Tuesday 10 February 2009

U16 & U19 Qualifiers

The draw for the Under 16 and Under 19 (Youth Championship) qualifying rounds are made on the 20th Feb.

It's split into two draws for both age groups - East and West

In the Under 16 competition Thailand are seeded at number 8, one above Laos and below regional neighbours Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

In the Under 19's, we fair a little bit better being ranked at number 6, just belowe Japan.

For each draw, 6 teams will be placed in a group (although 3 in one group). With the top two qualifying. I believe the Under 19 finals will be in China.

But between now and the finals, no doubt we will have drop outs, and sides fielding overagers (Yemen and North Korea know the score on that one). So expect rule changes and qualifications to be altered.

I slightly remember Malaysia making the finals last year in one of the age groups, but they didn't even win or score a goal in the qualifiying stage! Sometimes playing fair and not winning makes you get to were you want to be!

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