2023 Asian Cup qualifiers: Football boss Jorn Andersen credits offensive, high-pressure play for Hong Kong turnaround
- A win or a draw on Tuesday against India would secure top spot in Group D for Hong Kong and seal an automatic Asian Cup berth, while a spot at the finals could also be sealed
- ‘Our main task is to go to the finals,’ says Andersen. ‘For us it doesn’t matter if we’re second or first’
Jorn Andersen has credited a proactive playing style for taking Hong Kong to the verge of the territory’s first Asian Cup finals in more than 50 years, and he believes his team has yet to fulfil its potential as the impact of the city’s Covid-19 shutdown continues to linger.
The Norwegian, who was appointed in December, has overseen a remarkable uptick in fortunes for Hong Kong with wins over Afghanistan and Cambodia during the Asian Cup qualifiers in Kolkata taking his side to within touching distance of next year’s continental showpiece.
The success so far has come against the odds after the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, which effectively shut down the territory from January, left Andersen in a race against time to prepare his team for the qualifiers.
But, after an intensive training camp in Thailand and a friendly meeting with Malaysia allowed Andersen to spend time with his players, Hong Kong are now just 90 minutes from qualifying for a first Asian Cup finals since 1968.
“We had four months and no good work for me and the team and the players, but we used this time after we got out again to Thailand and we were there for some weeks and we trained a lot,” said Andersen.
“We trained hard and we made some important meetings. We agreed with everybody which playing style we wanted to do, to play an offensive, high-pressing playing style, disturbing, creating chances and making goals.
“That is what the people want to see on the field, not this slow, old game that some teams are playing. The team have accepted it and are learning very quick, but we are still only at 60 or 70 per cent of our level so we have to create a little bit more in every case.