Kitchee to invest in development teams

Hong Kong First Division leaders Kitchee have announced a new youth development structure they claim is unrivalled in the SAR. The ambitious newcomers to top-flight football are creating under-18 and under-16 teams, who will be coached by former Hong Kong international and current ATV football commentator Tim Bredbury.

They've also revealed a three-year tie-in with three other clubs which will act as feeder teams. 'The innovative part is that we've signed agreements with three teams from the district league: the champions Tai Po, runners-up Kwai Tsing and Southern District,' said the club's managing director, Ken Ng Kin. 'They will be our youth development partners and we'll be the only professional club they'll deal with.

'We'll pay them a development fee if any of their young players come to us - $1,000 per month for 12 months for a youth player, $2,000 for a reserve team player and $3,000 if a player comes straight into our First Division club the way Chan Siu-ki, our 18-year-old striker, did from Tai Po.'

As well as hoping to draw some of the best youngsters from the districts, Kitchee will also be running under-18 and under-16 teams as well as a general soccer school on Sunday mornings. All will fall under the aegis of 41-year-old Bredbury, who is returning to the professional fold for the first time since 1999 when he ended a playing career that started as an apprentice and young professional at Liverpool.

'I'm getting back into what I know. I'd played football for 20 years and at the time football here was on its way down. It felt like time to have a break from it. Now I've had a dabble in a few different things, and I've been doing football on the telly for ATV, it feels like time to get back in. I think it's a great opportunity to build something.'

The announcement has been timed to precede next week's anticipated confirmation of an exhibition match against Italian giants AC Milan, which Kitchee say is part of a 24-month plan to raise their profile.