Hong Kong Football Thread II (R)

Looking at Wofoo Tai Po's performance against Yuen Long FC, I'm not entirely sure if this squad can even compete within either AFC Champions League Play-Offs or even within the AFC Cup Group Stages.

 

Eastern start the New Year off with a bang. They've signed both Lucas Silva and Sandro.



Your move, R&F and Lee Man.

 

Wofoo Tai Po Vs KC Southern highlights:

 

Embarassing goalkeeping on the second goal.
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Fung Hoi Man revealed post match that Tai Po will soon announce its new head coach in order to comply with AFC regulations. It will be someone of Eastern Europe descent who most recently coached in Oman.

 

Marcos Gondra leaves Pegasus.

It was clear that his performances were not up to the standard he put up last season. The club are claiming that he would often ask to be pulled from the starting eleven at the last minute due to injury so they cannot rely on him. Gondra asked for a mutual termination to which the club agreed.

 

The HKFA held the first of four public consultations in regards to their Vision 2025 strategic plan yesterday. There was quite a lot of talk about following the meeting:

• Mixu confirmed that his contract is up in March but he claims that he's not thinking about it.
• Woodland says that as long as the HKFA receives government funding, the organization is confident that Mixu will be renewed. He points out that Mixu recently moved to Causeway Bay with the anticipation of renewal.

• Woodland is confident that the Lunar New Year Cup will go ahead. The planned matchup is Hong Kong League XI vs Hong Kong U23. The Hong Kong women will also play a friendly.
• The HKFA had asked Lee Man and Eastern if they wanted to move the Senior Shield Final up to New Year's weekend but one of the clubs will be conducting a training camp at that time.

• Beginning with the 2023 season, the HKFA is proposing for domestic leagues to be contested over a calendar year (January to December). During the summer months, all matches will be contested at night. Tsueng Kwan O Sports Ground, Hong Kong Stadium and Mong Kok stadium will all be able to accomodate up to two teams each.

• Ken Ng said that he's spoken to the Jockey Club as well as the government about it and his feeling is that it's impossible in the near future.

 

FT: Sapling Cup Group A - Kitchee SC Vs Lee Man FC - 4:1

Goals from Fernando, Wellingson de Souza and a first goal for youngster Shinichi Chan were enough to seal three points within the group.

Whilst I can understand why Mixu is not thinking about the contract expiry, he will really need to get results this year as he only had a win, two draws and six losses in his stint with the Hong Kong National Football Team and looking at the remaining World Cup qualifying fixtures, it will be a difficult task.

I could see the likes of Kitchee's Shinichi Chan and Happy Valley's Lai Pui-Kei as candidates to represent the U23 team whilst I predict Kitchee's Fernando and Wellingson de Souza, R&F HK's Igor Sartori could feature for the League XI team.

 

Former Eastern Long Lions midfielder, Lam Ka-Wai joins R&F HK:

 

Mahama Awal rejoins HK Pegasus having been released last Summer.

BC Rangers signed Hong Kong-Japanese born midfielder Shu Kitamura and Cameroonian-born Hong Kong defender Celistanus Tita Chou. Both of these players featured against Eastern Long Lions yesterday.

In addition, ever since Eastern Long Lion's Diego Moreira Eli had been naturalised, here is an article discussing where he could possibly feature if he were to be named for the Hong Kong National Football Team.

 

He was offered a 1.5 year contract. From his perspective, at 34 years old, I can see why he took it. From R&F's perspective, they're getting a very experienced depth player.

 

Speaking of naturalized players, as Matthew Lam of R&F HK is very close to completing 7 years of playing in HK (done 27 Feb) and will be eligible to naturalize - adding further depth to the HKNT midfield.

 

I'll tell you what really sucks is the fact that Wellingsson left Hong Kong for a year in between his time at South China and Yuen Long. He could've been a Hong Kong international in 2016 and likely would be a key piece up front for us right now.

Same thing with Joao Emir. If he hadn't left Hong Kong in 2012, he could've been naturalized early last year and would definitely been a Hong Kong international by now. The fact that he left Hong Kong again in 2014 and didn't come back until the following year means that we'll have to wait until 2022 to naturalize him. He'll be 33 by then.

 

These are the players who will become eligible to represent the Hong Kong National Team in 2020:

- Wellingson de Souza - Kitchee SC
- Fernando Augusto Azevedo Pedriera - Kitchee SC
- Michel Artunes Lugo - Tai Po FC
- Tomas Marionesi - BC Rangers
- Matthew Lam - R&F HK

 

We honestly don't need any 33 year old slow forwards or defenders anymore - we've seen enough from Giovanne, Helio, etc.

Of the list, only Lam and possibly Wellingson should offer any hope.

 

Tai Po have unveiled their new coach named Davor Berber:

https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/sport/2...SygrY6dBBYfndeKhH2lIiVti0ZoED2IxJYx2KGXVvS6nw