Brunei’s Under 21 Still Training For ASEAN Football
By James on

Bandar Seri Begawan - With exactly two weeks away before the start of the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for Under-21 Asean Youth Football Championship 2005 from March 12 to 26, Brunei's Under-21 national squad is still undergoing the one-month intensive training under the watchful eyes of coach Kwon Oh Son.

Brunei will be facing tough opponents in their group B match-up against the likes of Singapore, Myanmar and Cambodia. In an interview with coach Kwon, he had expressed his optimism for the Brunei squad to reach the final of the prestigious football championship.

Matches will be held at three venues - National Stadium, Balapan football stadium and JBS football field.

Coach Kwon who is no stranger to the game was a member of the Korean national squad and Korean Football League from 1978 to 1989. Before moving to Brunei, he held the position of head coach at Seoul Metropolitan Football Club

However, the Korean coach added that most of the players had yet to develop a cohesive and systematic game by using their minds.

With the commitment and dedication from the players, he is confident Brunei's young football players will and can improve their games.

When asked who might be the biggest threat for Brunei in Group B, coach Kwon said the Singapore's young lions are strong thanks largely to their impressive Youth Football Development Programme.

In his opinion, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam will also be the teams to watch.

The defending champion, Indonesia will no doubt would love to keep the trophy for another term while Thailand, which is considered a football powerhouse in the region, will surely put up a good fight.

Vietnam is the dark horse and may spring a few surprises.

Coach Kwon urged local football fans to come to the stadium to support the Brunei team.

He believed that team's spirit play a vital role in a football game and local fans might provide the support that the junior team needs for them to compete confidently to win the game in the Korean Football League for more than 13 years.

Since arriving in Brunei last November to take over the national junior squad, he said Brunei have plenty of potential players who could make it big in the national as well as regional football competitions. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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