HK NEED TO BE ‘HARDER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE’

After loss to Kitchee in a friendly, head coach Andersen says players not up to international level but Udebuluzor and Nunez will boost side

Jorn Andersen says his Hong Kong players need to be “harder and more aggressive”, after losing 2-1 to domestic champions Kitchee on Monday.

The head coach, who reached the two-year anniversary of his appointment on the day of the game, is preparing his squad for Hong Kong’s first AFC Asian Cup finals appearance since 1968.

Andersen said “making history” by qualifying for next month’s tournament in Qatar, and reaching this year’s Asian Games semi-finals, were highlights of his time in the post.

When asked to rate his body of work, Andersen said: “I am here to do my best, then other people can tell me how well I am doing.”

The Norwegian’s thoughts were dominated by the task of injecting some devil into his team in time for their tournament opener against United Arab Emirates on January 14.

Hong Kong were bright in possession against Kitchee, and worth their one-goal half-time advantage, but the club side gradually established a stronghold after the restart, eventually scoring twice in quick succession for a deserved victory.

“The result was not important, but when you lose a game that way, you see the players have to do more,” Andersen said. “They have to be harder, and physically better. They have to attack and press better.

“They are still at Hong Kong [Premier League] level, controlling, but not pushing the ball [passing forward at speed] and pushing the opponents.

“I have to get it in their heads that they have to do more, to train harder and be more aggressive.”

Andersen said he was hamstrung as national team boss by the limited time he spent with players. A month-long training camp, therefore, had provided a welcome exception.

“If you do not have them every day, it is difficult to improve,” Andersen said. “We try it every time [to enhance players’ physicality and aggression], they know it. We push them and their level goes up, then back at their clubs it dips again.

“It takes weeks to get back to international level, and I hope I can push them into a better condition.

“I do not want to start speaking about what must change in Hong Kong, but the league has to be more competitive. Then we will have better players and better performances.”

Andersen said he was using the game against Kitchee, and Saturday’s meeting with the city under-23s, to guide his thinking when trimming squad numbers from 30 to 25 for the next phase of training in Abu Dhabi.

He has latterly rotated goalkeepers Tse Ka-wing and Yapp Hung-fai. Tse impressed against Kitchee, and Yapp will have a chance to respond in kind at the weekend.

“We are changing goalkeepers to give them a chance,” Andersen said. “For the tournament, we will try to find a number one.”

There was positive news on the strike front, with newly naturalised Juninho fit again after a thigh problem and expected to join training yesterday. Ingolstadt 04 centre forward Michael Udebuluzor will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow, 48 hours after his final club match of this year.

Centre back Vas Nunez, meanwhile, is poised to train next week after a shoulder injury. Andersen put a similar time frame on a return for midfielder Wong Wai, who is nursing groin issues.

Jacky Leung Nok-hang, the Zhejiang Pro defender, is being treated for an injury at his mainland club, before linking up with Hong Kong for assessment next week.