Kitchee SC

Kitchee

Full name	Kitchee Sports Club
Nickname(s)	香港巴塞 (Hong Kong Barça)
Founded	1931
Ground	Mong Kok Stadium
Capacity	6,664
President	Ken K. Ng
Head Coach	Chu Chi Kwong (caretaker)
League	Hong Kong Premier League
2014–15	Premier League, 1st
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Kitchee Sports Club (Chinese: 傑志體育會) is a Hong Kong sports club best known for its footballing exploits. The club was founded in 1931 and currently plays in Hong Kong Premier League, now playing in Mongkok Stadium.

Kitchee also holds the best record against Italian teams by a Hong Kong team. They defeated A.C. Milan 2–1 on 30 May 2004^[1] and beat Juventus 5–3 on penalties (2–2 after regular time) on 4 June 2005^[2] in a summer friendly match played in Hong Kong.

History

Following its return to the First Division in 2003, Kitchee became one of the most prominent teams in Hong Kong. Coached by Dejan Antonic, Kitchee won three trophys in two seasons: two in (2005–2006) and one in their 2006–07 season, the club secured 2nd place in the league, where champions South China had already qualified for AFC Cup as Hong Kong Senior Shield winner. As a result, Kitchee became one of the two Hong Kong representatives in 2008 AFC Cup.

Since 2009, the club has been a partner with the Chinese University of Hong Kong for its Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement (IPPE) program.^[3]

Kitchee were invited to take part in the 2010 Singapore Cup,^[4] becoming the first Hong Kong team to take part in the tournament. The club lost to Etoile FC 4:6 over two legs in the quarter final.

In the 2010–11 Hong Kong First Division League season, under coach Josep Gombau, Kitchee won its first league title in 47 years, by one point over arch rival South China AA, allowing the club to compete in the 2011 Barclays Asia Trophy, where they lost 0:4 to Chelsea FC and 0:3 to Blackburn Rovers, and the 2012 AFC Cup.

In 2012, Kitchee Foundation submitted a successful proposal to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for a youth football training centre. The club received over HK$44 million from the trust for the establishment of a centre at Shek Mun, Shatin, New Territories. It will be called the Jockey Club Kitchee Centre, which was scheduled to open in 2014. The trust's input will be sufficient for 90% of the costs of the centre, while proceeds from the Kitchee vs Arsenal exhibition match will also go into developing the centre.^[5]

In July 2012, Kitchee played an exhibition match against Arsenal FC for The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust Challenge Cup, drawing 2–2 in front of a full house at the Hong Kong Stadium.^[6] This was Arsenal's first time in Hong Kong for 17 years. In October 2012, Arsenal further donated HK$780,000 to Kitchee Foundation in support of the youth training centre.^[7]

Kitchee played Manchester United in Hong Kong during the summer of 2013 after Kitchee Foundation received HK$8 million from the Mega Events Fund to host the match.^[7][8] The game took place on 2 August 2013, Manchester United won 2–5.

Honours

Kitchee SC in 1959.

Kitchee team members celebrate winning the 2006–07 Hong Kong League Cup.

Major trophies are listed below.

Domestic

• Hong Kong Premier League

Winners (1): 2014–15

• Hong Kong First Division League

Winners (6): 1947–48, 1949–50, 1963–64, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14

Runners-up (7): 1952–53, 1954–55, 1956–57, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2012–13

• Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield

Winners (5): 1949–50, 1953–54, 1959–60, 1963–64, 2005–06

Finalists (5): 1948–49, 1951–52, 1955–56, 2007–08, 2009–10

• Hong Kong FA Cup

Winners (3): 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15

Finalists (2): 2003–04, 2013–14

• Hong Kong League Cup

Winners (4): 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011–12, 2014–15

• Hong Kong Season Play-offs

Winners (1): 2012–13

• Hong Kong Community Shield

Winners (1): 2009

Performance in AFC competitions

• AFC Cup: 5 appearances

2008: Group stage

2012: Round of 16 (lost to Arema FC 0–2 on aggregate)

2013: Quarter-finals (lost to Al-Faisaly SC 2–4 on aggregate)

2014: Semi-finals (lost to Erbil SC 2–3 on aggregate)

2015: Quarter-finals (lost to Al-Kuwait 1–7 on aggregate)

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Kit manufacturers

• 2003–04: Diadora
• 2004–08: Mizuno
• 2008–present: Nike

Shirt sponsors

• 2003–04: Xplore
• 2004–13: Canon

Players

Current squad

As of 10 February 2016.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Wang Zhenpeng 2 DF Fernando Recio^FP (4th-captain) 3 DF Dani Cancela^FP (5th-captain) 5 DF Hélio 6 MF Gao Wen 7 MF Fernando^FP 8 FW Alex Tayo Akande 10 MF Lam Ka Wai (Vice-captain) 11 FW Sandro 12 DF Lo Kwan Yee (Captain) 14 MF Cheung Kwok Ming 15 FW Christian Annan 16 MF Jared Lum 17 FW Rufino Segovia^FP

No. Position Player 18 FW Jordi Tarrés^FP 19 MF Huang Yang (3rd-captain) 20 MF Matt Lam 21 DF Tong Kin Man 23 GK Guo Jianqiao 24 MF Ngan Cheuk Pan 27 GK Chan Ka Ho 28 FW Cheng Chin Lung 29 FW Hirokane Harima 31 DF Law Tsz Chun 33 FW Sham Kwok Keung 38 MF Ngan Lok Fung 44 DF Kim Tae-min^FP

Remarks:
^FP These players are considered as foreign players at Hong Kong domestic football competitions.
^NR Not registered in Hong Kong domestic football competition.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 22 MF Emmet Wan (on loan at South District) 26 DF Wang Hecun (on loan at South District) 30 MF Leung Ka Hai (on loan at South District)

No. Position Player – DF Li Ngai Hoi (on loan at South China) – DF Ho Chuck Hang (on loan at South District)

Reserves

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player — GK Ip Chun Woon Vincent — GK Yeung Lap Wai — DF Au Yeung Wing Ho — DF Cheung Ka Hay Michael — DF Fung Kwun Ming — DF Ho Chuck Hang — DF Law Ho Ching — DF Yu Wai Lim — MF Cheng Chin Lung — MF Cheng Ngo Chun — MF Chow Win Hin — MF Heung Chun Ho — MF Wong Tsz Chun

No. Position Player — MF Law Tsz Chun — MF Lee Chun Lok — MF Ma Ming Chun — MF Lee Kai Chi — MF Ngan Chuck Ban — FW Fok Man Ho — FW Ho Chun Hin — FW Lam Ngai Yeung — FW Luk Kin Ming — FW Zanskar Blair — FW Harima Hirokane — FW Ho Shing Yuen Matthew

Club officials

Kitchee Sports Club
Kitchee Foundation Limited
Kitchee (Sports Management) Limited

Board of Director

• President: Ken K. Ng
• Vice-president: Tam Wai Ho
• General Manager: Wilson Ng
• Marketing Manager: Lo Shuk Ting
• Public Relations Manager: Ng Yee Yun Jessica

Management of Football

• Director of Football: Chu Chi Kwong
• Chief Technology Officer: Paul Foster
• Head of Youth Developing: Yago Aguilar
• Team Assistant: Lee Wing Po

Coaching Setup

• Head Coach: José Francisco Molina
• Assistant Coach:
  Cheng Siu Chung
  Roberto Losada
  Chu Siu Kei
• Youth Coach: Chan Man Chun
• Fitness Coach: Lee Wai Yuk

History of Head Coaches

Years	Name	Notes
2002–03	Chan Hung Ping
2003–05	Cheng Siu Chung Lam Hing Lun	Co-coaching and both coaches have played in part of the matches as a player.
July 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2007	Dejan Antonić
2007–08	Chu Chi Kwong	Caretaker
May 1, 2008 – March 30, 2009	Julio César Moreno
2009	Cheng Siu Chung	Caretaker
Aug 1, 2009 – April 30, 2013	Josep Gombau
July 1, 2013 – Nov 14, 2013	Àlex Gómez
Nov 15, 2013 – May 23, 2014	Chu Chi Kwong Cheng Siu Chung	Caretaker
May 23, 2014–2015	José Francisco Molina
July 2015 – Mar 2016	Abraham Garcia
Mar 2016	Chu Chi Kwong	Caretaker

Recent seasons

Season	Div.	Pos.	Senior Shield	FA Cup	League Cup	Season Play-offs	Community Shield	Junior Shield	Asia		Top scorer		Notes
2000–01	D1	8		—	—	—	—	—	—				Relegated
2001–02	D2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	D2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—				Promoted
2003–04	D1	2	Second round	Runners-up	Group stage	—	—	—	—
2004–05	D1	3	Semi-finals	Semi-finals	Group stage	—	—	—	—
2005–06	D1	4	Winners	First round	Winners	—	—	—	—		Keith Gumbs	15
2006–07	D1	2	Semi-finals	Semi-finals	Winners	—	—	—	—		Keith Gumbs	13
2007–08	D1	6	Runners-up	Quarter-finals	Runners-up	—	—	—	AFC	Group stage	Goran Stankovski	12
2008–09	D1	2	Quarter-finals	Quarter-finals	Semi-finals	—	—	—	—		Paul Ngue	14
2009–10	D1	3	Runners-up	First round	—	—	Winner	—	—		Baruc Nsue	7
2010–11	D1	1	Quarter-finals	First round	Semi-finals	—	—	—	—		Jordi Tarrés	15	Singapore Cup Quarter-finalists
2011–12	D1	1	1st Round	Winners	Winners	—	—	—	AFC	Round of 16	Roberto Losada	13	2011 Premier League Asia Trophy 3rd Runner-up
2012–13	D1	2	Quarter-finals	Winners	—	Winners	—	—	AFC	Quarter-finals	Jordi Tarrés	18
2013–14	D1	1	1st Round	Runners-up	—	—	—	—	AFC	Semi-finals	Juan Belencoso	22
2014–15	PL	1	Runners-up	Winners	Winners	—	Runners-up	—	ACL AFC	Second Qualifying Round Quarter-finals	Juan Belencoso	34
2015–16	PL	—	—	—	—	—	Runners-up	—	ACL AFC	(TBC) (TBC)

Trivia

• Kitchee's theme song is "We Are Kitchee!"

References

1. "AC Milan humiliated by Hong Kong side in exhibition play". AFP. 31 May 2005. Retrieved 31 May 2005.
2. "Juventus draw 2–2, lose on penalties in exhibition against Hong Kong side". AFP. 4 June 2005. Retrieved 4 June 2005.
3. Injury prevention and performance enhancement intervention in soccer Sports Performance and Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong
4. Kitchee set for Singapore Cup RTHK news 30 April 2010
5. "ARSENAL MATCH TO CELEBRATE ESTABLISHMENT OF JOCKEY CLUB KITCHEE CENTRE". Hong Kong Jockey Club. 5 July 2012.
6. "Tour: Kitchee 2 – 2 Arsenal". Arsenal.com. 29 July 2012.
7. Chan Kin Wa (17 October 2012). "Arsenal: 'We've promised fans a China rematch'". South China Morning Post.
8. Chan Kin Wa (9 October 2012). "Manchester United-Kitchee match confirmed". South China Morning Post.

External links

• Kitchee SC Official website (Chinese)
• Kitchee SC Official Facebook Page
• Kitchee at HKFA.com