But as the Asian Cup gets underway here Saturday, the nation's hundreds of millions of football fans are brimming with optimism that years of flops and gallant failures are coming to an end.

A rash of injuries and the lure of competing in the Olympics have left most of China's main rivals for the prestigious trophy fielding weakened sides in the 16-team, 32-match tournament.

Defending champions Japan, 2002 World Cup semi-finalists South Korea, and five-time Asian Cup champions Saudi Arabia have all lost key players because of injury or decisions to rest them for Athens.

The hosts, who kick off the tournament against Bahrain in Group A on Saturday, may never have a better chance of snapping a long sequence of Asian Cup near-misses, where they have lost in the semi-finals on four occasions.

China coach Arie Haan, a famous member of the stylish Holland teams during the 1970s, has been busy dampening down expectations but acknowledges his team are among the favourites.

"There is huge pressure on the team, pressure that is only negative," said Haan. "There is nothing I can do about it. But of course playing at home is always an advantage in a tournament like this.

"The team is ready. We have prepared well, now we just have to go out and play."

China, who also face Qatar and Indonesia in the first round, have virtually a full-strength squad to choose from. But the problems besetting their rivals have deepened in the days leading up to kick-off.

Holders Japan have brought a severely depleted squad, with Atsushi Yanagisawa the latest player to join a missing list that includes skipper Hidetoshi Nakata and Junichi Inamoto, who are both injured.

Also absent from coach Zico's plans are Europe-based stars Shinji Ono of Feyenoord and Naohiro Takahara, who have both been picked for Japan's Olympics squad.

Japan launch their Group D campaign against Oman in Chongqing next Tuesday, before tackling injury-hit Thailand and what is likely to be a group decider with Iran.

Saudi Arabia, who have reached the final of the last five Asian Cups stretching back to 1984, are another team facing an injury crisis, with five key players ruled out.

Among them are midfielders Mohammed Noor, Abdulla Al-Wakid and Mohammed Ameen, and defender Osama Al-Harbi.

With veteran goalkeeper Mohammed Al Daeyea and 2000 Asian Cup star Nawaf Al Temyat also absent, the Saudis may struggle to go much further than the semi-finals, provided they emerge from Group C, where their first round opponents are Iraq, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The Iraqis have arrived in disarray following the resignation of long-serving German manager Bernd Stange.

In Group B, South Korea are another side which has seen its pool of players depleted because of the Olympics as they prepare to face Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Experienced defender Yoo Sang-Chul and midfielder Song Chung-Gug -- both members of the 2002 World Cup side -- have both been named as over-age players in South Korea's squad for Athens.

Newly appointed coach Jo Bonfrere, who took over last month after a dismal run of results under predecessor Humberto Coelho, wants his side to recapture the work ethic that carried them into the World Cup semi-finals two years ago.

"They have to play more actively and aggressively," said the Dutchman, whose biggest international success as a coach came in 1996 when he led Nigeria to an Olympic gold medal.

The trend of nations reinforcing their Olympic squads with senior players who would otherwise have played in China has concerned Asian Football Confederation officials.

Peter Velappan, the AFC's general secretary, said the proximity of the Olympics was one reason why the next edition of the Asian Cup will be brought forward one year and held in 2007.

"We want our best players to be playing here so that is why we have taken this decision," Velappan said. "In 2007 we don't expect to have this problem."