With reference to the letter from chairman of the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) Victor Hui ('Help soccer by contributing rather than criticising', South China Morning Post, March 31), I offer the following comments.
Of what value is it to Hong Kong's football supporters and players that the HKFA has received praise for the performance of the coach and the players - foreign carpetbaggers all - for playing well in the Carlsberg Cup tournament? Is Mr Hui suggesting that this is an acceptable return for 'decades' of devotion to the game by himself and his cronies? Mr Hui states that he would appreciate the names of those who have been 'suppressed'. He need look no further than the records of his own association which contain the names of all the players of the Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) who have been suppressed by the banning order that prevents them from playing in the First Division, despite them regularly winning the Second Division league championship. The suppression and banning order not only makes a mockery of the HKFA promotion and relegation system, but is also objective evidence of the incompetence and dictatorial rule of which the HKFA stands accused.
The only 'crime' of the HKFC is that it does not pay a salary to the players, who are true amateurs playing only for the love of the game for a club that is arguably the most professionally managed in Hong Kong.
JOHN CHARLESTON Tai Hang
