Latest news with #RicardoRambo
South China Morning Post
06-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Give Hong Kong women's football elite treatment or see it remain in backwaters, says coach
Ricardo Rambo said Hong Kong must treat women's football as an elite sport, or accept existing in the shadow of more dynamic and heavily resourced Asian rivals. Advertisement Head coach Rambo's team suffered AFC Asian Cup qualifying heartbreak in Cambodia on Saturday when they lost 1-0 to much-higher-ranked Philippines in a straight shoot-out to reach next year's Australian finals. Although Rambo drew some satisfaction from his world No 80 team 'closing gaps to the best sides defensively and in their tactical understanding', he acknowledged Hong Kong needed increased resources and hi-tech support to compete with leading countries. 'We need more manpower, so we have staff working to analyse matches and players,' Rambo said. 'That would allow us to have an individual approach to players, so we can create a profile and physical condition for each of them. 'To improve in modern football, you need data and analysis.' Hong Kong (in red), ranked 80, lost to the 41st-ranked Philippines by a goal to nil. Photo: HKFA With the Asian qualifiers doubling up as a pathway to the 2027 World Cup, Hong Kong will have to wait until 2029, at least, to feature again in a major tournament.
South China Morning Post
24-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
As women's footballers juggle jobs, does Hong Kong need professional league?
Hong Kong face an extra obstacle as they aim to defy the odds on the field and reach next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup finals: most of the players have regular jobs. Ranked 80th in the world, the city's team are braced for a tough qualifying task, with only the winners of a group featuring Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Cambodia set to make it to the 12-team tournament in Australia. Coach Ricardo Rambo leads his side away to world No 118s Cambodia on Sunday, before meeting the fast-improving Saudis, ranked 165th, on Wednesday next week. Then the real test will come against the 41st-ranked Philippines a week on Saturday. But if that were not challenging enough, as boss of a part-time squad, Rambo has faced issues of player fatigue and, previously, withdrawals because of work commitments. The team's weekday training sessions in Hong Kong typically take place from 8 to 10pm. Hong Kong's players work on their strength and conditioning last Sunday. Photo: Sun Yeung 'We have to challenge them, but there needs to be a balance,' Rambo said. 'They've been working and are tired – it's no good shouting. We need to understand the players and take an individual approach.
South China Morning Post
02-06-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong women's footballer calls for government backing as team eyes Asian Cup return
Vicky Chung Pui-ki has called on the government to pump more money into women's football in the city, as Hong Kong ramp up preparations for the start of their AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in late June. Advertisement In tri-series matches over the past week, the city team drew with hosts Bhutan and beat Malaysia in their last scheduled fixtures before they battle the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Cambodia for one spot in the 2026 finals in Australia. Chung said the women's game in Hong Kong had 'grown up' since her international debut in 2017, with the head coach Ricardo Rambo's team boasting players from leagues in England, Taiwan and mainland China. Chung had time with Scottish club Kilmarnock in the 2019-2020 season. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old Kitchee defender, who raised the possibility of following in the footsteps of Chan Yuen-ting as a female head coach in the men's game, lamented the absence of a full-time domestic competition in Hong Kong. 'We have so many talented young girls, but we could have more support from the government to give us the platform to promote women's football, and we could have a professional league in Hong Kong,' Chung said. Vicky Chung wants a professional women's league in Hong Kong. Photo: Kitchee Chung, whose team have an FA Cup final against their biggest rivals TSL on Sunday, coaches in schools to supplement her income.
