Kitchee SC
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| Full name | Kitchee Sports Club | ||
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| 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 website | ||
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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
Major trophies are listed below.
Domestic
- Winners (1): 2014–15
- 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
- Winners (5): 1949–50, 1953–54, 1959–60, 1963–64, 2005–06
- Finalists (5): 1948–49, 1951–52, 1955–56, 2007–08, 2009–10
- Winners (1): 2012–13
- Winners (1): 2009
Performance in AFC competitions
- AFC Cup: 5 appearances
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
Kit manufacturers
Shirt sponsors
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.
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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.
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Reserves
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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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 |
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| 2002–03 |  Chan Hung Ping
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| 2003–05 | Cheng Siu Chung Lam Hing Lun
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Co-coaching and both coaches have played in part of the matches as a player. |
| July 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2007 |  Dejan Antonić
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| 2007–08 | Chu Chi Kwong
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Caretaker |
| May 1, 2008 – March 30, 2009 |  Julio César Moreno
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| 2009 | Cheng Siu Chung
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Caretaker |
| Aug 1, 2009 – April 30, 2013 |  Josep Gombau
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| July 1, 2013 – Nov 14, 2013 | Àlex Gómez
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| Nov 15, 2013 – May 23, 2014 | Chu Chi Kwong Cheng Siu Chung
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Caretaker |
| May 23, 2014–2015 | José Francisco Molina
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| July 2015 – Mar 2016 | Abraham Garcia
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| Mar 2016 | Chu Chi Kwong
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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 | Second Qualifying Round
Quarter-finals |
Juan Belencoso |
34 | |
| 2015–16 | PL | — | — | — | — | — | Runners-up | — | ACL | (TBC)
(TBC) |
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Trivia
- Kitchee's theme song is "We Are Kitchee!"
References
- ^ "AC Milan humiliated by Hong Kong side in exhibition play". AFP. 31 May 2005. Retrieved 31 May 2005. [dead link]
- ^ "Juventus draw 2–2, lose on penalties in exhibition against Hong Kong side". AFP. 4 June 2005. Retrieved 4 June 2005. [dead link]
- ^ 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
- ^ Kitchee set for Singapore Cup RTHK news 30 April 2010
- ^ "ARSENAL MATCH TO CELEBRATE ESTABLISHMENT OF JOCKEY CLUB KITCHEE CENTRE". Hong Kong Jockey Club. 5 July 2012.
- ^ "Tour: Kitchee 2 – 2 Arsenal". Arsenal.com. 29 July 2012.
- ^ a b Chan Kin Wa (17 October 2012). "Arsenal: 'We've promised fans a China rematch'". South China Morning Post.
- ^ Chan Kin Wa (9 October 2012). "Manchester United-Kitchee match confirmed". South China Morning Post.