Shinichi Chan is flying to Spain tomorrow to join the pre-season training of Real Unión in Primera División RFEF (3rd division). It is likely Shinchi will then join the club on a-year-long loan deal.#HKPL #hkfootball pic.twitter.com/pAbxSPV7rg— HK Kickers🇭🇰 (@hk_kickers) July 9, 2022 Shinichi Chan will fly to Spain to train with Real Union, a third tier Spanish club in which he is possibly set to join them on a year long loan from Kitchee.
That's great news for Shinichi. Any idea how the trials of Ellison Tsang and Chen Ngo Hin turned out?
It looks like there will be 10 clubs competing in the 2022/23 season of the Hong Kong Premier League as both Tai Po and Sham Shui Po confirmed to take part. Other interesting tidbits: Team news from the commentator of Channel C :1: SzeTo Man Chun will be backed for the head coach of HKU23.2: Li Hang Wui will be backed to Tai Po and TPFC will loan some young players from Lee Man.3:RCFC will reduce their budget as one of their founder has financial problem.— 𝙃𝙆𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡_𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙤 (@HKfootball_fans) July 10, 2022 4: former South China manager: Casemiro Mior is backed to HK. 5: The budget of Eastern will be reduced as their founders want to focus to their basketball team. 6: former Southern defender is retired.— 𝙃𝙆𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡_𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙤 (@HKfootball_fans) July 10, 2022 News for the promoted teams:1:TPFC will have a HKD 8 million budget for next season. Most of their players will be young players. They recruited 2 Brazilian players.2: SSPFC will have a HKD 5 million budget. Poon Man Tik will be the coach alongside Ko Chun Kei.— 𝙃𝙆𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡_𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙤 (@HKfootball_fans) July 10, 2022
https://www.wenweipo.com/a/202207/11/AP62cb37f7e4b033218a57157c.html Wen Wei Po also has the same news. We will have 10 HKPL clubs next season. I guess the local experienced players will be in good demand.
The HKFA has added the CSL trio of Tan Chun Lok, Leung Nok Hang, and Vas Nunez to the EAFF preliminary squad. This adds some serious depth into the HK midfield / back line. Without Huang Yang, Tan is going to take on a critical role for the squad.
Fernando will be backed to Kitchee as Jorn Andersen said in the press conference.— 𝙃𝙆𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡_𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙤 (@HKfootball_fans) July 11, 2022 Fernando is set to rejoin Kitchee having departed from the club two seasons ago as stated by Jorn Andersen. Other news: News from Wenweipo (文匯報)1:Li Hang-Wui will be their head coach next season. 2:He confirmed that Chung Wai Keung, Tse Ka Wing, Lee Ka Ho and Law Chun Ting will be joining them. 3:Clayton will be leaving Hong Kong.— 𝙃𝙆𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡_𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙤 (@HKfootball_fans) July 11, 2022 It is good to see that finally Tan and Leung make their return and a first call-up for Vas Nunez as well. This will certainly bolster their defensive options.
Apparently it looks like in addition to Diego Eli, Ngan Lok Fung and Yu Wai Lim are also ruled out with injury whilst Huang Yang and Yapp Hung Fai were not named due to family reasons according to an On.cc article. Andersen is set to name his final squad this Friday.
Hope I'm wrong, but I think the opposite will happen because the existing teams are cutting budget (RCFC & Eastern), already have low budget (HKFC, Southern & Rangers) and the teams coming up (Tai Po & SSP) will not spend much. Therefore, we will see more young players with little or no HKPL experience next season because they don't need to worry about saving money to buy a house or to get married yet.
Jared Lum, who had constantly expressed a desire to represent HK in football, will be leaving HK, likely due to family reasons. It’s been a ride! Wouldn’t change a thing! (Except maybe signing with R&F 😂) pic.twitter.com/NlgKbiexo4— Jaredlum (@jaredlum10) July 11, 2022
A couple of transfer news: Kitchee: Kitchee have signed former Eastern players Mikael and Eduardo Praes and Resource Capital's Jordon Brown. It is confirmed that Eduardo and Jordon will obtain their HKSAR passports this year that will qualify them as domestic players. Former Hong Kong U23 international Oliver Gerbig and ex-Citizen AA goalkeeper Leonardo Costa are currently on-trial at the club. Alex Chu stated that Fernando who had recently been released by Eastern is currently training with the club. Lee Man: Lee Man captured the signing of former Eastern attacker Everton to their team.
Gerbig and Costa are interesting prospects for the HKNT. Gerbig is a physically imposing defender at 6'2 with NCAA D1 experience; Costa is a 6'1 goalie with overseas experience. Both kids are 23 years old - huge potential to grow them, as they both have HK passports it seems.
Having watched the highlights, I think Gerbig would be a very good signing for Kitchee considering how consistent he is in terms of his passing and defending ability. As for Costa, I think it makes sense that Kitchee are looking for a new goalkeeper considering that Guo Jianquo is now retired and that both Paulo and Wang are heading towards their peak. I believe that someone like Costa could fill in their shoes. Either ways, I do hope Kitchee can offer them a contract depending if they have a successful trial.
Hong Kong winger Yang Bosley Yu is also set to join, having most recently played for Kitchee in the Hong Kong Premier League. Yu in 2019 played 30 minutes of a 6-1 friendly loss to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and has moved to the UK for family reasons. https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news...cu-callam-smalley-among-new-bridport-players/
HKFA and Kitchee had confirmed that Law Tsz Chun has joined the preliminary squad in preparation for the upcoming E-1 EAFF East Asia Cup in which Andersen should be naming his final squad tomorrow. Any predictions which players will make the cut?
Wow - this is about as full strength as I've seen the squad in a long, long time, only missing Yapp Hung Fai, Huang Yang, and Li Ngai Hoi. Tan Chun Lok covers for Huang's absence - but the GK position is concerning. I hope Yuen gets the start.
Here is the final 26-man squad named for the E-1 EAFF East Asia Cup finals: All three of the CSL based players had been named. First senior call-ups for Chan Ka Ho, Ng Wai Him, Sohgo Ichikawa, Tsang Yi Hang and Yiu Ho Ming. Fernando and Chan Siu Kwan both miss out on a place.
Besides Fernando and Philip, I'm very surprised that "destroyer" Ngan Lok Fung also misses out. He's a midfield engine and key defensive player.
I think this is a decent selection by Andersen. Whilst you can say that they are missing a number of key players, I feel that he (Andersen) will use the E-1 EAFF East Asia Cup finals as an opportunity to experiment and test his players at international level especially with some of the young players named and to build their momentum even further from the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
Fernando is trying to win a job at Kitchee. Philip has said in multiple interviews since completing quarantine that he wants to relax for a while. Even though training camp opened on Monday, I don't think he ever participated in training. He's dealing with a muscle strain. Andersen said earlier in the week that he, along with Diego and Wai-lim would miss likely miss out due to injury.
I read from an article a few days ago that only 19 of the 33 (not including the Kitchee players who held their separate training sessions as they prepare for next month's AFC Champions League tie) attended the training camp. I'm also aware that Sean Tse and Lau Hok Ming are the only unattached players named in the squad and it will be interesting to see where they will go next. I am actually quite curious to see where Chan Siu Kwan will go next since he has already released by Kitchee.
Besides the GK position, this honestly could be the strongest HK line up we've seen in many years. One thing to note is that we seem to have 8 center backs in the squad, but overall I'm really excited for this team. Andersen is really growing on me as a fan! Sean stated he wants to play outside of HK and China, e.g. Thailand or Malaysia or even Korea / Japan. Hope he gets to impress during EAFF!
Controversial opinion: He doesn't need to impress. There is already video of him from this year's ACL and ACQ for prospective clubs to review of him. The main thing he needs to do is to avoid injury, which is why it is brave of him to play even though he is unattached.
Yup totally agree, actually I am very happy and touched that Sean would cut short his time at home in England and fly back to play for HK, despite having no contract. Same goes for Lau Hok Ming. Touching these players always answer the call, not everyone is the same! E.g. Sandro.