Eastern and Hong Kong’s World Cup campaign only bright spots in otherwise forgettable season
Attendance for the concluded season suffers another dip but thank goodness for Hong Kong’s World Cup heroics and Eastern, who won their first Premier League title in more than two decades
It was a season that started with promise but in the end, apart from some bright spots in Hong Kong’s heroic World Cup campaign and Eastern winning their first championship in the top-flight in more than two decades, it was a season to forget.
My top priority has been getting a boost in self-confidence to keep coaching my team and winning more titles
Case in point was during the Hong Kong Footballer of the Year awards for the concluded season. When the media was asked to vote for their main man, they had to scratch their collective head as few players deserved the accolade.
Indeed, the eventual selection of Eastern goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai illustrates the voters’ problem. The 26-year-old captain was hailed for his World Cup heroics rather than helping steer his side to their first championship in more than two decades.
It was Yapp’s acrobatic saves that repeatedly frustrated China in the two rounds of their World Cup qualifying matches – Hong Kong held China to 0-0 draws in both matches – that gave him the nod in the end.
Then we had women’s coach Chan Yuen-ting, who was awarded a Guinness World Record certificate for being the first female football coach to lead a club in the top flight (Eastern) to the Premier League title.
Her history-making feat made headlines around the world.
