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Paul McNamara

At first glance there is very little resting on Hong Kong’s Asian Cup qualifier in India on Tuesday, but the dead-rubber contest could potentially shape the next two years for the city team.
An assured performance in steamy Kochi would strengthen interim boss Roberto Losada’s case to be chosen ahead of more than 300 rivals for the permanent head coach post.
After what is expected to be the final stage of his very public audition for the role, Losada will outline a 24-month plan to his Football Association of Hong Kong, China bosses, who would like to appoint someone in time for the June Fifa window.
“[The plan] is not about climbing rankings, it’s about the very unique situation we’re in at the moment,” Losada said. “Some players are getting old, and we don’t have many who will be naturalised in the next few years, so we have to rely on locals.
“The advantage I have is that I know not only the Hong Kong league, but players who were with me from 14 and are now playing in mainland China. I know the names of the players coming through, and we have good scouting of youngsters with Hong Kong passports playing overseas.
“I have the information, and I have an idea what we need to do to have young players ready for the [2030] World Cup qualifiers [likely to begin in October next year]. Let’s see if the plan is good for the Hong Kong FA.”

Shorn of a host of frontline players because of injuries and, in the case of key forward Juninho, suspension, Losada has added defender Jason Kam Chi-kin and the midfield pair of Lam Hin-ting and Barak Braunshtain to his squad.
He acknowledged he had little idea how India would approach the match after their head coach, Khalid Jamil, named a 23-man squad with 14 changes from their 1-0 defeat in Bangladesh back in November.
Still, Losada said his strategy would always “depend on the tools I have”.
“I’m very adaptable, I don’t have a system I always have to use,” Losada said.
“I choose players in a good moment, then decide the system that will work for them and go for it.”
Appointed following the exit of Ashley Westwood, who was last week named boss of Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League, Losada was first in charge for the two-leg Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, which the mainland China team won on penalties following a 4-4 aggregate draw. He then led Hong Kong to a Chinese New Year Cup shoot-out victory over FC Seoul after the teams drew 1-1.

“Sometimes you have to adapt your style for the opponent,” Losada said. “I like to have possession, but against Seoul we couldn’t. They are very good, we had to be more defensive and direct than I like. But you need to be flexible to have the best performance in every game.”
Losada said he had spoken to his friends and former teammates, Thomas Christiansen and Veljko Paunovic, who boss Panama and Serbia, respectively, about international management.
“Their biggest advice was just to be honest and fair with the players, although we know in many situations football is unfair,” Losada said.
A former striker for Real Oviedo, Mallorca and Real Valladolid in his native Spain, the 49-year-old moved to Hong Kong to join Kitchee in 2010.
And he acknowledged that during his goalscoring years in La Liga he could never have envisaged the attachment he would develop to Hong Kong football.
“It’s unexpected but I’m pretty happy my life brought me here,” Losada said. “I’ve made a lot of friends here, my family are here, and I go out in the street and people say, ‘we are lucky you’re head coach now’, which makes me happy.”
While Westwood settles in the region, then, Losada will be in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium that is home to the Englishman’s new club, fighting to replace him for the long term.


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The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Asian Cup clash in India could shape Hong Kong future as Roberto Losada continues audition

Roberto Losada oversees preparations for Hong Kong’s clash with India on Tuesday. Photo: HKFA

(From left) Tan Chun-lok, Wu Chun-ming, Wong Wai, Philip Chan and Oliver Gerbig train in India. Photo: HKFA

Forward Ng Yu-hei, 20, is among the youngsters Roberto Losada believes are key to Hong Kong’s future. Photo: HKFA

Hong Kong football chiefs set to confirm heavyweight European visitors ‘very soon’

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur playing at Kai Tak Stadium last year at the Hong Kong Football Festival. Photo: Elson Li

Harry Kane, here in action against SC Freiburg last year, could visit Hong Kong with Bayern Munich. Photo: Xinhua

Interim boss Roberto Losada is among more than 300 applicants for the Hong Kong job. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong star Haughey to adopt ‘race as training’ approach for Asian Games build-up

Siobhan Haughey credits her form since returning from injury in September to the shift in her training philosophy. Photo: Karma Lo

Siobhan Haughey won two gold medals and a silver at the recent China Open. Photo: Xinhua

Siobhan Haughey said the National Games was her best competition since her injury. Photo: Eugene Lee

Sport

Football

City team are missing a host of players for dead-rubber match in Kochi, with neither team able to reach next year’s finals in Saudi Arabia


City team are missing a host of players for dead-rubber match in Kochi, with neither team able to reach next year’s finals in Saudi Arabia.


Roberto Losada

Lee Chi-kin

Asian Cup clash in India could shape Hong Kong future as Roberto Losada continues audition

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City team are missing a host of players for dead-rubber match in Kochi, with neither team able to reach next year’s finals in Saudi Arabia

City team are missing a host of players for dead-rubber match in Kochi, with neither team able to reach next year’s finals in Saudi Arabia