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Paul McNamara

Hong Kong head coach Jorn Andersen says Matt Orr’s move to Sichuan Jiuniu in the Chinese Super League is positive for local football because the country’s mainland offers a stronger competition.
Striker Orr, who started all three of Hong Kong’s matches at the AFC Asian Cup this month, was in demand after a 15-goal season for Guangxi Pingguo Haliao in China League One last year.
The 27-year-old sought advice from Andersen before plumping for newly promoted Sichuan, who will relocate to Shenzhen for the 2024 season.
“He had four or five possibilities, and needed to make the right choice for his career,” Andersen said.

“It would be no good if he took the money from a club like Shanghai Port or Shanghai Shenhua, then was sitting on the bench.
“I said to him, ‘Please choose the team where you have the best chance to play.’ He would have played at his previous club, but wanted to take the step to the Super League. The team he joined have problems up front, and he can help. It is a Hong Kong player in a better league, which is positive.”
Orr has only three goals from 22 international appearances, but Andersen sees a bigger picture around the player, recognising scoring chances are at a premium when you play for Hong Kong, and valuing a prodigious work-rate that is made for the head coach’s hard-running formula.
Nevertheless, there is growing competition for Orr’s shirt, with a number of forwards recently acquiring passports. Orr switched to the left to accommodate Michael Udebuluzor in Hong Kong’s closing Asian Cup game against Palestine, while Everton Camargo also started, and another Brazil-born pair, Stefan Pereira and Juninho, came off the bench.
“The naturalised players increase the quality and push the others,” Andersen said. “I do not want a team full of passport players, but it is good to have enough to raise the standard and competition.
“Matt knows Michael and Stefan are waiting, and if he does not perform well, or is not often playing for his club, he can drop out of the team.”
Andersen has remained in Qatar to watch the Asian Cup’s last-16 ties, but will return home in time for Hong Kong’s Guangdong Cup first leg on Wednesday. Some of the players who featured in the under-23s’ run to the Asian Games semi-finals last year will be involved at Mong Kok Stadium, and in the Guangzhou return fixture seven days later.
Messi visits Hong Kong: when is Inter Miami match, tickets, TV, itinerary
“It was my thought to play mainly with the team from the Asian Games,” Andersen said. “We had success, but people in Hong Kong have not seen them play.
“We had to make some changes, so we added more youngsters. It is a chance for them to play international games and improve.”
The Guangdong Cup matches sandwich the glamour friendly between a Hong Kong team and the Inter Miami of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez on February 4.




The city side will be managed by Andersen, who must trim a provisional 40-strong squad over the coming days. The longlist, including Hong Kong internationals and foreigners who play in the local Premier League, was released after the national team’s arrival in Qatar.
Andersen ensured every top-flight club was represented in the original party.
“I told the Hong Kong players to forget the Miami match, and all that was important was the national team,” he said. “I could not pick them all – some of them would be tired, and their clubs would be angry if they were away for longer.
“It was not only my decision, but I said we should try to play with a mixed team. I spoke with five or six [Premier League] coaches, and everyone was happy and agreed.”


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Like Liverpool’s white suits in 1996, or Italy at Euro 2021? How Hong Kong national team footballers got dressed for success

Lee Kang-in, Son Heung-min set to feature for South Korea in World Cup qualifiers despite pair’s table tennis fight

AFC Asian Cup 2023

Mainland China opportunities help Hong Kong players, boss Jorn Andersen says – and he explains who will face Lionel Messi

Hong Kong’s Matt Orr in action during his side’s friendly against Saudi Arabia in Qatar. Photo: HKFA

Jorn Andersen will have a lot on his plate when he returns from Qatar at the end of the month. Photo: Xinhua

AFC Asian Cup: cheers and tears as Hong Kong’s footballers reach end of road – ‘I would die for the team’

Hong Kong fans show their support at the end of the loss to Palestine in Doha. Photo: AP

Yue Tze-nam (far left) and his Hong Kong teammates come to terms with their defeat on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

The Hong Kong team have given gutsy performances in Qatar despite their three defeats in Group C. Photo: AFP

AFC Asian Cup: Hong Kong dreams extinguished by inspired Palestine as Jorn Andersen’s team exit Qatar tournament

Hong Kong’s pursuit of an AFC Asian Cup last-16 spot ended in defeat by Palestine in Doha. Photo: Reuters

Everton Camargo crashes a penalty on to the crossbar in stoppage time as Hong Kong’s hopes end. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong’s Tan Chun-lok contests the ball with Palestine’s Tamer Seyam during Tuesday’s Group C match. Photo: AP

Lionel Messi visits Hong Kong: when is Inter Miami match, details about tickets, TV, itinerary

Fans in Hong Kong were hoping to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi during Inter Miami’s visit in February. Photo: TNS

Lionel Messi celebrates after winning the Fifa World Cup with Argentina in Qatar in 2022. Photo: dpa

The chances of Ronaldo (left) facing Messi’s Miami seemed to diminish when he was sidelined in China. Photo: AP

(From left) Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets train with Inter Miami. Photo: EPA-EFE

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez exit at half-time as Hong Kong-bound Inter Miami’s preseason tour starts in El Salvador

Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez shows his disappointment after missing a chance to score against El Salvador. Photo: AP

Lionel Messi takes a breather during Inter Miami’s friendly match between away to El Salvador. Photo: EPA-EFE

Sport

Football

‘It is a Hong Kong player in a better league, which is positive,’ national team head coach says after Matt Orr joins Chinese Super League club Sichuan Jiuniu
Andersen explains make-up of squad for friendly against Inter Miami, and selection for first leg of Guangdong Cup before that on Wednesday


‘It is a Hong Kong player in a better league, which is positive,’ coach Jorn Andersen says after Matt Orr joins Sichuan Jiuniu – and he explains make-up of squad for friendly against Inter Miami.


The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Lionel Messi in Hong Kong

Lionel Messi

Matt Orr