‘CONFIDENCE AND POWER’ TO DRIVE HONG KONG SIDE
New manager Andersen advocates an attacking approach as he prepares his squad for Asian Cup qualifiers at a tournament in India next month
New manager Jorn Andersen believes he has a squad that can win matches as Hong Kong kick-start preparation for next month’s 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in India.
Working with his charges at Tseung Kwan O Football Training Centre this week for the first time since his appointment last December, Andersen has been trying to instil his attacking style of play with the players as Hong Kong shape up for games against Afghanistan, Cambodia and India in the qualification tournament to be held in Kolkata.
“We have good players and a good team that can beat others,” said the former Norway international, who was the first foreign player to become top goalscorer with 18 goals in the Bundesliga when he played for Eintracht Frankfurt in 1990.
“The only thing I want to ask from the players is to take more confidence. In the past, Hong Kong teams spent 80 per cent on defence in a match and this is not my style. I want the players more upfront, trying to play with more confidence and with more power. They must try to win the game and not try to avoid losing the game.”
After his appointment, Anderson’s working schedule was curtailed by the latest Covid-19 wave in Hong Kong, and he was only able to meet his players for the first time in training after more than five months.
All sports facilities were shut down by the government in early January because of Covid-19 and they only reopened in the middle of last month.
However, Andersen – who was in charge of North Korea and K-League side Incheon before his Hong Kong appointment – is happy with the five weeks his team have in preparation before facing Afghanistan on June 8 and Cambodia three days later, to be followed by a final showdown against hosts India on June 14.
“For most of the national team matches, you will have probably one week to prepare for a tournament but now I have more than five weeks,” Andersen said.
“Of course we need time to build up the players and motivate them again after such a long break. But I am sure they can grow everyday through increasing the training intensity, and bring them to Thailand for a training camp with friendly matches before the qualification tournament.”
After two weeks of intensive training at the Tseung Kwan O centre, including training matches with domestic sides Eastern and Lee Man, Andersen will take a squad of 25 players from the current 33-member training squad to Thailand on May 17 where they will play two friendly games against Thai League One side Chonburi and the Thai Under-23 team.
The team will then travel to Malaysia to play against the home side for an international friendly before leaving for India about five days before the qualification tournament. Malaysia are now coached by former Hong Kong manager Kim Pan-gon.
Andersen is also eyeing Hong Kong internationals who are playing on the mainland for the qualification matches. “We have very close contact with these players as they are all very important to the team,” he said.
In the past, Hong Kong teams spent 80 per cent on defence in a match. This is not my style
JORN ANDERSEN, HONG KONG MANAGER
“Unfortunately they cannot come back for the training session but I want them to rejoin the team in Malaysia for the international friendly, which will take place within the Fifa playing window.
“It would be even better if they can join us for the training camp in Thailand, but it all depends on the schedule of the Chinese Super League as we do not know when it is going to start.”
Midfield powerhouse Tan Chun-lok has been with Guangzhou City for two seasons in the Chinese Super League. The 26-year-old, a regular in the Hong Kong team, scored against Cambodia in the 2022 World Cup Asian zone qualifiers. Others on the mainland include centre half Leung Nok-hang of Zhejiang, Vas Nunez of Meizhou Hakka and Li Ngai-hoi at League One club Nantong Zhiyun in Jiangsu.