Hong Kong Football Thread II (R)

From what I heard, there will be a press and media conference for Jorn Andersen held on 14th January.

 

Tsun Dai has been officially named in the Chinese senior squad, although it is still just a training squad for now.

This will be the last time I mention this player ever again. He is no longer someone I track or care about and I will never talk about him again.

 

Curious, but what are everyones thoughts on Sun Ming-Him?

 

Love his attitude, his physicality and his fighting spirit. 3 things that are lacking in a lot of our younger players. But his final touch is quite poor, I'm not sure what his best position should be.

 

This is where I am at with Sun Ming Him, (similar to Matt Orr) he is a player that has shown great potential, but seeing that he is oftenly placed as a forward, he isn't quite as clinical in contrast to the other past strikers Chan Siu Ki and Jaimes McKee when it comes to scoring goals.

Anyways, I'm interested to hear what the new head coach Jorn Andersen will say in his first press and media conference which happens this Friday in which I do expect him to make an overhaul of changes to the national team from the formation, tactics and calling up fresh players.

 

As speculated, Kitchee's Shinichi Chan who was the remaining U23 player who was involved with ten others that were in violation of the drinking incident that happened back in October during the AFC U23 Championship qualifers in which he is suspended from representing Hong Kong at any level for a year and a fine.

This is going to be a major blow for Shinichi as this meant he will miss the opportunity to represent Hong Kong during 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers and the 2022 Asian Games.

 

It only mentioned that he is ineligible for selection for the Hong Kong national football teams for at least a year, but nothing about AFC Champions League competition so I think that should be fine for him as well as for Poon Pui Hin, one of the other eleven who is also facing similar disciplinary action like Shinichi Chan.

 

Wait, so who were the good kids who did NOT get in trouble?

It seems like all our top youngsters got in trouble now...

 

Players who had participated in the 2023 AFC U23 Asian Championship qualifiers in October and remain eligible for the national team competitions:

• LO Siu Kei
• CHOY Tsz To
• Alex JOJO
• LEUNG Yau Wai
• Oliver LAXTON
• YUEN Sai Kit
• CHENG Tsz Sum
• Sohgo ICHIKAWA
• YU Joy Yin
• WONG Chi Hung
• CHANG Hei Yin
• Seb BUDDLE

Players who had participated in the 2023 AFC U23 Asian Championship qualifiers in October but currently serving a one-year ban from selection for future national team competitions:

• YIP Cheuk Man
• CHIU Wan Chun
• POON Pui Hin
• CHENG Chun Wang
• NG Ka Yeung
• CHEUNG Chun Hin
• CHU Wai Kwan
• Jordan LAM Lok Kan
• Shinichi CHAN
• LAM Hin Ting
• TSE Ka Wing

 

Newly appointed head coach Jorn Andersen held his first press conference in which he answered questions from the media:

On what he hopes he can achieve and change with the Hong Kong national football team:

• “I have seen the last few matches – I studied around 10 national team matches in quarantine – and I see a lot of things that I don’t like,” said former Norway international Andersen, whose contract lasts until July 2023.
  
• “Some games the team (Hong Kong) was only defending and it was very difficult for them to win with a playing style like that. I will try to change that a little bit – to play a little more offensive and attractive, defend a bit higher, and try to press the opponents and not let them into our half or attack our goal too easily."
  
• “Of course, I need some time to make that style clear to the players, but I think it can work for the future.”
  
• “Honestly, I’ve not seen many victories. I think in the 10 games [I watched] we’ve only won once – at home against Cambodia – and the other games we drew or lost,” he said. “Most of them we only defended, that was my first impression and [will be] my first task. To try to get better results and try to play more attacking football. We don’t have to play defensive football against teams of the same or better class.
• “I will try to give the Hong Kong fans something to be proud of. When you go to the stadium you will see a team who will give everything to win the game; to attack opponents with more offensive football and offensive defending. “It’s not always possible to win games – there are many strong opponents in Asia. It won’t be easy, but we’ll try to [show] fans that we’re not only defending, defending, defending.” Even if we can’t win the game, we tried to win.

On the hopes of re-opening the training grounds and knowing the players:

• “We are still speaking with the government about making a training camp in a bubble or some good solution where we don’t have to be scared about Covid-19,” Andersen said.“It’s happening with all national teams around the world. I hope the government can understand us and give us a positive answer.”
• “We have to try to meet the players and train with them as soon as possible. We will do our best to prepare the team for the important summer games, but we have to wait for what’s allowed in this period. We are working and planning every day, but we still don’t know what we can do because the government’s restrictions are very strong.
• “I still know some players who play in the [Hong Kong] national team now, so it’s good experience to know about their strengths and weaknesses,” he said.
  
• “When I was national coach with DPR Korea, I was working with the national team and clubs. I was selecting from a squad of 30 and worked with these players every day, two training sessions a day, before they went back to play for their clubs.
• “As a former national player for Norway, I know that to be a national coach you only get maybe five times a year to work with the team. It’s less time and you can’t develop the players as much as I did in North Korea. We need to take the time we have to train and play together, to create a style and system to win important matches and hopefully qualify for some championships.”

Source: https://www.scmp.com/sport/football...ball-head-coach-jorn-andersen-bring-attacking

 

Kitchee SC had been drawn in Group J of the 2022 AFC Champions League with Shanghai Port (China), Chiangrai United (Thailand) and the winner of the play-off between Kaya-IIoilo (Philippines), Shan United (Myanmar) or one of the two Australian clubs.

On the other hand, Eastern Long Lions are within Group J of the 2022 AFC Cup along with Must CPK (Macau), Tainan City (Chinese Taipei) and between Lee Man FC (Hong Kong) or Athletic 220 (Mongolia.)

 

Well it looks like former Hong Kong head coach Kim Pan Gon is set to be named as Malaysia's new head coach:

#OFFICIAL: South Korean Kim Pan Gon (52) will be the new national football coach of Malaysia, said FAM today.

The former Hong Kong national coach, who will be in charge of Harimau Malaya for two years, is expected to arrive in Kuala Lumpur next month. pic.twitter.com/n4q2H5taRf

— Asian Football (@AsianFootballs) January 21, 2022

 

Offside.hk posted an article predicting on which players Jorn Andersen will pick in the future in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in June:

https://www.offside.hk/hkteam/the-players-who-andersen-may-call-upon-in-june/

I'm aware that there are still five months left, but based upon 2021/22 season so far, which players do you predict should earn a call-up for the national team and which players do you think will miss out?

 

This was a great, high quality in-depth article - not often written about the HKNT!

I think everything hinges on whether CSL will release players. It will make all the difference in the world.

 

I'm certain that the likes of Leung Nok Hang, Li Ngai Hoi, Tan Chun Lok as well as Vas Nunez are ones that are likely to be named pending on whether the CSL will release them in time like you said.

 

Here is what the current draws looks like for the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup:


Hong Kong just managed to be within Pot 2 of the draws which will take place on 24th February.

 

The draws for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Third Round took place today and Hong Kong are placed in Group D where they will have to travel to India (who are one of the six centralised venues) to face the hosts along with Afghanistan and Cambodia (in which they were in the same group during the Second Round.)

 

Not a bad draw for us but not a good one either. The teams in our group and evenly matched which will make it harder for us to advance as one of the best runners up if we aren't able to win the group.

I think maybe the most important thing now is whether we can restart the HKPL season in some capacity before the qualifiers. If not, then the next question is whether Andersen can bring the players together for an extended training camp in Tsueng Kwan O.

And if that can't happen, then will the HKFA do what Kitchee are planning to do, which is to hold a training camp overseas in a country like Thailand where there is no quarantine.

 

Pui Kwan Kay had discussed some of the alternative options that might be available:

"One option for the side, Pui said, could be if the FA was allowed to use its Football Training Centre in Tseung Kwan O, although like all sports grounds in the city that has been closed since January.

“It’s an ideal venue but we need to discuss with the authorities to get an exemption for using the centre,” he said.

“Also, we need to solve the problem of not infringing the current social-distancing measures as only two people are allowed to get together under the rules."

“Another option is to bring the whole team for an overseas training stint but it will incur a considerable budget which we need to sort out.”

In addition, "Andersen, who was appointed in December, has named a preliminary squad of 30 players with James Ha among them, but there is still no plan of when the team will get together for the first time."

Source: https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kon...ong-kong-get-kind-draw-final-qualifying-india

It will be interesting to see who are the remaining 29 players, but I do hope that the HKFA could organise something in preparation.

 

All the Hong Kong Premier League clubs met today and with a unaminous decision, they decided to abandon the remaining fixtures of the 2021/22 season due to uncertainties on whether they will be able to finish in time within the current circumstances.

In addition to Kitchee, it looks like the Hong Kong national football team will also be heading to Thailand for training in preparation for the upcoming Third round qualifiers according to the SCMP.

https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kon...kong-clubs-abandon-football-season-first-time