Hong Kong Football Thread (R)

They scheduled the game for 4:00 pm, in July, in HK, charged $300-680 for tickets, against Juve in a Euro year and expected NOT to lose money?

The geniuses who organized this should be fortunate they didn't lose all their money. They should be thankfully that the typhoon didn't come last week. They should be grateful that there was a large walk up.

 

Lo Kang-Wai returns to South China. He was previously loaned to the club in 2013-2015 seasons. He returned to his own club Hong Kong Pegasus last season, but now joins South China permanently. He will be an important local player addition for the AFC Cup matches against Johor DT.

 

The least they could do was to move the match to 8:00 p.m. The match would finisha at 10 p.m.. Juventus' return flight to Italy was not until 1:00am. They would still have 3 hours to shower and then get to the airport.

I think the organizers would have been better off if they have got LA Galaxy to play in Hong Kong. Steven Gerard alone would have sold all 40,000 tickets.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if the players hit up LKF before the flight just to experience it if you know what I mean.

MLS usually doesn't give teams 14 days in between games though. I remember in 2011 New York RB took advantage of that and played in Arsenal's tournament but those are rare.

All in all, I take it that this sort of mismanagement is typical of South China?

 

South China was NOT the organizer.

The organizer is Relevant Sports: https://www.releventsports.com/

 

Ah I see.

 

Tai Po FC have signed Brazilian duo, midfielder David Rafael Lazaro Zana (right, #20) and central defender Everson Alan De Lima (#3) to strengthen their squad.

 

2016-17 HKPL season

Fixtures for the first two weeks released:

Premier League – Round 1:
26/08/2016 – 20:00 – Eastern vs Tai Po – Mong Kok Stadium
27/08/2016 – 14:30 – Rangers vs Pegasus – Tsing Yi Sports Ground
27/08/2016 – 17:30 – Yuen Long vs HKFC – Yuen Long Stadium
28/08/2016 – 14:30 – South China vs HK Sapling – Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground
28/08/2016 – 17:30 – Kitchee vs Southern – Mong Kok Stadium

HKFA Friendly Game:
01/09/2016 – –:– – Hong Kong vs Cambodia – Mong Kok Stadium

Premier League – Round 2:
09/09/2016 – 20:00 – HKFC vs Tai Po – HKFC Ground
10/09/2016 – 14:30 – Southern vs Rangers – Aberdeen Sports Ground
10/09/2016 – 17:30 – Eastern vs R&F – Mong Kok Stadium
11/09/2016 – 14:30 – HK Sapling vs Pegasus – Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground
11/09/2016 – 17:30 – Kitchee vs Yuen Long – Mong Kok Stadium

AFC Cup:
13/09/2016 – –:– – South China vs Johor Darul Takzim – Mong Kok Stadium

Community Cup:
16/09/2016 – 17:30 – Eastern vs Kitchee – Mong Kok Stadium

 

6.9 Hong Kong - Turkmenistan . International friendly

 

Upcoming NT matches in 2016:
1.9 Hong Kong vs Cambodia
6.9 Hong Kong vs Turkmenistan
6.10 Cambodia vs Hong Kong
11.10? Hong Kong vs Singapore (date to be determined)
7-18.11 EAFF Qualification Round 2 vs Taiwan(host), Korea DPR, Guam

 

All home matches to be played in Mong Kok.... sigh. I think Hong Kong Stadium is on its way to be demolished. If you don't use it then you will lose it.

 

Eastern AA will be known as Eastern Long Lions AA in the new season, thanks to sponsorship from Nanhai Nengxing Holdings. The duration of the sponsorship contract is unknown but both Nengxing and Eastern representatives insist it is long term.

The club may still recruit a foreign centre forward if the coaching team decides to.

 

Kim Bong-Jin has signed to play for Kitchee. The Korean will be the club's Asian foreigner.

 

Kim Pan-Gon named a 31 men preliminary squad for the international friendlies in September.

Goalkeepers: Yapp Hung-Fai, Tsang Man-Fai, Tse Tak-Him and Wang Chun-Peng

Defenders: Festus Baise, Jean-Jacques Kilama, Roberto, Cheng King-Ho, Cheung Kin-Fung, Fong Pak-Lun, Helio, Lee Chi-Ho, Andrew Russell, Jack Sealy.

Midfielders: Bai He, Itaparica, Huang Yang, Lam Ka-Wai, Leung Chun-Pong, Lo Kwan-Yee, Michael Luk, Xu Deshuai.

Forwards: Alex Akande, Christian Annan, Chan Siu-Ki, Godfred Karikari, Jaimes McKee, Wong Wai.

 

Kowloon Motor Bus is the title sponsor of Yuen Long FC. KMB's sponsorship recalls lots of old memories when the company entered a strong team in the league from the 1940s to 70s. KMB will also provide promotional support with bus advertising.

4 of the bus companies' drivers have become players and joined the club's pre-season training. They previously played for the company's amateur football club.

 

KC Southen District announced that they will take up the AFC club competition spot. Their chairman Chan Man-Jun said they will increase their support of the club by HK$2 million for this purpose. They will search for a Korean defender / defensive midfielder in the winter transfer window to strengthen the club.

 

Guangzhou R&F finally appear in the HKFA's HKPL announcements. Their representative wants to plant its roots in Hong Kong and increase the Hong Kong player ratio to 60% in the future. The club is committed to employing 8 Hong Kong players this season, fielding a minimum of 3 at any one time in the matches.

The club's training base is in Guangzhou but will play its home matches at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground.

 

Hong Kong Pegasus FC showed off their new shirts along with shirts sponsor ZTE, a mainland communications company. (China president Xi Jin-Ping's wife used their cellphone.) The sponsorship is worth HK$10 million. The club will revert back to wearing yellow shirts at home due to fans demand.

 

HKFA's HKPL press conference. The theme for the new season is "Embrace the moment".

Oriental Daily's hk.on.cc is once again the league broadcaster. Matches can be seen online as well as using hk.on.cc app.

The HKPL champion will receive HK$480,000 prize money. 1st runner's up will also receive HK$210,000.

Yahoo news Hong Kong will also help promote the league.

 

Eastern Longlions have signed Spanish striker Manuel Bleda Rodriguez from FC Istiklol. The club previously signed a Spanish striker but let him go when its financier/sponsor left. Since then the club has landed a new sponsor.

 

http://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20160825/bkn-20160825103553337-0825_00822_001.html

The above link has a Lam Zhi-Gin interview, who is Kitchee's new recruit for this season. it is conducted in English.

 

Turkmenistan withdrew from Philippines friendly .

http://pff.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/20160826_112637.png

Hong Kong friendly also cancelled ?

 

2016-17 HKPL opening match

Eastern Longlion 1:0 Wofoo Tai Po

 

Lee Man Rangers 1:1 HK Pegasus FC





KMB Yuen Long 6:2 Hong Kong Football Club




South China 1:0 Biu Chun ISky



Kitchee 3:1 Kwun Chung Southern District

 

Looks like it will be cancelled too.