Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Hong Kong: Hong Kong champions Kitchee are awaiting the arrival of new coach Jose Molina and the opening of their new training centre later this year as they get set for their quarter-final appearance in the AFC Cup this August.
Molina was a Spain international and played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. His last club career was with La Liga side Levante in 2007 before making his move to a managerial role with Villareal C two years later. He then climbed the rungs to manage Villareal’s second team before taking up their first team in 2011.
The 43-year-old then coached Getafe B for a year before making his Hong Kong move, his first overseas coaching gig, taking over from fellow Spaniard Josep Gombau, Spanish media reported in May.
Meanwhile, Kitchee’s HK$72 million (US$9.29 million) new training centre will cater to the needs of the professional team who currently train at Mongkok Stadium.
“I am confident we can achieve something under the new coach,” the South China Morning Post (SCMP) quoted Kitchee President Ken Ng Kin as saying.
“I have seen his coaching methods and was very impressed. His arrival will not only help build our first team to play in the highest level in Asia, but also set up a long-term plan through the development of our youth players.
“We all know the importance of having our own training ground and this will come true in six months. It will definitely help the coach to better prepare the team.”
The club will keep six of their foreign players, including newly crowned Footballer of the Year Fernando Recio, and will be strengthened with two new foreign players -- Brazilians Helio Concalves and Paulo Carreiro -- who will attain home player status after fulfilling the seven-year residency requirement early next year, SCMP further reported.
A friendly against French champions Paris St-Germain has also been set on July 29 as part of their preparations for their AFC Cup quarter-final fist leg clash with Vietnam’s Vissai Ninh Binh on August 19 and then the return fixture a week later.
Kitchee had a good run in the AFC Cup, topping their group as they won four of their six matches with their Spanish striker Juan Carlos Rodriguez Belencoso becoming the group stages’ top scorer with eight goals.
The club then advanced to the Round of 16 where they beat Indonesian champions Arema Indonesia to punch their ticket to the quarter-finals.
Photo: AFP