Frankwell claim over back-tracking Italians

FRANKWELL have demanded compensation of nearly $400,000 over the cancelled exhibition soccer match against Italian giants Juventus.

The Hong Kong First Division side claim the loss includes $350,000 in appearance guarantee, a $10,000 bond to the Hong Kong Football Association and expenses of about $30,000 for their three guest players - the Chinese internationals Li Bing, Peng Weiguo and Hu Zhibin.

Julian Kam, managing director of the June 12 game's organising company, ProEvent, said yesterday they would compensate Frankwell according to their contract.

Kam added his company were consulting lawyers and partners who are FIFA agents, and would put forward their claims to Juventus. But he refused to reveal the amount of money involved.

Frankwell manager Fung Shiu-wai said the incident would not deter the club inviting foreign teams to Hong Kong in the future.

He added that mainland Chinese businessman, Song Baoguei, who exports Chinese goods to Holland, had approached the club about bringing the Dutch First Division sides Feyenoord and Ajax Amsterdam to the territory next season.

On the playing front, Fung said the club were looking for a centre forward from Ukraine or England to replace the English strikers Mark Farrington and Darren Tilley.

The club will recall their players on August 1 and may go to Malaysia or Jiangsu, China, for a training camp.

In other local news, Sing Tao have signed former Crystal Palace defender Rudi Hedman.

The 30-year-old Londoner will join Eastern's former national defender Chiu Chun-ming, who is set to sign with Sing Tao this week, as a defender.

The Tigers are also still trying hard to get the signature of former Crystal Palace and English youth national goalkeeper Perry Suckling.

Chairman Ng Chung said he would talk to 29-year-old Suckling, who once played with now-defunct Ernest Borel, during the team's holiday trip to Europe later this month.