It’s Time to get Behind our Team 全力支持香港代表隊

It’s Time to get Behind our Team

The start of the new football season is upon us and this brings with it the re-start of our campaign to qualify for the Asian Cup. The Hong Kong Senior Team is well-placed to achieve something that hasn’t been done since 1968 – to qualify for the finals to be held in Australia in 2015. After two matches Hong Kong is second in the group of four which also includes the UAE, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. We have four more matches including home games against the UAE in October and Uzbekistan in November and away games against the UAE also in November and Vietnam next March.

Coach KIM and his team are working hard to prepare for these important matches and the HKFA is doing what it can to give them the support they need. We have arranged two friendly matches to help with these preparations and the team is travelling to Myanmar on 6^th September. On Tuesday 10^th September we play against Singapore at the Mong Kok Stadium. This will be the last opportunity to cheer on the team and show support before the competitive action starts in October. When Hong Kong beat Vietnam earlier this year the full-house and fervent support created an electric atmosphere and really gave the players a boost.

Winning is a habit and if we get positive results against Myanmar and Singapore it will generate momentum to carry forward into the Asian Cup qualifiers. So on behalf of the players, the coaches, myself and indeed the whole of the HKFA, please come and support Hong Kong on 10^th September.

Footnote

The vast majority of fans behaved in an exemplary manner when Hong Kong played against the Philippines but a small minority let the majority down by disrespecting the visiting team, fans and national anthem. Although there was a degree of provocation as well as a political under-current, we cannot condone such behavior. The HKFA is still under investigation by FIFA for the incidents surrounding that match and we face the possibility of sanctions. It is crucial therefore that at the Singapore match we prove that Hong Kong people are respectful, friendly and hospitable. Let’s have a great time supporting our team but at the same time let’s show respect to our visitors.     

全力支持香港代表隊

新球季重臨，意咪著亞洲盃外圍賽事將重燃戰火，自從1968年以來，香港代表隊將有機會尋求突破—進軍明年在澳洲舉行的亞洲盃決賽週。經過首兩輪比賽後，目前香港在小組中暫居次席，同組對手包括阿聯酋、烏茲別克和越南等勁旅。目前香港代表隊尚餘四場賽事，包括今年十月份主場迎戰阿聯酋、十一月份主場強撼烏茲別克及作客挑戰阿聯酋，最後一輪則安排於明年三月份作客出戰越南。

香港代表隊主教練金判坤先生及教練團隊經已密鑼緊鼓地進行備戰工作，而香港足球總會亦將會全面支持港隊。我們已經為球隊安排兩場國際友誼賽作為熱身，包括於九月六日遠赴緬甸及九月十日假旺角大球場與新加坡對壘，為十月份開始的連場惡戰進行最後的準備工作，相信全港球隊又可再度展示他們的熱情，重現旺角大球場座無虛席的空前盛況，打氣聲和歡呼聲為香港代表隊球員提供無限的動力泉源。

假如我們可以從緬甸和新加坡的賽事中取得美滿成績，連場勝利將可變成習慣，亦可將戰意高昂的情緒持續保持至亞洲盃外圍賽中。因此本人代表香港足球總會全體員工、教練、球員以及自己，希望全港市民能夠在九月十日舉行的新加坡賽事中親臨現場支持！

備註：

在今年六月四日主場與菲律賓的友賽中，大部分球迷都保持著高尚情操欣賞賽事，惟獨一小撮球迷對外隊、對方球迷及演奏國歌期間進行不君子行為，縱使可能與近期的政治及社會等敏感事件有關而觸發為導火線，但香港足球總會絕不能容忍任何反種族及歧視行為在賽事中出現。香港足球總會正在接受國際足協調查事件而可能面臨任何判罰。藉此今次與新加坡友賽的機會，我們可以透過球賽證明香港球迷擁有尊重他人、友善及好客之道的情操；在支持港隊的同時，亦可以尊重和欣賞對手的表現！

Trip to Guam, Supplementary 關島之行 (後續)

Trip to Guam, Supplementary

It has been brought to my attention that there has been some discussion on public forums about my recent visit to Guam. The implication of these postings is that I have used HKFA resources to fund mine and my wife’s trip. I am very disappointed that people feel it necessary to question my personal integrity in this way, especially without checking the facts. The postings are mendacious and beyond contempt.

The fact is that my wife and I paid for all of the costs of our visit to Guam including both of our flights, all of the accommodation costs and all of the activities we took part in. The total cost of our visit was circa HK$20,000 of which the HKFA paid HK$0.00, not even the train ticket to the airport.

I thought it would be a good idea to show some support to our U18 team and take a short weekend vacation at the same time. The trip was in our time and entirely at our cost. The Hong Kong team was pleased to have my support and the EAFF was also happy for me to recognize and support their tournament. I will continue to support Hong Kong football in this way.  

 

關島之行 (後續)

最近某些公眾論壇的言論引起本人的注意，話題主要環繞早前刊登的《關島之行》，帖中暗示本人有公器私用之嫌，以足總資源去支付自己及太太的旅程費用，對於質疑本人的個人操守、本人感到極為失望，尤其在欠缺任何真憑實據的支持下，這些言論絕對是不盡不實。

事實上，本人和太太為這趟旅程自資所有費用，包括雙人往返機票、相關住宿費用以及任何行程內的消費。全個旅程的費用大約為港幣二萬元，當中並沒有用上足總的一分一毫，連往返機場鐵路的車資也是自資的。

上文提及，此行之主要目的是為香港18歲以下代表隊打氣，同時亦可順道享受短暫的周末假期。縱使時間及金錢皆由己出，但樂見港隊的傑出表現以及東亞足球聯盟感謝足總對是次賽事的支持，本人認為不枉此行，而且日後將繼續支持香港足球！

East Asian Football Federation U18 Tournament – Guam東亞足球聯盟18歲以下足球錦標賽—關島

East Asian Football Federation U18 Tournament – Guam

Last weekend I had the pleasure of going to the tropical paradise of Guam, a place I have always wanted to visit. I wasn’t disappointed. The Island was beautiful and the locals were happy and friendly. The hospitality we enjoyed was second to none and I really want to publically thank our hosts, the EAFF and the Guam FA for their generosity and excellent organisation. My wife and I managed to find time for some rest and relaxation and I did some scuba diving, which was fantastic.

 

The main reason we were there however was to watch the EAFF U18 Tournament which was thoroughly enjoyable too. I am delighted to tell you that the Hong Kong team won the tournament with a 100% winning record. The Hong Kong team beat Macau, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, DPR Korea and Chinese Taipei. I was only there for the weekend so I couldn’t watch all of the matches but the ones I saw were very pleasing. The Hong Kong team performed really well and deserved their success. They controlled the games with some excellent passing and good movement off the ball. They worked hard for one another and took their chances very well. They were composed and organized throughout and looked a very mature side.

 

The discipline on and off the pitch was exemplary and testament to their character and that of the Coaching team. Coach Szeto and his colleagues deserve great credit for their work in preparing the team. I was very impressed and it gives me a lot of optimism for the future.

 

As a footnote, the Tournament was held at the Guam National Football Training Centre (pictured below). How envious I was of this excellent facility with its grass pitches, synthetic pitches, beach football court, futsal courts etc. I ask myself, how is it possible that a place like Guam with a population equivalent to 2.4% the size of Hong Kong can have a National Football Training Centre and we can’t? It’s quite embarrassing really.

 

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東亞足球聯盟18歲以下足球錦標賽—關島

 

 

上週本人十分榮幸能夠前往心儀已久之地—「熱帶天堂」關島。這趟旅程可謂不枉之行，除了飽覽風光旖旎的醉人景致、原居民友善的好客之道、以及下榻首屈一指的住宿，本人在此公開感謝是次比賽的主辦單位—東亞足球聯盟及關島足球總會為香港代表隊提供至臻完善的安排。本人與太太難得偷得浮生半日閒，能夠在如斯美境中享受浮潛的滋味。

 

當然，此行之主要目的並非遊玩，而是親臨現場觀賞東亞足球聯盟18歲以下足球錦標賽，真的妙不可言！本人有幸目睹香港19歲以下代表隊能夠在是次大賽中贏得錦標，先後擊敗澳門、關島、北馬里亞納群島、朝鮮及中華台北，以全勝姿態登上冠軍寶座。本人雖於週末才抵步以致錯過盡覽全部賽事，但球隊的出色發揮仍覺倍感欣慰。香港代表隊在本屆賽事中表現出色，奪冠可謂實至名歸。無論在傳球及走位皆能掌控比賽節奏，各隊員間相互配合以致爭取不少埋門機會，在組織進攻及戰術演繹上，均可反映球隊步向成熟的一面。

 

此外，在教練團隊的英明領軍下，球隊在場內外皆嚴守紀律。教練司徒文俊先生以及其團隊在備戰方面應記首功。透過是次比賽，本人深受感動及對香港代表隊的未來充滿憧憬。

 

 

最後文末作為註腳，是次比賽在關島國家足球訓練中心舉行(如下圖所示)，場館內的高質素設施令人既妒且羨，如真草場地、人造草場、沙灘足球場、五人足球場等設施應有盡有。我不禁撫心自問：為何在這個僅佔香港2.4%人口的彈丸之地，存在一個頗具規模的國家足球訓練中心，反而香港不能？這真是令人尷尬。