Former Hong Kong Football Association chief says sport has gone backwards in last 30 years
Lawrence Yu, who oversaw famous win over China in 1985, says nothing has been done to improve the sport since
Lawrence Yu Kam-kee, the former Hong Kong Football Association chairman, has accused the governing body of failing to deliver, saying the sport has gone backwards in the past three decades.
Speaking on the 30th anniversary of Hong Kong's famous win over China in Beijing during qualifying for the 1986 World Cup, Yu said little if anything had improved since.
But current chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak hit back, insisting the 70-year-old had been out of office too long and had no idea of the efforts the HKFA had been undertaking.
I have heard complaints from many clubs that there has been little support provided to them from the association, no marketing programme to help them promote the game
"I am disappointed to see the development of the sport over these years," said Yu, who was team manager of Hong Kong during those World Cup qualifiers and chairman of the association from 1988-91. "It has been three decades since we defeated China in that famous victory and what about now?
"Our Fifa ranking is still so low [169] and the money injected into the sport worth millions over years, with many of the Premier League clubs spending close to HK$20 million a season, but what have we got?
"How many fans come to watch our games? How many times do the media mention the sport? I have heard complaints from many clubs that there has been little support provided to them from the association, no marketing programme to help them promote the game. That's why I am so disappointed."
The government recently renewed its support to the association through the Arts and Sport Development Fund with annual funding of HK$25 million after the completion of the three-year Project Phoenix in March. There are additional annual subsidies of HK$12 million from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for various programmes and office expenses.