Coming full circle: Pioneer female coach Chan Yuen-ting wants a flying start to 2017
One of world’s most famous women’s coaches returns to the scene that started a phenomenon last year as her charges face Kitchee in the Senior Shield final
Chan Yuen-ting’s sensational season of 2016 comes full circle in 2017 as Eastern play for the season’s first piece of domestic silverware, a competition that started the phenomenon of one the world’s most famous female coaches.
Chan was appointed coach 13 months ago in December 2015 and within a few weeks of her appointment she was thrust straight into the limelight with her first major assignment – a Senior Shield final against Southern.
“It has been a year and so many things have happened. Time really flies,” said Chan, who tasted her first success quickly at just 27 with Eastern defeating Southern 2-0 to lift one of Hong Kong’s oldest domestic trophies.
All eyes will be on Chan again as she takes her charges to the field at Hong Kong Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but she says she’ll be ready and so will her team. She said she had become more mentally prepared than 2016 having soaked in a glorious year of experience in charge of a club who also won the Hong Kong Premier League, elevating her to a status that gained her the attention of the Guinness Book of World Records.
Chan said she had put her players through their paces at Kowloon Tsai Park in preparation for the challenge as they meet arch rivals Kitchee, who are also eager to start 2017 with a bang.