Profiles of coaches of top 4 Asian Cup contenders

The Asian Cup soccer finals open Friday and South Korea, Japan, Iran and Australia are considered the four main contenders for the title.

Here is a look at the coaches of the four teams.

○ Different teams, same dream

The four coaches might use different teams and approaches at the tournament but all have the same goal: winning the trophy.

South Korea coach Cho Kwang-rae seeks to win his country’s first Asian Cup in 51 years. “We no longer need the process. However well we perform, it’ll be a failure if we don’t win the trophy,” he said.

Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni, who once led Italian clubs such as AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus, also desperately needs to win. Appointed in August last year, the Italian impressed two months later with a 1-0 exhibition win over Argentina, Japan’s first over the South American giant.

The Japanese media still question Zaccheroni’s leadership, however. Critics blasted his alleged lack of a clear attack strategy, among other weaknesses.

How Zaccheroni fares in the Asian Cup could determine if he is retained for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi, former technical analyst for South Korea, will resign after the tournament. One Iranian media outlet said, “This tournament will effectively determine whether he will be remembered as a national hero or as a coach with a mediocre performance.”

For Ghotbi, a good Asian Cup performance by Iran could erase the memory of Team Melli’s recent slump.

Australia coach Holger Osieck, who assumed his post in August last year, must also demonstrate his value at the tournament. The German was reportedly appointed for his experience and good personality rather than fame.

Yet questions have risen over his capacity to manage and supervise players. Osieck must dispel the criticism that he is more suited to be an assistant than head coach.

○ Differences in style

Cho is nicknamed “computer” and Ghotbi “encyclopedia” for their detailed and precision-style approach to soccer based on well-defined tactics.

Cho often writes about his soccer philosophy on pieces of paper and distributes them to players in person. His three maxims are short passes, extensive running in games, and domination of the midfield.

Ghotbi is known for “thinking soccer” and also stresses passing to allow his team to get a step ahead of the opposition, in addition to stamina. One distinct characteristic of his style is his emphasis on side attacks.

Both Osieck and Zaccheroni are into “pressure soccer.” Osieck once said, “If the team fails to inconvenience the opponent through strong pressure, it cannot survive in modern soccer.”

Zaccheroni is also known to preach a defensive game. A Japanese media outlet nicknamed him “Zacchnaccio,” a combination of the term “catenaccio (the Italian strategy of tight defense)” and his surname.

Communication with players is also a trademark of Zaccheroni’s style. Inter Milan coach Leonardo Araujo, who played under Zaccheroni at AC Milan, remembers him this way: “He would always approach me and speak to me first. All of the players liked him because he was very considerate and warm.”

niceshin@donga.com