Following the failure of the Taiwanese soccer authorities to extend the one-year deal of national team head coach Gary White, he was unveiled as the new coach of Hong Kong on Monday.
“Gary joins us with a wealth of experience at the international level having previously managed four senior national teams, his knowledge of football in Asia was also a factor we took into consideration in making his appointment,” a press release quoted Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) chief executive Mark Sutcliffe as saying. “I wish him well and call upon all football stakeholders in Hong Kong to get behind the new head coach and work with him to achieve the success we all crave.”
The 44-year-old former professional player thanked the HKFA for giving him the opportunity.
“It is an honor to lead the Hong Kong team and I am very motivated to improve, progress and develop the team,” White said. “I have been in the opposite dugout a few times and I can see the potential in the players, especially some of the younger guys coming through. The lead-in time to the first matches is short and I am looking forward to getting started on this challenging role.”
White is to spend his first few weeks assessing the players and meeting the clubs, the HKFA said.
He is to take charge of two international matches next month against Thailand and Indonesia, before leading the team into the East Asian Football Federation second-round qualifiers in November, in which they face Taiwan on Nov. 14.
Since signing a contract with the Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) in September last year, White led the national team to seven consecutive home wins, the most recent a 2-0 victory over Malaysia on Friday last week.
Three years ago, the team was ranked 182nd out of the 211 FIFA member associations, but in the latest rankings, released last month, Taiwan had jumped to No. 125.
The CTFA has yet to issue a statement explaining why it refused to renew White’s contract or to announce who is to take over as head coach.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tomorrow for the final berth at next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome yesterday. The home team's loss means that Nicaragua finishes No. 1 in the qualifier round held in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to the games. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier yesterday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, finished third, while South Africa placed at the bottom
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