It will be interesting to see which Tai Po players will be retained for the next season even though its hard to tell whether they can replicate what they have achieved this year.
There's still plenty of time before next season so I don't want to judge them on just one move, but, Lam is a depth signing. They need a true LB/LWB and a creative midfielder either at AM to replace Itaparica or CM to replace Tan Chun Lok. It's possible they might need to add a DM, depending on whether they still see Bai He as a starter. I could see them going after Diego Eli or if not, then giving a younger player like Tsang Tung Ming more opportunities. Wong Wai will surely get a lot of offers from CSL and CLO clubs but I hope he holds out for the right one. For Tai Po though, their most important priority has to be to retain Lee Chi Kin.
Tai Po will surely lose many players in the summer. Lee Chi-Kin was clearly referring to this issue when he said his staying at the club is dependent on the directors/financiers ambitions. Tai Po does offer Asian club football in 2020, but whether the AFC Cup's current format is still attractive to players is another matter. Honestly I think most players look at the AFC Cup today and thinks it is a waste of time and effort. It would be better to look for a chance to play for a foreign club altogether.
https://hk.sports.appledaily.com/sports/realtime/article/20190528/59651933 Apple Daily reports that Happy Valley is quite confident of getting its HKPL license after attending the HKFA's HKPL seminar today. They will retain most of their young players and foreigners for the new season. But the HKPL clubs are not happy with R&F FC's continued use of Yanzigang Stadium as their home ground. Even the local sports grounds are better than it in terms of facilities.
Southern and Dreams announce departures: Lau Hok-ming, Marko Krasic, Wellingsson de Souza, Chan Man-fai and Emmet Wan will leave Southern #hkfootball #HKPL— Football in Hong Kong (@offsideHK) May 31, 2019 Dreams Sports Club confirms the departure of the following foreign players: Pablo Gallardo, Marcos Gondra, Nacho Martínez, Joaquín García, Diego Higino and Jony Acosta #hkfootball #HKPL— Football in Hong Kong (@offsideHK) May 31, 2019 In addition, Jordan Lam has also hinted that he will be leaving Dreams:
KC Southern signed Chan Kwong-Ho from Yuen Long FC: https://www.facebook.com/HKSDFC/photos/a.220859694700184/2230080180444782/?type=3&theater
Southern announce that Ticao, Beto, Dheigo Martins and Komazec have all re-signed. Komazec will take over Wellingsson's number 11 shirt. They have also signed a new striker who many will recognize: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=306502930277463
Mixu Paatelainen held his first training session with the Hong Kong team at TKO training centre today. Most players think he is more practical minded than Gary White, who was more team morale minded. Paatelainen made a point of saying the national team is not a charity, players are called up based on their abilities not their race or age.
New coach Mixu Paatalainen starts his first training with the preliminary squad today which will be reduced down to 23 this week. https://www.scmp.com/sport/football...t-eligible-hong-kong-team-says-new-coach-mixu On the subject of naturalised players, Mixu said that he does not have any preference to them as long as have a Hong Kong passport.
Final 23-man squad named for the Chinese Taipei friendly match on June 11: Goalkeepers: YAPP Hung-Fai, WANG Zhenpeng, YUEN Ho-Chun Defenders: Festus BAISE, Andy RUSSELL, Dani CANCELA, Helio GONCALVES, LAW Tsz-Chun, TSUI Wang-Kit, LEUNG Nok-Hang. Midfielders: CHAN Kwong-Ho, YUE Tsz-Nam, Shinichi CHAN, HUANG Yang, JU Yingzhi, TAN Chun-Lok, Philip CHAN Siu-Kwan, LEE Ka-Yiu, WONG Wai. Forwards: Alex Tayo AKANDE, Jaimes McKEE, SUN Ming-Him, YUEN Chun-Sing. Very surprised that SANDRO did not make it into the final squad. Overall, even though CHAN Kwong-Ho and CHAN Siu-Kwan definitely deserved their place in the squad, I do feel that Mixu Paatalainen is taking a huge gamble with some of the uncapped players.
He took Yuen Chun Sing and Sun Ming Him over Sandro. That is what surprises me most if it's true that he plans to play a 4-4-2, long ball style.
It will be very interesting to see whether either Yuen Chun-Sing or Sun Ming-Him will feature on June 11.
Yuen is the only striker with the physique to play the long ball style, isn't he? McKee is great for a blitz in the last 20 mins or so.
Assuming Mixu does indeed stick with a 442 formation, this is how I would fill it: Yapp Law -- Russell -- Leung -- Dani Wong -- Huang -- Tan -- Chan KH Akande -- Yuen However, not ideal as that would involve playing Wong and Chan KH out wide...
Igor Sartori has moved from champions Wofoo Tai Po to R&F FC. It is rumoured he is getting HK$300,000/month salary, at least 4 times more than what he was getting. The move also means he cannot play for Wofoo Tai Po in the two remaining AFC Cup fixtures scheduled later this month.
FT: Hong Kong 0:2 Chinese Taipei What was a supposed to be an "easy" win, turned out to be a disaster for Hong Kong and its new coach...
Despite the result, I still hope we draw Taiwan in World Cup qualifiers. They're a team who I can see us taking six points from.
Our players looked extremely out of sync - maybe due to form or fatigue, but also we can't not play any friendlies all of 2019 until June. We need to play a match every single game day.
Here is Mixu's thoughts on Hong Kong's loss against Chinese Taipei: Depending on who Hong Kong draws (just hoping that they don't draw North Korea again), I could also see them getting points from whichever team is within Pot 5. Anyways seeing that Sun Ming-Him and Shinichi Chan had made their international debuts, do you guys think they (along with several other young players) are considered the future of Hong Kong as Mixu stated?
North Korea and China are the two teams I don't want. North Korea for obvious reasons and China because it's going to be a shit show.
Considering the situation that has been recently going on in Hong Kong, I would probably avoid China as well.
I can imagine us drawing North Korea again, though. It is kind of like AFC's punishment for us booing the Chinese anthem.