There has been radio silence about HK U23’s future in the Premier League next season. Amidst the uncertainty, head coach Szeto Man-chun admitted that he was “not optimistic” but argued that it was vital for the team to continue.
Hong Kong U23 slumped to their 12th defeat in 13 matches across all competitions on Sunday. The match, which ended in a second consecutive 6-0 loss, was not one in which the club were expected to be competitive.
The club’s future in the Premier League remains clouded in uncertainty with alarm growing with each passing week. When the club were established in 2021, HKFA chairman Eric Fok promised to invest $15 million in the club over three years, after which the board of the directors would conduct a review.
But as recently as last month, the team’s head coach, Szeto Man-chun, admitted that he was not in control of the situation and that a decision had yet to be made. After Sunday’s match, he not only reaffirmed his statements, but added that he was “not optimistic” about the club’s future.
“No final decision has been made yet,” he said. “(Management) are still discussing (whether to continue) and, of course, there are differing opinions about what to do.”
HK U23 were established in response to the withdrawals of Happy Valley and Pegasus from the league in 2021 which left the league with only six remaining teams. Though HKFC would later promote, that still left the league with only seven teams – the smallest field of top-flight clubs since the 2001-02 season.
Fok created HK U23 in order to even out the number of teams and provide younger players with a platform for development. To that end, the club does not sign foreign players and are only allowed to sign five players over the age of 23.
On the pitch, the club’s results have slowly improved from year to year. The club collected a win each in the past two seasons, but this season the club have already won twice. The first was a 5-0 win over Sham Shui Po in the Sapling Cup which was the team’s highest margin of victory. The second was a 2-1 win over Resources Capital in early April which was the team’s first ever victory in the Premier League.
The team recorded their record victory 5-0 over Sham Shui Po in December. (Credit: HK U23)
Szeto does not want fans to judge the club’s value solely on results. While he conceded that the squad’s lack of foreigners put them at a competitive disadvantage, he pointed out that the club’s main mission is to give young players who may not otherwise play with a chance to learn and grow.
“I would frame this way: How many clubs give chances to players born in 2001, who were the core of the (previous) Asian Games squad?” he asked. “How many give chances to players born in 2003, who form the core of the U23 Asian Cup squad? How many give chances to players born in 2005, who will form the core of the 2025 Asian Youth Games squad? Look around the league and ask yourself, ‘How many clubs even have players born in 2005?”
Three players on the squad have surpassed 2,000 minutes played on the season and Szeto mentioned that several more have passed that milestone when friendlies are considered. He also pointed out that a measure of success for the club were players who have left the team for better opportunities elsewhere such as Alex Dujardin, who is now plying his trade in Chine League One.
“I agree that it’s not easy to challenge other teams in the league, but we need to have a platform for 18- to 20-year-olds where they can play,” he continued. “Maybe they’re not quite there yet in terms of ability, but it’s hard for them to make progress without a place where they can train and play at a high level.
“So, I think there’s value in allowing this team to continue to exist and it’s vital for Hong Kong football that it can continue. Of course, players at this age group are not (Hong Kong head coach) Jörn Andersen’s responsibility. It’s the technical director’s job to figure out how to create a development pathway for young players to slowly climb up the ladder.”
