I’ll pick my best eligible Hong Kong team, says new coach Mixu Paatelainen
- Finnish coach holds his first training session with the Hong Kong team at Tseung Kwan O
- The 52-year-old welcomes expatriate players as long as they have obtained Hong Kong passports
Newly appointed Hong Kong coach Mixu Paatelainen says he will continue the practice of his predecessors and pick the best qualified players for his team.
The 52-year-old Finnish coach stressed that he would welcome any player who was qualified to play for Hong Kong as he selected his preliminary squad of 32 players for his first official match in charge, a friendly against Taiwan next week.
In the past, a number of naturalised expatriates have helped boost the Hong Kong representative team under former coaches Kim Pan-gon and Gary White and new boss Paatelainen says he would continue the policy of picking the best available players as long as they are eligible.
“I don’t have any preference [as to who he will pick on his squad] as long as they have a Hong Kong passport, it’s good enough,” said Paatelainen, whose previous managerial experience includes coaching his native country along with Scottish Premier League clubs Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Dundee United.
“I don’t favour anybody. They are all the same. They will be considered if they have a Hong Kong passport. It’s as simple as that. There is no issue with that.”
