Former Hong Kong boss Gary White confirmed as Tokyo Verdy’s new manager
- Englishman swaps representative team role for club side in Japan’s second tier
- New team missed out on promotion after losing to J.League 1 side Jubilo Iwata in play-off
Gary White, the English football coach who resigned from his role as Hong Kong head coach on Monday, has been confirmed as the new boss of Japanese J.League 2 side Tokyo Verdy.
The club missed out on promotion this season after coming through the second tier play-offs to lose to J.League 1 side Jubilo Iwata in the decider.
White’s departure from Hong Kong was announced by the Hong Kong Football Association in a statement on Tuesday.
The news came as a shock to many, including the players he had guided to next year’s EAFF Championship finals in South Korea.
The statement announced that White was moving to “a Japanese club” but the specific team was unknown until Wednesday’s announcement.
Rumours had suggested that Tokyo Verdy was his most likely destination after their coach Miguel Angel Lotina resigned following the play-off heartache.
Lotina has since retired from management.
White will be tasked with getting Tokyo Verdy back to the top flight after an 11-season absence.
The J.League co-founders finished sixth in the J2 League last season.
The HKFA have already advertised the job, with a January 11 deadline for applications.
