state of their domestic leagues, clubs and stadia and provide suggestions for improvement.

The project is a continuation of last year's efforts to raise the level of professionalism in Asian football.

"It does help the leagues and clubs become more professional and healthier organisations," AFC competitions director Tokuaki Suzuki said on the confederation's website, adding that Qatar and Saudi Arabia had made significant improvement.

"It would take more time, but I am sure that the clubs and leagues will be rewarded for their hard work in the near future."

The inspectors will also offer help for teams hoping to qualify for Asia's premier club competition, the AFC Champions League. The AFC has set out a list of qualification criteria for the leagues including competitiveness, attendance, marketability and financial health.

Singapore withdrew from the ACL last year after the AFC said participating leagues cannot contain any foreign teams.

The S-League has several foreign clubs, including French side Etoile FC, who won last year's league and cup, and says it needs the foreign teams because of a shallow local talent pool.

The league also does not have a promotion and relegation system, four 'A class' stadia and its average attendance is below 5,000 per game.

"Our goal is very clear," said Suzuki. "Through this project, we will produce more professional leagues and clubs in Asia, which can compete in the world's football stage in the end.

"If we succeed in this project, it won't take that long to see world champions from Asia."

Reuters

(China Daily 03/02/2011 page22)