Australia play down Asian Cup favourites' tag

SYDNEY, Dec 20 (Reuters) Australia are playing down suggestions that they have next year's Asian Cup at their mercy after getting a dream draw in their first appearance at the region's biggest sporting event.

Local bookmakers have installed the Socceroos as clear favourites to win the July 7-29 tournament at the first attempt after they avoided the most dangerous opponents in the opening round.

Australia are the highest-ranked country in the 16-team event and were the only Asian side to reach the second round of this year's World Cup in Germany, but Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has urged caution.

Arnold said Australia were leaving nothing to chance and would be calling on all their heavyweight European-based players, but that alone was not enough to guarantee them victory.

''People are already saying we are favourites to win the tournament so the expectancy levels back home are very high,'' he told reporters today in a teleconference from Kuala Lumpur, where the draw took place.

''We are going in as the number one nation in Asia but we are going into a totally different environment. It will be hot and humid and our preparations must be spot on.'' Australia could not have wished for a better schedule after they were drawn in Group A alongside Iraq, Oman and co-hosts Thailand, with the pool matches all in Bangkok.

If they won the group, Australia would get the benefit of remaining in the Thai capital for a quarter-final against the runners-up in Group B, which will be contested in Hanoi by defending champions Japan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Japan are favourites to top that group after winning the Asian Cup in 1992, 2000 and 2004, leaving them and Australia with a seemingly smooth path to the semi-finals.

Their main rivals, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and China, will battle for the other two spots in the more difficult bottom half of the draw.

South Korea, Asian champions in 1956 and 1960 and World Cup semi-finalists fours years ago, were drawn in Group D with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Indonesia in what looks on paper to be the toughest pool.

Saudi Arabia won the tournament in 1984, 1988 and 1996, but ended up in the same group as South Korea because they failed to secure a seeding and had to play their pool matches in Indonesia or Malaysia because of diplomatic issues.

SECURITY CONCERNS The Australians were relieved after avoiding the most difficult group and were drawn to play in Thailand, alleviating security concerns about going to Indonesia.

''The only worry I had was about Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia and Iraq together would have made it a very tough group,'' Arnold said.

''Home nations have always performed well in this tournament so it's going to be tricky. But the less travelling you can do the better.'' Iran and China are the favourites to advance from Group C, which includes Uzbekistan and Malaysia, and will be played in Kuala Lumpur.

Iran won the title three times in a row from 1968 to 1976 but needed permission from the sport's world governing body FIFA to play in the 2007 finals after they were initially banned because of alleged government interference.

China made the final when they hosted the tournament in 2004 but struggled through qualifying and were trying to stay upbeat despite being drawn alongside Iran and with South Korea or Saudi Arabia lurking in the quarter-finals.

''The draw is a very small factor in the tournament,'' Chinese Football Association spokesman Dong Hua Dong said. ''Each group has its strong and weak teams so it doesn't matter. No matter which group we are in, success will depend on our strength, our hard work and preparations.'' REUTERS PM PM0939