Eastern slam Hong Kong FA’s special treatment of China-based Premier League club Guangzhou R&F
Rules changed for coming season with the subsidiary of the Chinese Super League side allowed to use foreign players
Allowing China-based Hong Kong Premier League club Guangzhou R&F to use foreign players next season in an effort to raise their standards is unfair and threatens to undermine the balance of the league, Eastern executive director Peter Leung Shou-chi said on Tuesday.
R&F, a subsidiary of the Chinese Super League side, played in Hong Kong’s top league last season but the development side struggled and finished second from bottom in the standings, only ahead of amateur side Hong Kong Football Club.
“I cannot understand why they are allowed to field foreign players,” said Leung at Eastern’s first pre-season session at King’s Park.
“The affluent mainland clubs can easily afford top-class foreigners, which no other local clubs can match in terms of financial resource. It will make life very difficult for us.”
Last month, R&F said they would increase their budget to HK$20 million for the coming season and their foreign player Bruninho, who moved to the Guangzhou club last year with a reported transfer fee of €4 million (HK$36 million), will be playing in the Hong Kong Premier League after the Brazilian striker lost his place in the first team.
