THE IDEA was to hype up tonight's North Korea-South Korea football match in the Asian Youth Games.

It's not a meeting that happens very often, let alone at Under-14 level.

It's not just a mouthwatering clash between two of the Asian Youth Games (AYG) favourites.

It has a history of turmoil and tragedy behind it, and relations between the neighbours are still tense today.

And with Singapore's chances of remaining in the tournament slim now (after losing their second game in a row yesterday), tonight's 'Clash of the Koreas' could prove to be a great draw to entice local fans to Jalan Besar Stadium.

What does the match mean to the boys themselves?

Or is it just another football game to them?

Visit

That's what The New Paper tried to find out when we visited the South Korean training session yesterday at Temasek Polytechnic.

But when this reporter identified himself as being from The New Paper and approached the team's local liaison officer, he said we could not speak to the players.

He said that the instructions he had been given, since the start of the tournament, were to direct all media queries to the media centre.

The New Paper had to leave the training ground without much of a match preview.

This reporter couldn't even chat with South Korea's star Portsmouth-based player Suh Myeongwon (whom he had posed with after a match last week).

Two weekends ago, The New Paper highlighted how it had been officially told by AYG organisers that training sessions were to be closed to the media.

Two days before that report, two other journalists from separate newspapers had been prevented by local liaison officers from entering the field to watch the North Koreans train, and told instead, to stand behind a fence.

Since The New Paper's report then, there has been no problem with access to teams and players training.

Training schedules were even provided by AYG organisers to the media.

All was smooth till last night, as the AYG Opening Ceremony was held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium to usher in all the rest of the teams and Asian countries.

So is this the way again, to kick off the first proper day of competition for the rest of the eight sports?

AYG spokesman Jose Raymond clarified with The New Paper last night: 'Unless you're stopped by the coach or team manager or are disrupting the training session, you are allowed to talk to players.'

On 20 Jun, The New Paper called for more openness from AYG organisers regarding the athletes who are unknowns from the ages of 14-17.

Last night though, the door was closed again.

Shea John Driscoll, newsroom intern