Goals include boosting Hong Kong team's ranking and development subsidies

Hong Kong football is set to undergo a major overhaul, with the government promising additional financial resources to help local soccer development.

One of the major targets of the reform is to lift the FIFA ranking of the Hong Kong Team from 143 to 120 in two years' time and to the top 80 by 2020.

In 2009 the government commissioned a consultancy study on the promotion of football in Hong Kong. After deliberation, the government accepted the major recommendations made from the study.

"Hong Kong football has great potential for future development," Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing told a press conference yesterday. "The government has adjusted its policy to support soccer development through the input of greater financial resources. We hope there will be significant improvements in the next five years."

Among other things, the consultancy recommendations include reform of the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) and improvement of its governance, formation of a professional league, increase of football pitches and the establishment of a football academy. The government will establish a task force to monitor implementation of the recommendations.

Tsang also disclosed that the government has increased the annual subvention for soccer development from HK$7 million to HK$9 million for 2010-11.

Brian Leung, HKFA chairman, welcomed the consultancy report and praised the government as very serious in supporting local soccer development.

When appropriate, the HKFA plans to hold meetings to discuss the recommendations in detail. The association is particularly interested in doing more for youth training.

As for the consultancy recommendation to establish a new professional league that complies with Asian Football Confederation standards, Leung hopes to see the proposal implemented in three years.

Leung recently discussed with officials from the Chinese Football Association in Beijing the possibility of a Hong Kong team playing in the Chinese First Division next season. "Instead of playing in the Chinese Super League, which would be too difficult for Hong Kong players, our team could play in the Chinese First Division, where the players would receive higher wages and more exposure," Leung said.

Kwok Ka-ming, a member of the consultancy group and former coach of the Hong Kong Team, remembered that audiences were much bigger during football matches in the old days. He believes that today's live TV coverage of top European football matches is causing the interest in local matches to wane and thus lessening both audience numbers and the vital participation of investors.

Kwok is hoping that government support will ignite local soccer development and encourage more young people to work towards a career as professional football players.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club also welcomes the government initiative to raise local football standards. Its Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the Club has been supporting sports development in Hong Kong and that it will consider funding the construction of a football training center in Tseung Kwan O after reviewing the report and getting approval from the Club's Board.

(HK Edition 03/12/2010 page1)