Kenneth Kwok, coach of Macao’s men’s football team, has described managing the Hong Kong team as his “ideal job,” according to the South China Morning Post.
The remark comes as Macao prepares to face Hong Kong in a friendly match on 19 March.
While emphasising that he wanted to revitalise football in Macao, Kwok, a Hong Kong native and former professional footballer, also told the Post that he was not surprised to hear Hong Kong football fans describe Macao players as “weak.”
[See more: Get to know Kenneth Kwok, the new head coach of Macao’s men’s football team]
The on-the-record comments will do little to improve the morale of the Macao team, which is ranked a lowly 193rd in the world by FIFA.
Unlike Hong Kong (ranked 155th), Macao does not have a professional football team. A 2024 FIFA ruling stripped the SAR of several key Portugal-born players who were permanent residents, not passport holders, significantly reducing its competitiveness.
Shortly after taking on Macao’s team last November, Kwok told Macao News that he wanted the team to “feel proud every time they represent Macao.” However, he acknowledged that getting the Macao team into the next AFC Asian Cup main qualifying draw would be “very difficult.”
