Split Premier League in half and fewer foreigners: Hong Kong football boss’ wish list to raise standards in city
- Jorn Andersen in favour of mid-season split in top flight and limiting number of foreign players
- Head coach wants minimum number of under-22s in starting line-ups, and cup competitions scrapped
Football needs a major overhaul if the standard of the game in the city is to ever improve, Hong Kong boss Jorn Andersen has said, and splitting the Premier League in two is just part of his extensive wish list.
The Norwegian would also like to limit the number of foreign players clubs could bring in, and believes at least one of the city’s three cup competitions should be axed.
It did not take Andersen long to spot the significant weaknesses in the local game after his appointment as head coach in December 2021, and he said decisions needed to made to attract more fans and improve the ability of players coming into the Hong Kong team.
Having seen far too many one-sided games over the past two years, Andersen would split the top-flight midway through the season, so the to six and bottom five teams contest their own mini leagues in the second half of the campaign.
The 61-year-old would scrap at least one of the three existing cup competitions - the FA Cup, Senior Shield and Sapling Cup - and play all knockout matches in midweek.
He also believes there should be fewer foreign players allowed in squads, and backs the introduction of a rule dictating sides field two local under-22 players in their starting 11s.