Hong Kong Football Thread II (R)

Cheng Chin Lung joins KC Southern on loan from Kitchee. Hopefully he will be able to refind his form during his time at the club. Makes me wonder which other Kitchee players should consider going out on loan?

 

Kitchee DM/CB Sean Tse Ka-keung finally received his full HKSAR passport today, as per his Instagram story.

 

Hong Kong U23 team have named a 25-man squad for training on 30th August to 4th September:

Goalkeepers:
Choy Tsz-To (KC Southern), Lo Siu Kei (Rangers), Tse Ka Wing (Free Agent)

Defenders:
Shinichi Chan (Kitchee), Paco Chan Hoi Pak (KC Southern), Marco Cheung Chun Hin (Free Agent), Alex C. Jojo (Eastern), Lam Hin Ting (Rangers), Lau Wing Sang (Free Agent), Poon Pui Hin (Kitchee), Yip Cheuk Man (RCFC)

Midfielders:
Cheng Chun Wang (KC Southern), Chiu Wan Chun (Free Agent), Lai Pui Kei (Free Agent), Jerry Lam Lok Yin (Eastern), Ng Ka Yeung (Eastern), Wong Chi Hung, Jesse Yu Joy Jin (BC Rangers)

Forwards:
Seb R. Buddle (Kitchee), Chang Hei Yin (Lee Man), Chu Wai Kwan (Eastern), Jordan Lam Lok Kan (KC Southern), Sun Ming Him (Free Agent), Tang Hong Yin (Free Agent), Yuen Sai Kit (Free Agent)

I would had added Jahangir Khan (KC Southern) and Wong Ho Chun (Lee Man) in the mix. But a lot of these players are free agents who are seeking a club after Happy Valley and TSW Pegasus' withdrawal (some who were released from other clubs) from the Hong Kong Premier League.

I somewhat get the feeling they may ask Cheung King Fung who has been a part of the national team's coaching to take charge of the U23 side.

 

That's quite a lot of free agents to be honest. I wonder if any will withdraw from the squad to focus on contract negotiations, similar to why Sandro withdrew from the senior team? (But it seems Sandro has still yet to find a club).

 

Sandro, some of the players that were originally from Happy Valley and TSW Pegasus who have been picked for the U23 training session, plus some players who had been recently released by their clubs are currently all particpating in training sessions for anyone who is a free agent held by the Professional Football Association of Hong Kong.

Also according to Tse Ka Wing, it looks like Tuen Mun is unlikely to participate in the 2021/22 season of the HKPL as the club are unable to secure a sponsor.

 

So it seems Carlos Anton who had previously coached the Hong Kong U23s team is now serving as the Technical Director and he will be a part of the commitee to appoint a new head coach for the HK national team assuming that Mixu Paatelainen is no longer in the role.

 

HKFC who were the first division champions last season are confirmed to be promoted to the 2021/22 Hong Kong Premier League. However, they are required to at least have 9 local based players with 3 players fielded within their starting eleven.

The HKFA are also looking to explore a U23 team similar to HK08 and Hong Kong Sapling to make 8 clubs playing within the 2021/22 HKPL, although the final decision will not be made until next Friday.

 

Small update:

According to the official HKFA website, Tang Hong Yin has withdrawn from the squad and he will be replaced by Oliver B. Laxton who is also currently a free agent having last featured for Eastern before he was released.

 

Eatsren Long Lions played a friendly match against BC Rangers where they thrashed them by six goals. Free Agent Sun Ming Him had also featured for Eastern where he scored one of the six goals in which Roberto Losada confirmed their interest to sign the player, but they will have to wait for his contract to be resolved with TSW Pegasus.

https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/sport/2...-w_YFOtzxPnWLWu8NCnh1BafakqQp3ktqwrJZGu_QlPxE

 

Kitchee news:

Ken Ng has confirmed that Dejan Damjanovic has signed a contract meaning that he will remain with the club until 2023.

On the other hand, there had been several departures that had seen several young products from Barak Braunshtain, Mark Swainston, Alex Dujardin, Tong Hew Fung who were all released after their contracts expired. I do wish all of them the best and hopefully they can find a club where they can get more opportunities.

 

For Braunshtain in particular, Ng said that he would explore opportunities in Europe.

 

Former TSW Pegasus attacker Sun Ming Him has joined Eastern Long Lions.

On the other hand, RCFC have been rather busy with their transfers in which in addition to Yip Cheuk Man, they've also signed Jordan Lam from KC Southern, Chiu Wan Chun from TSW Pegasus and Harima Hirokane from BC Rangers.

I'd probably expect some of the free agents who are due to participate in the upcoming U23 training camp (Lai Pui Kei, Cheung Chun Hin etc) to join up, although it will be interesting to see which 5 overage players will join.

 

With the official establishment of the Hong Kong U23 club today, former Happy Valley players Tse Ka Wing and Tang In Chim are confirmed to join as well as Wong Wai who will join the club on loan from Eastern as one of the five over-aged players selected by the HKFA.

 

Former Happy Valley goalkeeper To Chun Kiu made an appearance for Hong Kong Football Club against RCFC in a friendly match in hopes of winning a contract with the club.

Also featured in the match for HKFC include former Kitchee defender Brian Fok and former TSW Pegasus midfielder Christopher Chung Jhen Hoon.

So far, HKFC has signed former Eastern Long Lions midfielder Oliver Laxton whilst it is speculated that Stefan Antonic and Garavdeep Singh are also set to join.

In other news, despite the formation of the Hong Kong U23 club which had arranged five overaged players to join, Alessandro Ferreira Leonardo who is still without a club took to social media to rant about the HKFA after it was said that naturalised players such as himself would not be recruited for the U23 club.

 

Bad news: Justin Ho confirms that he has torn his meniscus and ACL. He will be out for at least six months.

 

It has been confirmed that Japan will be hosting Group K of the AFC U23 Asian Championships qualifiers.

A 24-man training squad has been named that retains the majority of the squad that trained from late August to early September, with a four new players being named as follows:

Goalkeepers:
Alex Chin (South China AA), Lo Siu Kei (Rangers), Tse Ka Wing (HK-U23)

Defenders:
Marco Cheung Chun Hin (HK-U23), Alex C. Jojo (Eastern), Lam Hin Ting (Rangers), Poon Pui Hin (Kitchee), Yip Cheuk Man (RCFC)

Midfielders:
Cheng Chun Wang (KC Southern), Chiu Wan Chun (RCFC), Yuen Sai Kit, Lai Pui Kei , Jerry Lam Lok Yin, Wong Chi Hong (HK-U23), Ng Ka Yeung (Eastern), Cheng Tsz Sum, Jesse Yu Joy Jin (BC Rangers), Oliver B. Laxton (HKFC), Shinichi Chan, Sohgo Ichikawa (Kitchee)

Forwards:
Seb R. Buddle (Kitchee), Chu Wai Kwan (Eastern), Jordan Lam Lok Kan (RCFC), Lee Oi Hin (BC Rangers.)

Couple of recalls that include Lee Oi Hin and Cheng Tsz Sum, whilst Alex Chin who last participated in the 2020 summer training is also named. The only fresh addition to the squad is Kitchee's 17 year old Sohgo Ichikawa.

There are also a couple of notable omissions that include Eastern's Sun Ming-Him (who had already been capped for the senior team) as well as Lee Man's Chang Hei Yin, Southern's Chan Hoi Pak and Choy Tsz To and Lau Wing Sang.

I predict that Hong Kong will likely get a result against Cambodia, but I think it will be too much of a task against Japan.

In addition, I wonder if the HKFA will reschedule some of the Sapling Cup fixtures too?

 

Kitchee news:



Midfielder Chan Siu Kwan joins Kitchee as the club's third signing.

In addition, after spending a lengthy time on the sidelines, Wellingson de Souza is back in training. Hopefully he can regain his form.

 

Wow. Kitchee is absolutely stacked this year. Great signings.

 

The HKFA CEO Joe Tam announced that a new head coach for the men's national football team has been decided and will be revealed at the end of November.

 

To follow up on this, it seems like former North Korea head coach Jorn Anderson is tipped to become the new head coach of the Hong Kong national football team.

 

Here is the final squad for the U23 team that will travel to Japan in preparation for the upcoming AFC U23 Championship qualifiers:

Goalkeepers

LO Siu Kei (BC Rangers), TSE Ka Wing (HK U23), CHOY Tsz To (Kwoon Chung Southern)

Defenders

CHENG Tsz Sum, LAM Hin Ting (BC Rangers), LEUNG Yau Wai (C.D. Cova da Piedade), JOJO Christian Alexander (Eastern Long Lions), CHEUNG Chun Hin Marco (HK U23), POON Pui Hin (Kitchee), YIP Cheuk Man (RCFC)

Midfielders

YU Jesse Joy Yin (BC Rangers), NG Ka Yeung King (Eastern Long Lions),
LAXTON Oliver Benjamin (HKFC), WONG Chi Hong (HK U23),
CHENG Chun Wang Ryan (Kwoon Chung Southern), CHAN Shinichi, ICHIKAWA Sohgo (Kitchee), CHIU Wan Chun (RCFC)

Forwards

CHU Wai Kwan (Eastern Long Lions), BUDDLE Sebastian Robert, YUEN Sai Kit (HK U23), CHANG Hei Yin (Lee Man), LAM Jordan Lok Kan (RCFC)

A couple of HK U23 players had missed out on a place and so does Eastern's Sun Ming Him. There are recalls for Southern's Choy Tsz To and Lee Man's Chang Hei Yin who was omitted from the squad that is currently in Uzbekistan whilst Leung Yau Wai who is with Portugal's Cova da Piedade has also been named.

I predict the team will most likely get a result against Cambodia, but I don't have much expectations against Japan.

 

Kitchee's Tomas Maronesi and Wellingson de Souza finally obtained their HKSAR passport which they now qualify as local players.