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SCMP Reporter

PHILIP LEE FAI-LAP

Manager of Hong Kong First Division club Buler Rangers.

Would it be fair to describe you as one of the more controversial figures in Hong Kong soccer?

I don't think so. Football's my hobby. I've tried my best to promote young players. When they are 13 or 14 they are of the same level as in other countries in Asia, but as they grow up their attitudes become quite bad. It makes me disappointed.

Was it like this in its heyday 20 years ago?

Twenty years ago there wasn't as much entertainment. After school all you could do was go and play seven-a-side.  If you could be a First Division player you would treasure it.

Does that mean you won't be focusing on young Cantonese players?

I put my target on the young players, but I don't think I can find them in the next few years. The quality  is going down. I think I'll follow Citizen, Kitchee and South China and recruit players from China. Fifa has ruled that if they play here for two years they become Hong Kong players and can represent Hong Kong. There's a bigger source, they're cheaper and they're easier to control and easier to work with.

You're certainly one of the biggest critics of the HKFA, aren't you?

Yes, but it's a waste of time complaining. We raise issues, but they never improve. I think the communication between the clubs and the FA is getting worse and worse. They never listen to the First Division clubs, but without the money the club bosses inject, the game wouldn't survive here. The directors [of the FA] aren't interested. Except for [Kitchee chief executive] Ken Ng they never come to the games.

And you don't have much faith in the FA's youth development either, do you?

The HKFA can do nothing to help the clubs develop players. Look at the Hong Kong 08 and 09 teams: we can't see any players from those teams playing in the First Division. The HKFA wastes its money and its time.

This season  attendances are up and the speed of the game here has improved. Are you optimistic?

I hope things are getting better.  Last year we had one Rangers game when we had only 150 people watch and I had to settle bills for more than $20,000.



2 minutes with...PHILIP LEE FAI-LAP