Qatar 2022: Hong Kong boss Mixu Paatelainen rings changes for Fifa World Cup qualifiers in Bahrain
- Head coach Mixu Paatelainen picks nine players he has not worked with after China-based footballers ruled out over quarantine
- ‘We’ll make sure that anybody who we play against don’t have an easy match and hopefully we can surprise,’ Finn says of Iran, Iraq and Bahrain games
Hong Kong have named their squad for next month’s Fifa World Cup qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 tournament with nine new faces getting the nod from an excited Mixu Paatelainen.
The representative team face Iran, Iraq and Bahrain in their remaining group games, which also serve as AFC Asian Cup qualifiers for the next tournament in China in 2023. It will be Hong Kong’s first games since the EAFF E-1 Finals in South Korea in December, 2019.
There are first call-ups for newly permanent residents Fernando and Diego Eli, as well as a debut nod for Matthew Orr and a return for Ngan Lok-fung, who has not played for Hong Kong since 2013. Clayton also gets a first call-up as does Yu Wai-lim in the 25-player squad.
However, the squad is missing four of Hong Kong’s players at Chinese Super League and China League One clubs, much to the disappointment of Paatelainen, who cited Covid-19 travel difficulties ruling them out.
“Talking about the players who play in China not able to be included in the squad, the reason being unbelievably long quarantine requirements and difficulty of obtaining all the certificates for them to return to China.
“I’m very disappointed that those players are not in the squad and making us stronger,” the Finn said of missing Guangzhou City’s Tan Chun-lok, Nantong Zhiyun’s Li Ngai-hoi, Leung Nok-hang at Zhejiang Pro and Andy Russell at Jiangxi Beidamen. There was also no first call-up for Dai Wai-tsun at Shenzhen.
Hong Kong coach Paatelainen in the dark over his future
“First of all, I am disappointed that I am unable to select the players who play in China. Obviously with those players in the squad we would have been a lot stronger,” Paatelainen said, but he pointed to the positives for the new faces.
“On the other hand, this gives newcomers a fantastic opportunity to come and represent Hong Kong if they haven’t done that before and show everyone they are capable of playing football at international level.
“In the squad we have nine players that I have not worked with before so I’m very much looking forward to working with those players. The new players and every other player in the squad have done really well in their Premier League matches hence they are in the squad.
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Hong Kong football gets a new home
“I’m very much looking forward to see new faces in the squad and to work with the players. I know that every single player who is in the squad is eager to do their best for Hong Kong and do their everything for the Hong Kong shirt.
“We’re facing very tough matches, Iran, Iraq, Bahrain. All three teams are competing to win the group. Every one of them has a chance to win the group.
Paatelainen pointed out that both sides had beaten Iran, the strongest team on paper.
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“We’re gonna face very, very tough matches but we’ll be organised. We’ll make sure that anybody who we play against don’t have an easy match and hopefully we can surprise.”
Paatelainen also added that the new faces were called up on merit and there is no automatic call-up for getting a Hong Kong passport.
“Even though some players get Hong Kong passports it is not an automatic choice straight away into the Hong Kong team. You have to merit your place in the team and we have loads of local players who are fantastic and played really well in the Hong Kong team and the Hong Kong Premier League. It’s not an automatic thing that somebody goes for the passport that he’s in the Hong Kong team.
“These players who now have received the Hong Kong passport are eligible to play for us, for Hong Kong. I welcome them to the squad and I look forward to working with them.
“I think they add a little bit of strength and reading the game. They are players who are used to be in the leading roles at their clubs to make things happen on the pitch. Hopefully they can help us to perform better in Bahrain.”
Hong Kong travel to Bahrain on May 29 ahead of playing Iran on June 3 at the Sheikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium.
New look for Hong Kong … whenever international football returns
They play Iraq at the same venue on June 11 before meeting the hosts at Bahrain National Stadium on June 15.
Hong Kong squad:
Goalkeepers: Yapp Hung-fai (Eastern), Yuen Ho-chun (Lee Man), Leung Hing-kit (Pegasus)
Defenders: Clayton Afonso, Fung Hing-wa (both Eastern), Roberto Affonso Jnr, Helio Goncalves, Law Tsz-chun, Tong Kin-man (all Kitchee), Tsang Kam-to, Tsui Wang-kit, Yu Wai-lim (all Lee Man)
Midfielders: Chung Wai-keung, Leung Kwun-chung, Diego Eli (all Eastern), Shinichi Chan, Huang Yang (both Kitchee), Cheng Siu-kwan, Ngan Lok-fung (both Lee Man)
Forwards: Matthew Orr (Kitchee), James Ha (Southern), Fernando, Sandro (both Eastern), Sun Ming-him (Pegasus)
