Middle East teams better suited to Asian Cup's January scheduling: Australia coach

MELBOURNE : Australia coach Graham Arnold has criticised the Asian Cup's January scheduling, saying it suits Middle East nations while causing problems for others that have a significant number of Europe-based players.

According to FIFA rules, clubs must release players for the Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 continental championship in Qatar but Arnold said some of his squad were under pressure from their European teams about playing at the tournament, which is run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

"If I was going to say anything about the AFC they should really seriously look at when they do play the Asian Cup in January because, yes, it suits the Middle East nations," he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

"But I can imagine (Hajimi) Moriyasu in Japan and Juergen Klinsmann at South Korea are probably having the same issues we’re having with clubs at the moment because all of our boys are playing in Europe."

Arnold's last squad of 23 for a recent World Cup qualifier against Palestine featured 19 Europe-based players.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, had none for last month's qualifiers against Pakistan and Jordan.

Arnold said he was still having conversations with European clubs about releasing players.

His squad are due to assemble in Qatar on Jan. 1, meaning some could miss up to eight club games through the middle of their European league seasons if the Socceroos reach the final.

Arnold, nonetheless, said he expected 2015 champions Australia to win the Asian Cup, a call he also made in the leadup to the 2019 tournament in the United Arab Emirates where their title defence ended in the quarter-finals.

His squad have less experience than the 2019 roster he largely inherited from former coach Bert van Marwijk after the Socceroos'