HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens: Aston Villa ‘stronger’ as they begin title defence
- Captain James Wright says Villa boast ‘a strong squad that is arguably stronger than last year’ before men’s tournament starts on Saturday
- Masters event begins on Friday with former English Premier League stars featuring for PFA All Stars
Aston Villa captain James Wright said his side had arrived in Hong Kong with potentially a stronger team than last year as they look to retain their HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens crown this weekend.
Wright’s team will be joined by fellow academy sides from West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Leicester City and Newcastle United when the main men’s event starts on Saturday, but the defending champions’ skipper warned they had no intention of being deposed easily.
“We’ve got a strong squad,” goalkeeper Wright said. “I believe in the boys, they believe in themselves, we’ve got a strong coaching staff behind us and a strong squad that is arguably stronger than last year.
“Going off that basis, we’ve got a good chance to hopefully carry on that legacy.”
Wright joined Villa from Manchester City in 2020, going on to sign his first professional contract in 2022, and said he had benefited from training alongside a World Cup-winning goalkeeper, in Villa’s Argentina No 1 Emiliano Martinez.
“He’s probably one of if not the best you can work under, not just performance-wise but as a person,” Wright said. “He’s so down-to-earth and will talk to me on a mutual level and give me some tips.
“I don’t think you get many No 1s in the world who have won what he’s won, like the World Cup, and do that for a lad who is 19.”
West Ham’s captain Michael Forbes said he had been enjoying his first visit to Hong Kong and was relishing meeting fans of the club based in the city.
“Some local West Ham fans are taking us out on a boat ride to give us a good experience of Hong Kong,” Forbes said.
“Even walking through the city and stuff, I get so many people coming up to me asking about the football, so it’s been a really good time so far in Hong Kong.”
The three-day Sevens kicked off on Friday with the start of the Masters, its traditional curtain-raiser for veterans.
Among the former English Premier League stars on show for PFA All Stars were Luis Boa Morte, the captain, Leroy Lita, Andy Griffin and Ryan Shotton. They began with a 2-1 win over the HKFC Chairman’s Select.
Day one also brought the launch of the inaugural women’s competition.
“I think the fact that we’re not just playing but competing is important for the players,” Gina Benjamin, the Hong Kong Football Club captain, said.
“It’s important for the young girls in the stands to see that, and I think it’s going to push gender equality within women’s football.”
At last year’s Sevens, Hong Kong Football Club’s women played an exhibition game against a team made up of players from Kitchee, Chelsea FC Soccer School and Grace Citizen, drawing 0-0.
Midfielder and centre forward Benjamin was backing her side to make it to Sunday’s final.
“I’d like Football Club and Chelsea [in the final],” she said. “We always have a good game against Chelsea and I think a lot of players know each other. It’s good to play against some of your friends.”
The main tournament, which besides English and Scottish Premier League academy sides features teams from Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, starts at 10am on Saturday with Hong Kong Football Club taking on Hong Kong.
