Bystanders at World Cup matches

WHEN this editorial is read, it will be known whether the Netherlands or Spain has won the World Cup, and people in that country will be celebrating. Hong Kong soccer fans' life is again uneventful after the very exciting night at home or in wine bars. Are Hong Kong people. doomed to be bystanders at World Cup matches?

Japanese and Koreans are about as tall as other Asians. However, Japan, South Korea and North Korea have shone at World Cup matches. The ideathat Asians are doomed to be bystanders at World Cupmatches is no longer tenable. Neither Hong Kong nor. the mainland has won a place in the World Cup. That is not due to any insurmountable congenital constitutional factors. That is because there are serious problems with our sports systems and training.Hong Kong is considering hosting an Asiad, which may cost over $10 billion. In our view, it is better to use the money to improve Hong Kong soccer than to host anAsiad because it is not known how it would benefit Hong Kong sports in the long term.

Both Japan and South Korea have struggled hard for many years in the soccer world. They have been routed umpteen times, but they have kept improving their training systems. They now stand out as soccer powers. Now no ordinary second--rate European or South American country is either's match.

The mainland and Hong Kong remain losers as they were. Why?

It is said in the mainland press that, while NorthKorean players are commendably full of fight though their country is poor, Chinese players lack spirit and fight though there is no lack of money or material resources on the mainland, whose economy has taken off. China's soccer league is constantly plagued withcorruption scandals. That is one reason why China hasproduced few outstanding football players. An article in the Information Times says China's soccer system lags far behind others'. Association football is of a much higher level in Japan and South Korea than in China,and many of their players have been recruited by top European football clubs. Furthermore, their programmes for training young players are far better than China's.

Though Hong Kong won the soccer gold medal last year at the East Asian Games, its soccer system is similarly backward. Association football in the territory has long been semi--amateurish. A few months ago,the government decided to use more public resourcesto revitalise soccer in Hong Kong. However, it is doubtful that its efforts will produce results unless the system is improved.

A country's World Cup win lives in its collectivememory. Hong Kong's victory over China on 19 May1985 in a World Cup preliminary is still on the lips of itspeople. Hong Kong people are crazy about soccer, towhich the SAR government would do well to devotemore resources. If it does not help promote sports inthe SAR for Hong Kong to host an Asiad, the eventwould disappear in a flash like a firework displaythough it costs more than $10 billion. However, if HongKong soccer is rejuvenated, citizens will have astronger sense of belonging, and soccer will be anindustry that lays golden eggs.

Ozora Tsubasa, the hero of CCaappttaaiinn TTssuubbaassaa, a, Japanese comic book, dreams of winning the WorldCup when he is a child. He subsequently serves a topEuropean football club. At first people think him idiotic.Now Japan, South Korea and North Korea haveachieved wonderful results at World Cup matches,none would be so bold as to say that is an idiot'sdaydream. We look forward to the days when theChinese team and the Hong Kong team play at WorldCup finals and Hong Kong people cheerfully cheerthem instead of being bystanders. This is but a dreamnow. However, a thousand thousand-- llii journey is started bytaking the first step. We hope the national team andthe Hong Kong team will set a realistic target - stopbeing Asia's losers. We believe this is what thousands upon thousands of Hong Kong soccer fans can reasonably expect.

明報社評2010.07.12

世界盃 華人何時才不再是旁觀者

這篇社評見報之時，最新一屆世界盃冠軍應該已經順利誕生，不論荷蘭或西班牙，其國民都應該正在慶祝，但香港球迷在家中或酒吧茶餐廳度過緊張刺激的一夜後，一切又歸於平淡。世界盃，港人注定只是旁觀者？

觀乎身高與一般亞洲人差別不大的日本、韓國及朝鮮在世界盃的出色表現，亞洲人注定只是旁觀者的說法早已站不住腳； 中國及香港在世界盃佔不到一席，不是先天體質上不可能克服的因素，癥結應是我們的體育制度及訓練出了重大問題。香港正考慮申辦亞運，我們認為與其花費上百億元爭辦一個不知對香港體育有沒有長遠利益的運動會，不如把資源投入改善香港的足運吧。

日韓兩國，經歷了艱苦的奮鬥過程，在世界足壇吞了多少次光蛋，但仍然不斷完善自身的體育訓練系統，終於成為世界足壇一股奇兵，如今等閒的歐洲南美二線球隊，已不是日韓的對手。

反觀中國和香港則依然故我，仍是魚腩部隊，為什麼？

內地輿論直指朝鮮雖窮但球員鬥志可嘉，中國經濟起飛後「不缺錢、不缺物質」， 「缺的是鬥志和精神」；至於中國足球聯賽貪污醜聞不絕，是培育球員的另一障礙。《信息時報》一篇評論更指出，中國足球制度建設遠遠落後，日韓國內聯賽水平遠高於中國，由此培訓出來的球員早已能在歐洲一流球會效力，日韓的青訓計劃亦遠較中國完善。

至於香港，雖然在去年的東亞運奪足球金牌，但足球體制同樣落後，聯賽早已淪為半職業半業餘的狀態，數月前政府雖然決定投入公共資源振興本地足運，但若不從體制入手，成效成疑。

足球比賽的勝利，是人民的集體回憶， ，1985 1985 年的55．．19 世界盃外圍賽香港戰勝中國，傳頌至今。對足球的瘋狂熱愛，值得政府投入更多資源。申辦亞運，如果無助香港整體運動水平提升，只會是一次上百億元的煙花匯演，轉瞬即逝；反之，如果香港足球復興，不單可提升港人的歸屬感，更是會生金蛋的新興產業。

日本漫畫《足球小將》主角戴翅偉（日文版原稱大空翼）自小夢想奪取世界盃，漫畫主角也在歐洲頂級球會效力，初時有人認為這是癡人說夢，但隨着日本及兩韓在世界盃取得佳績，沒有人再敢嘲笑這是天馬行空的幻想。我們憧憬的世界盃決賽周，國家隊和香港隊都有份參與，港人不再做旁觀者，而是拉隊到球場做啦啦隊，興高采烈的為國家隊和香港隊歡呼打氣。雖然，這種想法目前仍是一個夢，但千里之行始於足下，我們期望國家隊和香港隊訂定第一個切實可行的目標：不要再淪為亞洲區的魚腩部隊，這應是香港萬千球迷的合理期望。

Glossary

tenable //''ten ??b( b(??)l/)easy to defend against attack or criticism.

umpteen //??mp mp''ti:n/indefinitely many.

fightpower or inclination to fight.