Chinese Taipei boss Gary White questions Hong Kong team’s stamina before EAFF clash
Hong Kong must gain fifth straight victory against their former coach’s team on Saturday to make the EAFF qualifying final
Gary White says Hong Kong will be hard pushed to keep up with his “fitter and younger” Chinese Taipei when the teams clash in a crunch East Asian Football Federation Championship (EAFF) qualifier on Saturday.
Chinese Taipei need only a draw at Mong Kok Stadium to progress to the qualifying final, after thumping group whipping boys Mongolia 4-0 on Wednesday. Hong Kong beat the Mongolians 3-0 on Sunday.
White vowed his team would not abandon their progressive “game model” to play for a point, although he said the poor Mong Kok playing surface would suit “direct” Hong Kong.
“We like to pass the ball and the pitch didn’t help us [against Mongolia],” he said. “But we got used to it and created so many chances. We just have to be more clinical.”
White was in charge of Hong Kong when they won the qualifying competition for the 2019 EAFF finals. He resigned soon after, in December 2018, to take over at Tokyo Verdy in Japan, following only three months in the Hong Kong post.
Nonetheless, the Englishman is optimistic of a good reception from the locals this weekend, because “I think … they appreciate what I did when I was here”.
