Reaching regional finals soured by controversy over fielding South China-only side
HK threatened with huge penalty
Hong Kong's progress to the finals of the East Asian Championships was shrouded in controversy last
night after questions were asked over the Hong Kong Football Association's (HKFA) decision to send a
team featuring only players from South China Football Club. Hong Kong qualified for February's competition
in Japan at the expense of World Cup-bound North Korea thanks to a 12-0 thrashing of Guam, but the HKFA
now faces the prospect of having to repay around US$200,000 to the organisers, the East Asian Football
Federation.
In a letter from the regional federation, general secretary Takeo Okada blasted the HKFA's actions and
threatened severe financial repercussions.
"It is still not acceptable that a team consisting of the players belonging to a single club team be recognised
as a national A team," the letter said.
"It is the fact that you have debased the value of the championship.
"Therefore, we won't pay your FA, not only the prize money and participation fee, but also the airfare, board
and lodging of the team, which must be paid to every participating FA based on the competition's regulations."
The matter will be discussed during the East Asian Football Federation's (EAFF) executive committee meeting
in Beijing tomorrow week and, should the decision go against Hong Kong, the FA will be hit hard in the pocket.
Hong Kong coach Kim Pan-gon defended the HKFA's decision to select the squad from just one club, saying
they "were the best players and they had spent a lot of money to prepare for this competition".
In addition to the US$50,000 awarded for winning the qualifying competition, Hong Kong was also given
US$100,000 to prepare the team for the Taiwan-based four-team tournament, while the EAFF could also
ask for all event-related costs - estimated at around another US$50,000 - to be reimbursed.
The matter may not end there, however. Should the sponsors of the EAFF's flagship tournament seek
compensation from the regional body as a result of Hong Kong's actions, those costs could be passed
on to the HKFA.
"Even the Hong Kong national team have a value," Okada told the SCMP. "In the case of the sponsors asking
us for compensation, we will pass that on to Hong Kong. We could disqualify them from the competition
because it is in the rules but we won't go that far."
The controversy blighted what was a hugely successful day on the field for Hong Kong, who thrashed
Guam with a dozen unanswered goals before North Korea struggled to overcome hosts Taiwan 2-1 in the
day's second game.
Hong Kong led 6-0 at half-time but struggled in the second half until Joshua Borja was sent off for a second
bookable offence, allowing Kim's team to score another six goals.
Chan Siu-ki found the back of the net four times, while Chao Pengfei claimed a hat-trick with Man Pei-tak,
Wong Chin-hung, Leung Chun-pong, Poon Yiu-cheuk and Chan Wai-ho the other scorers.
As a result, Hong Kong won the tournament thanks to a vastly superior goal difference and coach Kim - who
also doubles up as the head coach of South China - said they did not show a lack of respect.
"Our club have spent a lot of money to buy a lot of good players, all of the best players in Hong Kong," Kim
said. "We have spent a lot of money to prepare for this competition. We want to get results.
"We did select an initial squad of 32, but of that 32 we have 18 players here. We only had a short period
and the other players are on holiday and they are not ready physically.
"We are prepared, we had an early start. This is not a lack of respect. We have the best players," Kim said.
路就幫你點好哂，行唔行就貴客自理，唔通幫你行埋？
返工，大塞車；放工，大暴雨！
同拉登連睇兩場大戰，未訓夠已經俾人捉去飲茶
連踩幾場，又聽又傾
Eric，我不是路人，而是你日記