Carrots are a precious commodity now that we are in the Year of the Rabbit. And it seems there were plenty of them dangled in front of our soccer clubs this week. First, though, the clubs, who largely comprise the 53 members of the Hong Kong Football Association, must fall in line with the recommendations made by the change agent to revitalise the local game.
Moses might have come down from Mount Sinai with 10 Commandments from God to change the world, but it needs more to persuade the footballing heathen in Hong Kong - 33 recommendations were spelled out by the change agent, Scott Wilson, in its report succinctly titled 'Develop - Deliver'. But sifting through the mundane, what sticks out is that the people behind the 128-page report have made it clear that if the clubs follow, they will be led to the land of milk and honey.
This is the carrot promised by the government, which initiated the process and is now behind the unprecedented move for change within the House that Keeps Failing Again - HKFA.
One of the biggest bribes - sorry, carrots - offered to the top clubs is that if they fall in line, they will each get a home ground. This is a massive step forward. Only the government can make this real estate dream come true. To have your own ground, where you can play your home games and train without having to worry if the pitch will be booked by the public will be manna from heaven. It will take a huge burden off the shoulders of the clubs aspiring to become professional.
Right now, the Hong Kong First Division set-up is professional in name only. The clubs employ professional players, but they are not professionally run. The priority is to change this mindset by establishing a new Premier League by the 2012-13 season. The plan is to have 10 to 12 teams in the professional Premier League run according to guidelines laid down by the Asian Football Confederation where, apart from home grounds, clubs have their own top-class coaches (who, in Hong Kong's cases, will have to come from abroad), a certain level of fan attendance and a football academy nurturing young talent.
There are only a couple of clubs in the 10-team First Division who meet these guidelines, namely South China and Kitchee. So the target of turning the entire league into a modern, professional outfit will take some doing.