Five Things We Learned at the FIFA Club World Cup

Words: ACFC Media

Tuesday 27 December 2016

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - We look back over the Navy Blues efforts at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016 and ask what did we learn from the experience? Some of it may come as a surprise.

1. The gap between Auckland City FC and the J.League winners was closed...but not enough

It seems incredibly harsh to critique the Navy Blues showing at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016 as "not good enough" considering how competitive they were in a backs-to-the-wall showdown with the champion club from a competition with a $100M USD annual turnover but ultimately that's what defeat is - failure, and Auckland City FC were beaten 2-1. Just. While the latter rings true, it seems its easy for others to forget just how much Auckland City FC have to punch above their weight to even be competitive. Kashima Antlers would - like Raja Casablanca did in 2013 - make it all the way to the final and lose. But it is sage to remember that Kashima Antlers went 2-1 up over Real Madrid before succumbing in extra-time 4-2. In 2007, then FIFA President Joseph S Blatter claimed Oceania needed to vastly improves its performances at the FIFA Club World Cup "within two years" or, it was implied by some at the time, face the prospect of non-inclusion in the event. Since then a fifth place and third place finish have been produced with no sign from FIFA the Oceania qualifier is going to be lifted into the main draw which brings us to the second thing we learned...

2. The format of the FIFA Club World Cup may require refreshing

The FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016 was Auckland City FC's eighth trip to the competition and their fifth to one hosted by Japan. Sadly, it was also the Navy Blues sixth consecutive defeat in Japan in the competition and their fourth in a row to the J.League winners. Crowds are definitely down when the Oceania champions tackle the J.League winners and that perhaps hints at the need for the competition itself to evolve. The FIFA Club World Cup is the only FIFA competition that takes place on an annual basis and there is talk of Zvonimir Boban, FIFA's Competitions guru, coming up with a new format just in time for 2019. That's great to hear and on top of that the FIFA President Gianni Infantino was quoted by some media in Europe that he hoped to introduce an expanded 32-team format. Again, great news for Oceania, New Zealand and Navy Blues fans, but just how realistic any of that speculated redraft of the competition is would be anyone's guess. With the European Clubs Association constantly at loggerheads with FIFA and UEFA about fixture congestion, any revamp of the FIFA Club World Cup would have to be done with great care so as not to upset relationships with the ECA.

3. Dae Wook Kim's goal was superb

What a moment it was when Dae Wook Kim outjumped his marker to steer Emiliano Tade's free-kick home. It was quite the moment but while Navy Blues fans were up celebrating and punching the air with delight, a Dae Wook Kim headed goal isn't exactly that uncommon. Kim has become quite adept at slipping between the gaps in block defences and steering home powerful headed goals so when Tade's free-kick took the first Kashima Antlers marker out of the picture and Kim had muscled his way to the front of his marker at the centre of the six yard box, the ball was only going to end up in one place. In the back of the net. Kim has popped up with crucial goals for the Navy Blues from attacking set-pieces regularly since he was converted from a midfielder to a centre-half so keep your eyes peeled the next time you see him make his way forward to join the attack.

4. Auckland City FC's performance in games with professional teams is top notch

The overall performance was easily the closest the Navy Blues have come to causing the big upset the club so desperately craved in 2011, 2012 and 2015, but sadly it wasn't meant to be. Auckland City FC had a 70-30 possession stat domination over Sanfrecce Hiroshima last time but lost 2-0 but here the stats were reversed. Kashima Antlers dominated the ball 60-40 and in the final 20 agonising minutes combined with the extraordinary distances being covered by the players (Fabrizio Tavano covered 11.8km in Yokohama on December 8, to name but one) finally told in the end. Nevertheless, there were some real plusses in the performance - Auckland City FC didn't look out of place, hardly disgraced themselves and, with a bit of luck, might've even grabbed a second goal, particularly in the first half when Emiliano Tade saw his snapshot saved at the far post. Auckland City FC created a lot more chances to score than in 2012 and 2015 (both against Sanfrecce Hiroshima) and although they created a fair few against Kashiwa Reysol in 2011, they only seemed to come when Kashiwa had taken their foot off the pedal at 2-0 up. The other bonus was Auckland City FC's 4-1 win over Hong Kong Rangers and the 1-1 draw with J.League 3 side SC Sagamihara. Both professional opponents, Auckland City FC can add those results to the already solid body of evidence that shows how competitive the club has been in matches with these types of clubs.

5. Ramon Tribulietx

Ramon Tribulietx has been involved with Auckland City FC since at least the 2009-10 season when the club finished 5th at the FIFA Club World Cup UAE. The signs were there that Tribulietx brought something "a bit different" to the table and now, six seasons later, he seems to be getting better at the craft of coaching teams to greater achievements than the individual sum of their parts. Not a lot gets written about the value of winning OFC Champions League and/or Stirling Sports Premiership titles but Tribulietx has set individual coaching records in Oceania and New Zealand that may not be beaten in our lifetime. FIFA Club World Cup bronze medal (1), OFC Champions League finals (6), OFC President's Cup (1), ASB Premiership grand finals (2) ASB Charity Cups (2) plus, of course, the six FIFA Club World Cups qualified for since he took over (with Aaron MacFarland at first in 2011). The media have linked him with Brisbane Roar (2015) and the Wellington Phoenix (2016) as his stock rises. Clearly, he's doing something very right. A quick count up of players who signed for the club during his tenure then went on to secure a professional contract after playing in the OFC Champions League and/or whatever iteration of the Stirling Sports Premiership is en vogue is somewhere between 15 and 20, all told, a sure sign he also knows a good player when he sees one.

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