Tuesday 17 December 2013

Season’s Greetings 節日祝福

Season’s Greetings



I have received a lot of support this year from readers of this Blog. I would like to thank everybody that has read my observations and all of the people who have contributed to the debate by placing comments. Your remarks are always well-received whether you agree with my statements or not. I started the Blog in January as a means of communicating with the football ‘fraternity’ of Hong Kong. I have enjoyed writing the Blog and I hope you have enjoyed reading what I have to say. Dialogue and discussion is important.

I am going back to England for Christmas and New Year. It is a year since I saw most of my family and friends and I am looking forward to seeing them. I will be back to Hong Kong in January refreshed and even more determined to help the development of football. 2014 promises to be another critical and challenging year.



So all that remains is for me to say, “Happy Christmas”. I hope you have a great festive season.

Warm Regards

Mark Sutcliffe

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節日祝福


我在最近一年時間內收到來自不少博客讀者的支持,本人由衷感謝每一位拜讀拙作的朋友,以及所有曾在博客中參與不少留言討論的有識之士,無論您同意本人的觀點與否,您的一言一語,我都會銘記於心。今年一月開始撰寫博客內容,作為與香港的「志同道合者」一種相互交流意見的渠道,真的非常享受在博客中記下我的所看所想與所言,亦希望大家喜歡我的看法,並積極參與留言與討論!

聖誕及新年期間,我將會返回英國。離開家鄉一年後的我,終於可以再次與我的大部分家人和朋友重聚。新年伊始,我將重投香港的懷抱中,繼續堅定信念去幫助發展香港足球事業。本人深信,二○一四年將會是另一個關鍵和充滿挑戰的一年。



最後,藉此機會我向大家說聲:「聖誕快樂」,並敬祝大家擁有一個圓滿的聖誕佳節!

敬請台安

薜基輔

Thursday 12 December 2013

Project Phoenix Progress Report 「鳳凰計劃」成效報告

Project Phoenix Progress Report

Introduction
There has been some debate recently on various media about the progress of Project Phoenix and whether or not it is being successful in bringing about the transformation of football in Hong Kong. Some of this debate has been objective and informed, some has been mere opinion and speculation and some has been plain wrong. I am perhaps uniquely qualified to comment on Project Phoenix because I led the consultant team that wrote the report and now I am responsible for its implementation. I have lived and breathed Project Phoenix for the last few years and my honest appraisal of it is set out below.

Was Project Phoenix the right Strategy for Football in Hong Kong and is it still relevant?
Having been ‘inside’ the organization for a while now and having seen football in Hong Kong in some detail, I am convinced that if I was to write the Project Phoenix report again with the benefit of hindsight, it would contain exactly the same narrative and recommendations. I hope I am not being immodest when I say that I think it is an excellent blueprint for change. It identifies all of the problem areas and sets out the actions required to overcome them.

There are only a few things I would change if I could re-write the document. On reflection, some of the targets were a bit optimistic. It is not that they are unattainable; it is just that it might take longer to achieve them. Most people would agree that nothing happens quickly in Hong Kong and that is especially true in a sport like football that is fragmented and where there are so many vested interests. A few people are using the fact that some targets have been missed to invalidate the entire strategy. That is a ridiculous and naïve view. In some cases these are the very same people that are deliberately slowing down the process of change because it is their interest to do so (or so they think).

The other thing I would amend in hindsight is the budget. Again the report was too optimistic about how quickly commercial interest would be generated. Additional revenue is proving elusive and that remains one of the key challenges.

In my opinion, the key issues and strategic recommendations of Project Phoenix remain valid, relevant and important.

What Progress has be made?
Firstly, we must acknowledge that Project Phoenix got off to a stuttering start for a number of reasons including the early departure of the first CEO and Head Coach. That is history now and all we can do is try and make up the ground that was lost in the early days. That won’t be easy considering the fact that it is only a three-year funding programme. Nevertheless, the slow start is a material fact that should be taken into account when reviewing progress. It’s like going one nil down in the first 15 minutes of a match – it’s a blow but not a fatal one.


Project Phoenix was sub-titled ‘Develop- Deliver’ because it was recognized that before it could transform football by ‘delivering’ new activities and programmes, the HKFA had to transform and ‘develop’ itself. Therefore many of the 33 recommendations were focused on the transformation of the HKFA in terms of governance, management and operation. By their very nature these changes are ‘internal’ to the organisation and not immediately visible to the general public.

Organisational change is time-consuming and resource intensive however, and the HKFA has been working very hard on developing itself into a well-run Governing Body of Sport. I would like to share with you some of the things we have been doing which are ‘behind the scenes’.

  • New Constitution and Board: A new set of constitutional documents were agreed at the outset and more independent Directors are now in place.
  • Strong Executive (creation and filling of 24 new positions): Project Phoenix identified that the HKFA was under-staffed particularly in technical and operational positions. The organisation has recruited, inducted and now manages 24 new positions funded through Project Phoenix including some critical management positions such as Financial Controller, HR Manager, Head of Corporate Governance, Head of Marketing and Communications. All of these positions are vital in an organization of the scale and complexity of the HKFA.
  • Holistic Corporate Governance Review completed: In any organisation there are literally hundreds of policies, procedures, working practices etc covering financial management, HR, marketing, procurement and so on. We have reviewed all of these and streamlined them to create a more efficient workplace. This has been a big but necessary undertaking. Continuous improvement is fundamental in any organisation.
  • Review of Financial Management Systems underway: The HKFA invited FIFA in to carry out a review of management arrangements under its ‘Performance’ programme. We have now obtained funding from them to install an integrated financial management system. This work is underway.
  • Enhancement of HR / admin / IT policies & procedures: The new HR Manager has done an excellent job in reviewing and amending our human resource capability including harmonizing remuneration, salary benchmarking, staff handbook etc.
  • Cultural Change Programme: In the last two years the HKFA has gone through significant change and growth. As anyone involved in business will testify this is a challenging time. At the same time the ‘day job’ of planning and administering football in Hong Kong must go on. For us this has been made more difficult in practical terms because our office is being refurbished to accommodate the new staff (again funded by FIFA).


I am proud of the staff of the HKFA both pre and post Project Phoenix. They are passionate about football and diligent in their work. All of the above changes have strengthened the organisation and put the HKFA on a firm footing when it comes to delivering the other more visible and externally focused recommendations of Project Phoenix.

We have made significant progress in these (what I call ‘on the pitch’) areas too including:
  • More Professional Representative Team (improved FIFA ranking): Most people recognise that Coach KIM, his coaches and players have improved significantly and punched above their weight in the Asian Cup qualifiers. Our FIFA ranking is 144 (November 2013) up from 172.
  • Development of HKFA Youth Academy: Our youth teams have made good progress too culminating in the historic qualification for the AFC finals of the U16 team.
  • Fully staffed Technical Department: We have appointed a Technical Director and Managers for Women’s Football, Refereeing, Coach Education, Futsal, Grassroots Football. Some people have been critical of us for spending money on people but that is what the money was earmarked for and without these resources there would be no one here to manage the programmes. 
  •  Revised Football Development Plan: The team of experts has reviewed current football development activities and programmes and has prepared a plan to enhance, expand and improve the work we do in football development. This plan has been endorsed by the HKFA Technical Committee and is being ‘rolled out’ as we speak.
  • National Curriculum: The Technical Department has written a ‘syllabus’ for how football should be taught from the grassroots up to the high performance level. This includes a consistent style and system of play.    
  • Preparation of Five-year Strategy: A five-year plan was one of the recommendations of Project Phoenix. This has been prepared and endorsed by the HKFA Board and the Government’s Football Task Force.
  • Premier League criteria agreed: The new Premier League will start in 2014. The criteria have been written and shared with the Clubs. They are based on AFC standards.
  • Club Development: – Two of our Clubs have been assessed by the AFC and granted AFC Champions League Licences. South China AA will be participating in the 2014 AFC Champions League; the first time Hong Kong has been represented at this level.
  • Improvements in Youth Development:
                •       Introduction of new Age-Group in Henderson League
                •    8,000 participants in summer youth programme in 2011, now 10,000+
  •  Integration of Women’s Football:
               •       New Women’s league, U20 league starting in Dec 2013
               •       Regional competitions and Training squads for U13/U15 and U18
  • Redesigned Coach Education Programme and Syllabus:
               •       Over 20 courses run in 2013, (487 new coaches in 2011, 600 in 2013)
               •       23% increase in registered coaches
  • Referee Development: (162 in 2011, now 221)
  • Futsal: – Primary Schools initiative and Intra-district competition


All of the examples above illustrate that Project Phoenix is having an impact on the pitch as well as off it. We have laid the foundations for future development.

Summary
So with just under a year to go of the three-year funded Project Phoenix, 15 of the 33 recommendations have been implemented in full. All of the others are either partially completed or on-going. There have been some notable successes both on and off the pitch. We cannot be accused of inactivity but I would accept that we could do better at publicising the changes we have made and the successes we have had.

Off the pitch, the HKFA is unrecognizable now as an organization from what it was two years ago. We have put the people and management systems in place to deliver change. We have an organization that is ‘fit for purpose’ and we have the strategic plan in place to radically improve football in Hong Kong. The organisational development and the strategic planning have taken time and naturally most of this has been internal and therefore gone largely unnoticed by the public. I would contend that the ‘develop’ phase of Project Phoenix has been completed successfully.

In terms of ‘delivery’ ‘on the pitch’ we have made significant progress too. The Representative Teams have shown real signs of improvement reflected by an improved FIFA ranking despite having insufficient resources. Our U16 team has qualified for the AFC finals for the first time ever. We have secured a Club place in the AFC Champions League for the first time ever. We have integrated Women’s football and started a new league. We have more coaches trained, more referee development and established Futsal in the schools.  We have a new grassroots programme planned and more young people are now playing football through the expansion of the District training programme. These are all positive indicators that show that progress is being made. Each on their own is a small achievement but collectively it is evidence of a fundamental shift in the fortunes of football in Hong Kong.



We are not satisfied with the speed of change however and we know that there is much more that needs to be done. Some of the other fundamental Project Phoenix recommendations remain ‘work in progress’ but over the next few months many of these will come to fruition too like the Hong Kong Premier League that will ‘kick off’ in 2014.

The development of the much needed Tseung Kwan O Football Training Centre is slower than we hoped but is now picking up pace again. The HKFA is working in conjunction with the HKJC and Government on plans for the centre and we hope to make some positive announcements early in 2014*(see footnote).

Looking ahead beyond the current three year funding cycle, we will need more resources to implement all of the strategic plan recommendations but we are working on that too. If we don’t get as much as we would like, we will have to make difficult choices and prioritise our work. Over the next few months we must continue to move forward and we will be working with our partners to deliver the other changes identified in Project Phoenix. The three year funding finishes at the end of October 2014. We must demonstrate that the project has been worthwhile to persuade the Government and other partners including the commercial sector to invest in football long term.  We hope all of the football stakeholders in Hong Kong will join forces to demonstrate the positive progress that is being made and to support the call for the future long term funding of football in Hong Kong. We have reached a critical point in time.

I would like to correct an error that was transmitted in a recent RTHK programme on Project Phoenix. It was incorrectly stated that the HKFA had only requested HK$25m of the total HK$60m of the Government’s Project Phoenix funding. In actual fact, HK$58m (97%) has been requested, committed and agreed. As you would expect at this stage of the project not all of it has been claimed because the expenditure has yet to be incurred. It is a cash flow issue. Indeed we also have an agreement in principle with the Government to spend the unallocated HK$2m on Project Phoenix related items. I don’t know how the programme got their facts so wrong but we will use all of the funding available, why wouldn’t we?

Conclusion
For me, there is no doubt that Project Phoenix remains the right plan for the HKFA and for football. We are making good progress on its implementation and there have been some real results. Given the slow start and given how difficult it is to implement change, I am generally satisfied with progress, but certainly not complacent. I also know that there is a lot of work still to be done. I am not worried about the detractors, there will always be those that resist change; that is human nature. Effective leadership is about having a clear vision and the resilience to see things through. I remain committed to improving football in Hong Kong for the benefit of the sport and the countless thousands of people who understand why things MUST change.


Mark Sutcliffe, CEO, December 2013


*Footnote: The proposed Football Training Centre at Tseung Kwan O is to be built on a former landfill site. As such it is not suitable for housing development.  

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「鳳凰計劃」成效報告

簡介
最近不少媒體討論有關「鳳凰計劃」的成效,是否能夠為香港足球事業帶來革命性的成功。某些屬客觀及資料性的報道某些較多主觀論點及揣測,某些則偏離事實真相。我或許較有資格對「鳳凰計劃」發表自己的見解,畢竟我曾率領顧問團隊撰寫該份報告,而現時我又負責將其付諸實行。過去數年間我一直與「鳳凰計劃」為伴,因此以下是本人忠誠的評審意見。

對於香港足球發展,「鳳凰計劃」是一項正確的策略嗎?現時仍持之有效?
身處在足總「內部」已有一段日子,亦見證香港足球事業發展的變遷。我深信一點,如果可以再次撰寫「鳳凰計劃」,縱使「事後孔明」,但現時的我仍會如當初一樣,撰寫相同的內容及建議。若從我口中講出這是一份優秀的改革藍圖,我希望自己不會成為傲慢的人,它確實指出全部問題所在,並設定相關的解決方案。

如果可以重新撰寫報告,其中數項我想會作出修訂。事實上,部分目標可能設定得過於樂觀,但不代表它們無法達成;而是可能需要更長時間才能達標。大部分人同意香港狀況不會馬上改變,特別是發生在支離零碎的足球運動身上,當中涉及不少特權利益。一小撮人引用事實,認為數項目標無法達成而導致整個計劃失效,可謂荒謬及天真的見解。在某些案例中,總有志同道合者故意拖慢改變的進程,皆因涉及他們的利益所在(或他們所想)。

另一項「預算」亦是我想要作出修改的內容,再次重申一點,報告提及有關能夠盡快獲得商業利益的判斷似乎過於樂觀,額外的收入證明難以掌握,並成為其中一項重要挑戰。.
在我看來,「鳳凰計劃」的重心議題及策略建議仍然是有效、關聯及重要的。.

計劃取得任何成效嗎?
首先,我們必須承認「鳳凰計劃」的推出初期不算理想,或受首任行政總裁及主教練離任等諸多因素所影響,但一切已成為歷史,現在我們需要奮勇直追,嘗試追回以前失去的時間。不能否定事實是,這是一項為期三年的資助計劃。無可否認,起步較慢是一個基本事實,在審視進度時必須將其考慮在內,正如球賽一樣,賽事開始僅十五分鐘已落後01,雖然帶來一記悶棍,但並非造成致命一擊。


「鳳凰計劃」的副標題是「發展—發放」,原因是足球改革前必須先「發放」新活動及項目,其後香港足球總會才會落實改革方案並加以「發展」。因此,三十三項中建議方案的大部分內容都聚焦在香港足球總會的革新上,例如管治、管理及營運工作等,這是一項「內部」架構的改變工程,並非普羅大眾能夠即時察覺。

組織架構上的改變涉及耗時長及大量資源,然而香港足球總會已經積極朝著成為有效管治的體育團體的方向發展,我願意和大家共同分享一些「幕後」不為人知的事情。.

  • 新憲法及董事局:一套全新的憲法文件經已落實執行,同時更多的獨立董事亦已就任。
  • 強大的行政團隊(創造24個新職位):「鳳凰計劃」表明香港足球總會面對人手不足問題,尤以技術及操作職位為甚,因此足總透過「鳳凰計劃」的資助下,進行一連串招聘及委任工作,而二十四位新同事亦先後到任,其中包括一些較重要的管理層職位,例如財務總監、人力資源經理、公司管治總監、市場推廣及傳訊部總監等。上述所有職位都屬於足總的核心所在,令組織架構得以更加完整。
  • 完成審查全盤的公司管治政策: 在任何一間機構中,都會存在數以百計的政策、程序、工作守則等,全面涵蓋財務管理部、人力資源部、市場部、採購部等。足總對所有相關政策作出檢討及加以簡化,從而建立一個具效率的工作環境。雖然工程浩大,但必須落實執行,持續改變是任何一間機構的基本事情。
  • 檢討進行中的財政管理制度:香港足球總會邀請國際足協,在其「效能」計劃下,共同執行管理安排的審查工作。這項工作正在進行中,我們從國際足協獲得資助,安裝一套整合的財政管理系統。
  • 強化人力資源 / 行政 / 資訊科技政策及程序:新委任的人力資源經理在工作崗位作出重大貢獻,全面檢討及修訂人力資源相關的政策,包括協調報酬制度、薪酬基準、員工手冊等。
  • 改變文化項目:過去兩年,香港足球總會銳意改變及成長,任何人涉及其中,都會證明這是一段充滿挑戰的時刻。與此同時,同事依舊為籌劃及落實香港足球發展而需要「每天工作」。由於需要容納更多新同事的加入,因此足總辦事處正在進行翻新工程(由國際足協資助),對於我們而言,箇中辛勞可想而知!


本人對任職於香港足球總會、無論是「鳳凰計劃」前期或後期加入的同事都感到無比驕傲,他們對足球充滿熱誠以及勤奮辦事。上述所有改革已令組織架構進一步加強,這對發放「鳳凰計劃」其他可見及對外為主的推薦方案,將有助足總穩固基礎。

我們已在以下範圍(我稱作為「賽場上」)取得顯著成效,當中包括:
  • 香港代表隊大躍進(提升國際足協排名):大部分獲悉在金判坤主教練及其團隊的帶領下,香港代表隊已在亞洲盃外圍賽中取得明顯進步,國際足協排名已從172位躍升至144位(201311月)。
  • 香港足球總會青年軍發展:我們的青年代表隊取得美滿成績,U16代表隊歷史性取得亞洲足協決賽週的入場門券。
  • 技術部門  全部人才到位:我們經已委任技術總監及女子足球經理、裁判經理、教練培訓經理、五人足球經理、草根足球經理等。某些批評聲音認為我們大灑金錢在人事招聘上,但當初預算的支出正正是用於這方面。假如這些資源欠奉,相信沒有人願意管理這些不同範疇的項目。
  • 已修訂的足球發展計劃:專家團隊已檢討目前的足球發展計劃,並已計劃作出如何強化、擴展及改善該項目,該計劃已獲得香港足球總會技術委員會審批及正式「出爐」。
  • 香港課程:技術部已編制「課程大綱」,著重講解如何由草根足球晉升至高效能程度上,大綱包含了持續模式及比賽制度。    
  • 五年策略計劃的籌備工作:五年計劃是「鳳凰計劃」其中一項建議方案,該計劃書已籌備妥當並獲得香港足球總會董事局及香港特區政府足球專責小組的簽署。
  • 職業聯賽已同意的準則:全新的職業聯賽將會於二○一四年展開,相關準則已編寫完成並與各球會分享,所有準則都建基於亞洲足協標準。
  • 球會發展: 本地兩間甲組球會已經獲得亞洲足協評審並成功取得亞洲足協亞洲盃的牌照。南華體育會將參加二○一四年的亞冠盃賽事,這是香港首次成功派出代表參加這項亞洲頂級球會賽事。
  • 改善青少年發展計劃:
           •       在恒基青少年聯賽中引入新年齡組別
           •       二○一一年大約有八千名參加者加入暑期青少年計劃,目前已超過一萬名
  • 整合女子足球:
           •       全新的女子足球聯賽、女子U20足球聯賽於二○一三年十二月展開
           •       女子U13/U15U18球隊的地區比賽和訓練
  • 重新設計教練培訓課程及教學大綱:
           •       二○一三年開辦超過二十項課程(2011年有487名新教練,2013年有600名)
           •       註冊教練的人數激增23%
  • 裁判培訓:(2011162 現階段221)
  • 五人足球:倡議在全港小學推廣及舉行全港區際比賽


上述例子說明「鳳凰計劃」已在賽場內外取得成效,我們以此為基石作為日後的發展方向。

結論
為期三年的「鳳凰計劃」,目前只餘下一年的時間,三十三項建議方案中的十五項已經圓滿實施,其餘的則處於部分完成或進行中。事實上,我們在賽場內外已取得一定成功,因此不能控訴我們「毫無動靜」,不過本人同意足總可以在公共推廣上做得更好,將任何已完成的改革或成功案例公諸於世。

至於「比賽場外」,與兩年前比較,香港足球總會可謂今非昔比,我們在人事及管理上作出重大改變。我們是一個「符合目的」的組織,已有合適到位的策略計劃去改變香港足球狀況。無論在組織架構 以至方案策劃都需要時間執行,自然地大部分轉變都成為了「份內事」,公眾未必容易獲悉。我認為「鳳凰計劃」的「發展」階段已經大功告成。

關於「發放」及「比賽場上」,我們同樣取得顯著成效。香港代表隊在缺乏足夠的資源下,已取得標誌性的進步,從國際足協排名中獲得改善已可見一斑;香港U16代表隊已成功晉身亞洲足協決賽週,屬香港首次;我們成功取得球會牌照,得以參加亞冠盃賽事,亦屬香港首次;我們整合了女子足球及展開全新聯賽;我們擁有更多符合資格的教練、更多裁判培訓及在學校建立五人足球;我們有全新的草根足球計劃,以及透過規模不斷擴大的地區訓練計劃,讓更多青年人參與足球運動中。凡此種種,引證著所有目標都朝著正面發展,正所謂「聚沙成塔,集腋成裘」,引領香港足球事業邁向改變。


我們不能對目前改革的速度表示滿意,然而我們明白仍有更多事情有待完成。「鳳凰計劃」中部分基本建議仍舊「正在進行中」,但未來數月將有更多事項進入收成期,如二○一四年正式揭幕的香港職業聯賽。

有關重中之重的將軍澳足球發展中心,雖然其發展進度較我們預期落後,但現時已加緊步伐進行。香港足球總會已與香港賽馬會和特區政府共同籌劃中心工程,並希望能在二○一四年*早期發表更多實質性的消息(請參閱註腳)。

對於三年資助期後的展望,我們將需要投入更多資源來執行所有策略建議方案,但我們仍舊努力完成目標。倘若我們無法獲得所想的資源時,我們將會於選擇上出現困難,並會決定執行工作時的優先次序。未來數月,我們必須繼續前進,並與合作夥伴攜手為「鳳凰計劃」訂下的目標而努力。三年資助期將於二○一四年十月完結,我們必須展示該計劃值得繼續執行,並會游說政府及包含商業性質的合作夥伴以長遠方式繼續注資。我們由衷希望本港球圈的業界人士共同合力展示已取得的正面成果,以及支持香港足球事業應以長遠投資的方案為依歸,因為我們正身處在關鍵時刻中。

最近,香港電台電視部節目《鏗鏘集》播出有關「鳳凰計劃」的報道,本人藉此機會澄清一些失實的資料。據報道,在「鳳凰計劃」港幣六千萬元的撥款總額中,香港足球總會僅向政府申請了港幣二千五百萬元。事實上,足總申請並獲審批的金額為港幣五千八百萬元(百分之九十七),必須明白足總在現階段並非所有項目的費用都已向政府報銷,因此某些支出所引起的費用才剛剛入帳,這屬於正常的現金流情況。事實上,足總亦和特區政府原則上達成協議,該計劃餘下的未獲分配金額(港幣二百萬元)亦會用於計劃之內。我們不知道該節目如何獲得相關失實數據,惟足總承諾所有撥款將會用得其所。

總結
就本人而言,對於香港足球總會和本地足球發展,毫無疑問「鳳凰計劃」依舊是一項合適的計劃,自計劃實施後,我們已取得進步和實際成果。縱使起步較慢及在改革上遇到不少阻力,我仍然滿意目前所取得的成果,但肯定不能自滿。我深明仍有大量工作必須完成,但我從不擔心任何惡意批評者的言論,因為改革總會遇上阻力,這是人之常情。有效的領導能力即指擁有清晰的視野及凡事都能看透的能力,我依舊承諾為香港體育事業的利益以及那些明白必須改變的廣大市民著想,繼續踏上香港足球的改革之路!


二○一三年十二月  行政總裁薜基輔   

*註腳:建議中的將軍澳足球發展中心將會興建在初期的山坡上,因此該地段不適合作為住宅發展用途。

上述內容以英文版本為準



Monday 25 November 2013

HKFA Premier League 香港職業聯賽



HKFA Premier League


One of the key recommendations of Project Phoenix was the establishment of a fully professional league based on a club licence system. The rationale for this was quite clear. Compared to the past, the standard and popularity of the 1st Division has slumped to unacceptable levels. For a number of reasons we have entered a seemingly endless downward spiral of;

  • Lowering standard of players and quality on the pitch leading to…

  • Fewer spectators…..resulting in…..
  • Less commercial (sponsor and TV interest)…. which in turn….
  • Means less money for the Clubs….and therefore…..
  • Reducing salaries for the players…. And so the spiral starts again.

The main problem is the lack of money in the sport which means that Clubs cannot invest in players, coaches and the other important things that Clubs need like Governance, management, marketing, administrative support etc. In Hong Kong Clubs don’t own their own facilities for playing and training and so (as well as the playing surface being poor due to overuse), they are denied vital secondary spend opportunities such as advertising, retail, food and beverage etc. The lack of a dedicated ground also means that Clubs (other than District teams) have no real affinity with a local community and therefore no fan base.
 
All of this has coincided with the ability to watch foreign matches on the television which has compounded the situation.

The current 1st Division is comprised of 12 Clubs and these are all very different. Some are commercial entities, some are part of wider Sports Associations and some are District-based. Some are managed very professionally and others less so. Indeed it would not be unreasonable or inaccurate to describe some as semi-professional ‘teams’, rather than fully professional ‘Clubs’.

We have to be honest and say that the public perception of the HKFA football leagues is not great. There is a commonly held view that the sport is run by the ‘bosses’ and that players and coaches are not afforded the respect they are due. In the past there have been match-fixing incidents which have further damaged the reputation of the sport locally.

Whether the perception is true or not is hardly the issue. The point is that for many, the top tier of the sport is tarnished to some extent and this is not attractive to either fans or prospective sponsors and supporters. The number of active spectators is embarrassingly low for a place the size of Hong Kong. Another important issue is that football does not offer an attractive enough career for an aspiring young footballer.

For all of the above reasons the situation must change. The top tier of football in Hong Kong should be the lifeblood of the sport. It should be sufficiently attractive to entice the best players and coaches who in turn will provide players for the Hong Kong representative teams. International success will encourage more young people into the sport as well as creating ‘local heroes’ for the domestic league thus drawing back the crowds. It is time to unwind the downward spiral and turn it into a virtuous circle.

It is acknowledged that this will not be easy, particularly for the Clubs themselves. The Premier League has to be the vehicle to lead that change. The HKFA is taking the bold step of linking participation in the new league to the attainment of a ‘licence’. The criteria for getting a licence must be carefully positioned. The targets should be stretching so that Clubs have to work on improvements to get a licence but not so strict that they require unrealistic levels of investment or workload. This is a difficult balance to get right especially in Hong Kong where the degree of sophistication of the Clubs varies so widely.

Initially the HKFA wanted to set the ‘licence benchmarks’ at the level required for Clubs to enter the AFC Champions League. However, on reflection this threshold was deemed to be too high for some our Clubs to reach, at least initially. Therefore there will be two levels of licence. Tier One is the AFC Champions League Club Licence Regulations. Clubs wishing to participate in this competition will need to attain this level. Tier Two will be the Hong Kong Premier League Club Licence Regulations. The criteria are the same for both licences but the thresholds and targets within them are different, with the Hong Kong Licence being easier to achieve. Clubs will be able to decide which level to apply for depending on their ambitions and resources. However any Club wishing to participate in the Hong Kong Premier League will need to obtain the Tier Two Hong Kong Premier League licence – that is a prerequisite.

The regulations set minimum standards (criteria) in a number of areas including:

  • Sporting Merit
  • Personnel and Administration
  • Facilities (infrastructure)*
  • Legal
  • Financial

*Clubs are not responsible for this area because they don’t own the grounds. This will be a Government responsibility.

In adopting the two tier approach, the HKFA has listened to the concerns of Clubs and believes that it is not asking them to do anything other than would be expected of a professional football Club. For example, a proper legal constitution, financial transparency, qualified coaches, bona fide player contracts etc are all basic requirements that the League, fans, sponsors etc would expect to be already in place.

The HKFA wants to work in partnership with the Clubs in establishing the League and will be there to provide help, advice, template documents etc between now and when the Licence application are due to be submitted in May 2014.

Applications will be independently and objectively evaluated and there will be an appeals process.

Twelve Licences will be available for the 2014/15 season. First refusal will go to the top 11 finishing teams in the current 1st Division and the winners of the current Division 2.

It is important to note that eligibility to apply for a Licence does not automatically guarantee entry into the Premier League. Clubs will need to pass the application process. Whilst it is hoped that all twelve teams will apply and be successful, we are not going to worry unduly if some Clubs don’t want to participate or fail to meet the standard. We will start the Premier League with less teams if necessary because we only want professional, committed and ambitious Clubs to play in our top tier of football.

I do not believe that the criteria for entry are too onerous but it is inevitable that Clubs will need to invest some time and money in obtaining a Licence. We will do our utmost to secure additional resources that can be used to help the Clubs to ‘gear up’. We will also expect them to find the additional resources required. At the end of the day it is the Clubs that will ultimately benefit if the League is successful by attracting more money from gate receipts, sponsorship, merchandising, prize money etc.

If the new Premier League is established as a sustainable entity, it is the intention of the HKFA to ultimately set up the League as an autonomous body. Under such an arrangement the Clubs would be responsible for match-day organization and through a League Committee be more involved with setting the League Rules etc. We believe that this is what the Clubs want and the HKFA is happy to facilitate that. However the Premier League must be established first and prove that is sustainable and capable of self-regulation and management.

I sincerely hope that the Clubs will view the Premier League as a positive catalyst for change. I repeat, there is nothing in the criteria that a professional club should not already be doing. The criteria are attached so you can see for yourself.

The next few months are critical for the future of the Professional game in Hong Kong.

Read more about AFC Club Licensing Regulations

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香港職業聯賽


在「鳳凰計劃」其中一項重要建議方案,是以球會牌照制度為根本來成立一個全面性的職業聯賽,背後原因可謂十分清晰的。與昔日相比,本地甲組聯賽的競賽水平及球迷人數已跌落至無法接受的程度,究其原因,似乎我們正逐步墮入永無止境的深淵中:

  • 參賽球員水準以及場地質素的下降導致...
  • 愈來愈少的入場觀眾...引致....
  • 缺乏商業因素 (贊助商及電視傳播收益) ...帶來...
  • 球會營運資金貧乏...結果...
  • 球員薪金收入減少...惡性循環再次啟動


在運動事業中缺乏財政投入是一大難題,意即球會無法向球員、教練及其他重要事項,如球會管治、管理、市場推廣及行政支援上投放更多資本。香港球會沒有屬於自己的場地設施作為比賽及訓練之用(由於比賽場地過度徵用,導致草地質素下降),同時亦不容許拓展他們的開源機會,例如招徠廣告、經營零售及餐飲業等。在失去專屬場地的前提下,球會(地區球隊除外)無法與所屬社區保持緊密連繫,結果無法凝聚更多球迷。
 
綜合上述的見解,我們唯一可做的,只能安坐家中觀看其他國家的頂級賽事。

目前本地甲組聯賽由十二支球會所組成,而他們的性質各異。有些球會屬於商業團體,有些是隸屬體育總會的分支,亦有些是地區球隊。有些球會具有專業的管理制度,有些則不然。事實上,在專業「球會」的範疇中,我們很難界定某些屬於半職業「球隊」。

坦白說,公眾對香港足球總會舉辦的足球聯賽印象並不是很好,他們普遍認為體育事業是由「老闆」一手包辦,而球員及教練們無法享受他們應得的尊重。而昔日球圈存在不少賽事操控的事件,進一步敗壞了本土賽事的名聲。

無論有關看法孰真孰假,都很難去斷定,但其中一個重點指出這項最高級別的賽事,在一定程度上已今非昔比,難以吸引球迷或贊助機構的青睞。在全港七百多萬的人海中,現時只有極少部分的忠心球迷默默隨時支持,而另一個重要因素是本地足壇無法為具天賦的青年球員提供誘人的出路選擇。

基於上述原因,情況必須儘快改善。本港最高級別的足球運動應該是體育事業中的生存命脈,它應該具備足夠條件招攬頂尖的球員及教練,從而為香港代表隊吸納新血。國際賽事的成功亦會鼓勵愈來愈多青年人加入其中,在本地聯賽塑造更多「香港球星」,自然吸引球迷回流。時至今日,必須撥亂反正,令一一切回復正軌。

上述所言,談何容易,尤其是球會本身。香港職業聯賽正如一輛轎車引領他們作出改革,而香港足球總會願意踏出重要一步,以頒發「牌照」與新聯賽掛鈎
,發牌準則必須審慎定位,大方向是球會可以根據要求作出改善以獲得牌照,但沒有硬性規定他們必須作出不合理的投資或增加龐大的工作量。以香港球壇而言,足總很難取得各方平衡,因為各球會所要求的準則亦大相徑庭。

足總原意是套用亞洲聯賽冠軍盃球會牌照的參賽標準作為釐定「牌照指標」的考量,但事實反映這項門檻太高,令不少球會難以達到此標準,特別在一開始的時候。因此,執行雙階制之球會牌照制度是必要的。第一級別的是亞洲聯賽冠軍盃球會牌照條例,球會必須明白要於將來參加亞洲聯賽冠軍盃,他們一定要取得更高級別之亞洲足協球會牌照。次一級別的香港職業聯賽球會牌照條例,兩類級別牌照的準則基本一致,惟獨參賽目標各異,而香港職業聯賽球會牌照屬於比較容易達標的牌照。球會可根據自己的目標及資源,以決定其申請意願。無論如何,要參加香港職業聯賽,球會必須先獲頒香港職業聯賽球會牌照,這是基本要求。

有關條例的最低指標(準則)涉及以下幾個重要範疇,包括:


  • 體育功績
  • 人事及行政
  • 設施(基礎建設)*
  • 法律
  • 財務


*球會本身並不須履行這項準則,因為他們並不擁有自己的體育場地,這屬於香港特區政府的責任。

在執行這雙階制度時,香港足球總會經已聆聽有關球會的訴求,亦明白不會強制要求他們做出超越一間專業球會的事情,舉個例,一個合理的法律條文、健全及透明的財政狀況、聘用合資格的教練、真實的球員合約等等,這些都是聯賽、球迷以至贊助機構等的基本要求。

香港足球總會誠意與各大球會通力合作,共同為新聯賽而努力,由即日起至球會申請截止時間(二○一四年五月),我們會為各球會提供意見、幫助及各類文件範本等支援服務。

申請者將會獲得獨立及客觀的評審,同時亦提供上訴機制。

201415年度的十二間球會牌照已經準備就緒,包括本屆甲組聯賽11支最高積分球隊與及乙組聯賽冠軍,將有資格加入新成立之香港職業聯賽。

事先聲明,申請牌照者並不代表能夠自動獲得參加全新職業聯賽的資格,球會必須通過申請程序。最理想的目標自然是全部十二間球會都能夠申請成功,但假若部分球會無意參加或申請失敗的話,足總亦不會放寬尺度,必要時可能會減少球隊獲准參加首屆聯賽的數量,以確保只有具誠信、專業及野心的球會才能參加最高級別的本地足球聯賽。

本人並不贊同有關申請準則過於煩瑣,但確信球會本身必須投放時間和金錢以獲得牌照,足總將盡最大努力以確保更多資源來幫助球會「升呢」,當然我們亦希望他們亦能尋求更多援助。有朝一日,球會將會從門票收益、贊助商、販賣商品、獎金中獲取最大回報。

如果全新的職業聯賽面世,香港足球總會打算賦予它作為一個自主的角色,球會將會肩責比賽日的管理工作,透過聯賽委員會更可參與制訂聯賽規例等事宜。
我們深信這是球會盼望已久的事情,而足總亦樂意這樣做。然而,我們必須先推出職業聯賽,以確保它能持之以恆,並具備自我管理及約束的能力。

本人誠意希望各大球會能夠視全新的職業聯賽作為重大改革的催化劑。我再三強調,這些牌照條例的準則並非一間專業球會無法辦到的事情,而這些準則亦經已向各大球會分別送達。

未來數月,將會踏入香港職業聯賽的關鍵時刻!