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Robin Parke

IF there is a wrong turning to take, you can bet that the Hong Kong Football Association's powers-that-be will unerringly head straight down that road.

 Possibly against the odds, the controlling body of local football really turned up a good one in Sebastiao Araujo. The Brazilian coach was brought to Hong Kong on a short-term contract that caused considerable comment - not all of it positive.

 Bingo! It worked out.

 For the first time in recent memory, Hong Kong's footballers actually learned something about the game - and thrived on the know-how, training routines and streetwise knowledge of the 60-year-old Brazilian. He gave the Hong Kong team a degree of self-belief so that they weren't walkovers for Guangdong in the annual Interport.

 He also told the players a few home truths and that could only have been good.

 And he transformed the League XI into the star turn at the Carlsberg Cup where they finished most distinguished runners-up to Nigeria, having disposed of World Cup-bound Chile in a stirring display that had the crowd lifting the curving roof off the Hong Kong Stadium.

 Not a bad tally, one would suggest, for a couple of months in the job. Even given the basic insecurity that goes with any footballing position, enough to earn a lot more than a big 'thank you'.

 I'm not sure he even got that. Certainly, by the time the likable Araujo had headed off to the land of the Rising Sun with the Hong Kong national team for the Dynasty Cup, he had heard nothing from his current employers about a possible future contract.

 Not one to mess about, Araujo has booked himself and his good lady back to Brazil on March 15.

 Apart from the ill manners involved in not informing the coach of a possible future here, the fact that they have clearly not agreed to hire him - that would surely have been stated by now - suggests virtually all that has gone before in the past two months will be in vain.

 By reliable accounts, not least partly his own, Araujo was/is prepared to stay in Hong Kong - and not necessarily at the money he is currently receiving. A longer-term engagement would have brought a drop in the current pay scale.

 Having actually stumbled on gold, the HKFA is now prepared to trade it in for lead.

 To fully understand what the loss of Araujo will mean, those readers of this column with a background or decent knowledge of football would simply have to drop in on a normal training session for a First Division club here. And then compare that with one being taken by Araujo.

 The difference would span the gap between Manchester United and Doncaster Rovers. Believe me.

 Having almost certainly put paid to any further business with the admirable Araujo, the HKFA then produced a pay and bonus scheme for the Dynasty Cup-bound squad which was, quite simply, insulting.

 It was a very clear case of the association guaranteeing itself money out of a tournament which is well-sponsored, at the expense of those who are doing the work.

 Nobody suggests that it costs nothing to run the HKFA but there is no possible excuse for treating national team players like a bunch of lackeys. Not surprisingly, there was an outcry from the squad - supported by Araujo - which has now resulted in an HKFA re-think.

 Why was more thought not given to it in the first place? It did not take a lot of working out that players were not going to punch the air in delight when told that daily pocket money would be cut in half. Or that they would get about an eighth of the amount guaranteed to the HKFA for coming last in the quadrangular tournament.

 What was wrong with 50-50? Now the association is left facing a climbdown and a squad of players whose respect for their erstwhile employers would not move the Richter scale.

 There is also the less than earth-shattering news that the Reunification Cup will feature French First Division side FC Girondins Bordeaux.

 Nothing wrong with having the Reunification Cup every year - it is an impressive trophy - but the Hong Kong public may not be overly impressed by the visitors.

 Bordeaux have an ageing Jean-Pierre Papin, the useful Lilian Laslandes, who may be involved in the French World Cup squad and therefore not here, and Nisa Saveijic, capped by Yugoslavia.

 Bordeaux are sadly a far cry from the great team of some 15 years ago which included the legendary names of Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana.

 That team actually played in Hong Kong at a time when attendances were still good for local league matches - and, if memory serves, played against South China in front of a half-full Hong Kong Stadium.

 Bordeaux are likely to face the HK League XI, who would go into the game with the crowd behind them after the Carlsberg Cup heroics. But, of course, without Araujo.

 Not a great week for Hong Kong football.



Releasing Araujo is swapping gold for lead