Jorn Andersen, the head coach of Hong Kong’s national football team, emphasized the need for greater toughness and aggression in his squad following a 2-1 defeat to domestic champions Kitchee. As Andersen celebrated two years at the helm, he reflected on the team’s journey to the AFC Asian Cup finals in Qatar, their first since 1968, and their semi-final achievement at this year’s Asian Games.
Despite the recent loss, Andersen remains focused on “making history” with the team. He acknowledged the challenges in elevating the team’s performance due to limited interaction with the players. However, the month-long training camp has been a crucial period for intensive training and strategy development.
The Norwegian coach’s immediate concern is bolstering the team’s physicality and forward momentum in play. He observed that while the team is competent in possession, as seen in their match against Kitchee, there is a need for a more assertive approach in pressing opponents and advancing the ball quickly.
Andersen also pointed out the cyclical challenge of maintaining international-level performance, noting that players often revert to a lower intensity when back with their clubs. He stressed the importance of a more competitive domestic league to cultivate better players and performances.
The upcoming match against Hong Kong’s under-23 team will play a pivotal role in finalizing the squad for the Asian Cup. Andersen is using these matches to assess players, especially the goalkeepers Tse Ka-wing and Yapp Hung-fai, to determine the team’s number one goalkeeper.
The team is also buoyed by the return of newly naturalized striker Juninho from injury and the imminent arrival of Ingolstadt 04 forward Michael Udebuluzor. Additionally, center-back Vas Nunez and midfielder Wong Wai are expected to recover from their respective injuries shortly.
As the Hong Kong team prepares for the AFC Asian Cup, Andersen is committed to pushing the players to their limits, aiming to build a squad that can compete fiercely and represent Hong Kong with pride on the international stage.
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