AFC Asian Cup: defender Chan hopes Qatar showing leads to Hong Kong exodus of city’s best
- Kitchee player eyes move abroad after being involved in ‘proper games’ in Middle East
- Jorn Andersen’s team preparing for must-win Group C game against Palestine in Doha
Shinichi Chan hopes Hong Kong’s exploits in the Asian Cup will lead to an exodus of the city’s best players to clubs overseas.
The Kitchee defender said the “proper games” against the United Arab Emirates and Iran were completely different to the weekly contests in the Hong Kong Premier League.
Only five of the 26-man squad in Qatar earn their living outside the city, and while Jorn Andersen’s side lost both matches, Hong Kong largely competed as equals. A win over Palestine on Tuesday could get them into the last 16.
“Our players going overseas will help the Hong Kong team, and I hope more get a chance after this tournament” Chan said. “You can see in all the matches here, players from foreign clubs are at the top level.
“I want to leave, I see everything here, the facilities and the quality of the players, and it makes me feel even stronger about wanting to go outside Hong Kong.
“It has felt like playing proper games. The tempo, the contact, the physical level, are all completely different from Hong Kong. Mentally, physically and tactically, it is very demanding. We have shown we can manage physically, and we are competing with the greatest players in Asia.”