South Korea will begin the post-Park Ji-sung era as Asian teams start casting an eye toward the 2014 World Cup in a round of international action this weekend.
The Manchester United midfielder has scored at the last three World Cups but will not be at the 2014 version in Brazil even if his team qualifies. He retired from international action after January's Asian Cup at which he made his 100th appearance.
The national team is in action on Friday evening in Seoul - its first appearance on home soil since October 2010 - when it takes on Honduras.
Park is only 30 and could conceivably still be playing come 2014 but he had chosen to concentrate on his club career. Park has yet to play for the Premier League leaders since picking up an injury at the Asian Cup.
South Korea coach Cho Kwang-rae will use Friday's game as a chance to identify Park's replacement as a creative midfielder, with Kim Bo-kyong a leading candidate.
''I am thinking about using Kim,'' Cho said. ''He didn't play at the Asian Cup but he has been looking good in training. Physically he is strong and I have high expectations of him.''
Kim plays his club football in Japan with Cerezo Osaka and went to the 2010 World Cup, though didn't make an appearance in South Africa. He is looking forward to trying to stake his claim well ahead of 2014.
''Nobody can take the place of Park Ji-sung in the team but I will do the best I can,'' said Kim. ''This game is a great opportunity. I don't know when the next one will come around so I want to play with no regret and try to show my ability.''
South Korea's scheduled friendly against Montenegro on March 29 had been cancelled, as the first game of the European team's East Asian tour against Japan was called off.
Japan had been scheduled to play Montenegro on March 25 and then New Zealand four days later but due to the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami in the country meant the matches were cancelled.
''We have made the decision by taking into account such factors as the unfolding extent of enormous damage, fears over 'lifeline' necessities including electricity, confusion in public transportation and the safety of the stadiums and the visitors,'' the Japan Football Association said in a statement.
On March 29, the Japan national team will face a J-League Select Xi in Osaka in a special charity match in which tickets sold out within two hours of going on sale.
Australia, defeated by Japan in the final of the Asian Cup, has a tough test away to Germany.
The Socceroos lost 4-0 to the Europeans at the 2010 World Cup but the team under new coach Holger Osieck is hoping to gain some measure of revenge.
Perhaps the fact that Osieck is himself German could give Australia an advantage.
''I know how difficult it is to win in Germany but we should be confident, the attitude is important,'' said Osieck.
''I'm not afraid to play the strong teams because it is more beneficial to play these teams than play weaker teams and just hope to win. Results always matter and in this game the result matters as well, but you have to ride on both horses - development and success.''
China has two matches against 2010 World Cup participants. On March 25, the team hosts New Zealand before taking on Honduras four days later.
Gao Hongbo is still the man in charge, keeping his job despite the fact that he led China to a first-round elimination as the Asian Cup.
''Though we hoped to use the Asian Cup to prepare for the 2014 World Cup preliminaries, we should have shown our best at the tournament considering we were representing the country in such a big event,'' said Gao who has gained a reputation for trusting in youth and is reaping the rewards of a decision by the Chinese Football Association to give their coaches more time.
In Doha, Qatar will host Russia in a meeting of two football nations still on a high after being granted the right to host the 2022 and 2018 World Cups respectively.
It is the first match for new Qatar coach Milovan Rajevac, the Serbian who took Ghana to the quarterfinal of the 2010 World Cup.
''Qatar can raise its ratings at the Asian level,'' Rajevac said. ''We saw good performances from Asian teams in the World Cup and Qatar can be one of the teams at the 2014 World Cup.''
