A more flexible and creative Hong Kong football team has been promised by interim coach Wolfgang Luisser as the team prepares to face Iran in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday. This match at Hong Kong Stadium marks the city’s first fixture since June 2021 without Jorn Andersen, with Luisser stepping in after Andersen’s recent resignation to manage mainland Chinese club Yunnan Yukun.
For Luisser, who has previously served as an assistant coach for Austria’s under-21s and briefly as caretaker for SCR Altach in Austria, this is a significant challenge. “The biggest game for me as a head coach,” he said, recognizing the importance of this match.
Andersen’s tenure saw Hong Kong adopt an aggressive style that yielded unprecedented results, and Luisser aims to retain these competitive traits while introducing his own tactical adjustments. Hong Kong struggled offensively in Andersen’s final games, scoring just once in five matches after a promising period with 18 goals in seven games.
“There will be a small change in our play with the ball,” Luisser stated. “We want to give our players more creativity in attack, [and] be more flexible. We will change a little bit on set-pieces, too. We don’t want to change too much, because the players know what to do, but [there are] some small adjustments. Against the ball, our pressing and high attack will stay the same.”
Offensive and defensive set-pieces will see tweaks, focusing on enhancing attacking strategies. However, Luisser refrained from revealing too much detail, keeping strategic information under wraps.
Luisser faces the challenge of fielding a team without some key players, as several are currently negotiating club contracts for the next season. Forward Stefan Pereira, initially without insurance following his release from Southern, opted to play, with the Hong Kong FA reportedly providing temporary insurance.
A spokesperson for the Hong Kong FA could not confirm this arrangement, and Fifa has been approached for comment. Additionally, sources indicate that Everton Camargo was excluded after requesting to play only against Iran, although Luisser cited “family reasons” for Camargo’s absence.
The absences have opened opportunities for young talents like Timothy Ma Hei-wai and Anthony Pinto. Ma, recently named Hong Kong young player of the season, and Pinto, who was released from English League One club Bolton Wanderers, bring fresh energy to the team.
Hong Kong’s World Cup aspirations have ended, but Luisser emphasized the desire to “give something back to the fans and finish the qualifiers on a high.” Although Iran has already progressed to the next phase, coach Amir Ghalenoei confirmed he would field his strongest team to gain Fifa ranking points and top the group. When questioned about political issues in Iran, Ghalenoei’s media officials directed focus back to football, avoiding political discussions.
As Hong Kong faces this new era, the match against Iran will be a crucial test of Luisser’s ability to adapt and innovate while honoring the foundation laid by Andersen.
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