NORTH KOREA IN THE WORLD CUP, MALAYSIA ?

Early this year I told a few people that North Korea and South Korea will be in 2010 World Cup. Some of my friends laughed at me and told me, that I must be joking. The story below explains everything about North Korea, their dedication , commitment and discipline of wanting to be in the World Cup.

Let's forget about South Korea.. I think FAM must now learn from North Korea, national team should be training in North Korea, instead of China, Slovakia, Singapore and Indonesia. Maybe the Under-16 team should be placed in North Korea for 3 years. Why Not!

They are in the World Cup, no semi-pro and no professional league, maybe most of the players are working with the nuclear center!

Malaysia is still struggling to win gold in the SEA Games. After spending RM 550 million in the last 15 years, we have failed and it is an embrassement a country like North Korea have made it while we are still doing soul searching.

Maybe the FAM Congress which meets on Sunday can pass a resolution of sending a technical study team to North Korea, since nothing was implemented from all the previous technical visits, except wasting tax payers money. But Guess What, they will not go, because there is no extra curricular activities!

Happy Fathers Day Guys and Have a Great Weekend ... God Bless You All

North Korea will play in their first World Cup for 44 years after winning the point they needed to qualify for next year’s Finals in South Africa.

The North Koreans held firm for a scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on Wednesday to finish second in Group B and join winners South Korea as automatic qualifiers.

It will be the first time both Koreas will be part of football’s showpiece and the North’s first tilt at the World Cup since their trailblazing quarter-final appearance at the 1966 tournament in England.

In contrast to celebrations in Pyongyang, there was gloom in Iran as they blew their qualification chance after a 1-1 draw in their must-win match in Seoul.

Saudi Arabia must now beat Bahrain in an Asian third-place playoff and then Oceania champions New Zealand if they are to reach their fifth consecutive Finals next year.

Bahrain, thanks to substitute Mahmood Abdul­rahman’s 74th minute goal, qualified for September’s Asian playoff with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in Manama to finish third behind Australia and Japan in Group A.

The Socceroos, boosted by a brace of goals from Everton midfielder Tim Cahill, came from behind to overhaul Japan 2-1 in Melbourne to finish unbeaten and top the group by five points.

But the secretive communist North Korea dominated the headlines in the final round of Asian qualifying with their unyielding defensive performance in Riyadh.

The Saudis, needing to take all three points to leapfrog North Korea into the second automatic qualifying spot, attacked from the kickoff but the visitors held out for the draw.

“We battled to qualify for the World Cup Finals,” coach Kim Jong-hun said. “It was so hot in Saudi Arabia after the long journey from Korea, but the belief in the ability of the players snatched the ticket to South Africa.

“We focused on defending as we had come under a lot of pressure from the Saudis and I think our preparation for the game was one factor that earned the victory.” — AFP