While soccer fans and the national squad get ready for the FIFA World Cup Group F opening qualifier against Thailand on Tuesday, four marquee players chose to boycott the pre-match press conference, leaving reporters and officials bewildered and concerned over the mindset of the squad.
Taiwan coach Chen Kuei-jen was due to announce his starting lineup and four of the players were due to talk about their preparations at a press conference yesterday, but in a surprise move Chen and the four players — Chen Po-liang, Xavier Chen, naturalized Taiwanese Onur Dogan and Chen Hao-wei — boycotted the press conference, perplexing reporters and leaving Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) officials and the match sponsors embarrassed and making apologies.
CTFA chairman Liu Fu-tsai said that Chen and the players had been invited, but that there had likely been a breakdown in communication and that he would urgently deal with the situation to sort out any problems.
Photo: CNA
Liu urged fans and officials to unite to develop Taiwanese soccer and root for the team, then was overcome by emotion, breaking down in tears in a dramatic turn of events that stunned the gathered reporters.
“I only took over as chairman when former chairman Lin Cheng-yi quit after encountering legal problems. There were enormous pressures on me and today we have this misunderstanding with the players,” Liu sobbed.
Still in tears, Liu said: “Many questions were put to me and I promise that Taiwanese soccer is clean, that our national team does not fix games,” referring to an April accusation that Lin gambled on Taiwan losing to Brunei, allegedly profting to the tune of NT$40 million (US$1.28 million).
“There is no match-fixing scandal. I guarantee that with my life,” Liu said. “Taiwanese soccer cannot afford to be tainted by match-fixing accusations.”
Liu said he was questioned about the accusation at a FIFA meeting in Switzerland and an Asian Football Confederation meeting in Bahrain.
“FIFA is aware of the allegation and is watching developments. It was going to suspend Taiwan from international matches, but I explained the situation to them and, for now, everything is OK,” Liu said.
Taiwan captain Chen Po-liang later posted an online message to say coach Chen Kuei-jen had not been invited to attend the press conference, which was very disrespectful, so the players decided not to attend as a protest against the CTFA.
“As players we must stand together. If not, under the current situation, Taiwanese soccer will never change for the better,” he said.
The CTFA announced that all 20,000 tickets for Tuesday’s 7:30pm kickoff at the Taipei Municipal Stadium had been distributed and that it expects a full house to provide boisterous home support.
It said 4,000 tickets had been allocated to Thailand’s representative office in Taipei for distribution to expats to provide a competitive spirit inside the stadium.
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