Aston Villa U21 coach, who worked with Unai Emery and Ange Postecoglou, praises Kitchee owner’s influence on career
- Josep Gombau’s Aston Villa team were runners-up to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens
- Spaniard Gombau assisted Ange Postecoglou when the current Spurs boss was in charge of Australia’s national team
Aston Villa coach Josep Gombau said he owed a huge debt of gratitude to Kitchee owner Ken Ng-kin for a coaching career that has allowed him to work with Ange Postecoglou and Unai Emery.
Spaniard Gombau, who managed Kitchee for four years from 2009, was in charge of the Premier League’s under-21s side who finished as runners-up at the HKFC Soccer Sevens last Sunday.
The role involves working closely with “one of the best managers in the world” in Emery, who will lead Villa in next season’s Uefa Champions League, following a top-four Premier League finish.
“It is an amazing experience to learn every day from Unai,” Gombau said. “We play and train exactly the same way as the first team, so when our players are needed, they know what they are doing. Our job is to develop players who are ready to help Unai’s team.
“He pays attention to every detail, and his approach to matches is incredible. This is why he has had so much success, and won Europa Leagues with Sevilla and Villarreal. He is always following us, and had an eye on what we were doing in Hong Kong, for sure.”
Kitchee chief Ng plucked Gombau from a coaching post in Barcelona’s youth academy. Only 33 when he accepted his first senior head coach position, Gombau survived a rocky first season to end the club’s 47-year wait for a domestic title in his second campaign. He retained the championship in his third season, essentially ushering in Kitchee’s era of local dominance.
