Kitchee SC
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| Full name | Kitchee Sports Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | 香港巴塞 (Hong Kong Barça), The Bluewaves | ||
| Founded | 1931 | ||
| Ground | Mong Kok Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 6,769 | ||
| President | Ken K. Ng | ||
| Head Coach | Chu Chi Kwong | ||
| League | Hong Kong Premier League | ||
| 2016–17 | 1st (champions) | ||
| 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 team. The football club was founded in 1931 and currently competes in the Hong Kong Premier League.
History
Formation
In the late 1920s, a group of Hong Kongers formed a football team in order to compete in the Hong Kong Third Division. It was not until 1931, however, that the team was established as Kitchee Sports Club.[1]
Kitchee was founded as a grassroots organization, as such, they lacked the funding to pay the administrative and facilities costs necessary to become a multi sports club. It was not until 1934 when the club were able to raise the money to rent an office at 130 Johnston Road in Wan Chai, that they were admitted as members of the Hong Kong Football Association.[2]
World War II
In 1939, Japanese bombs accidentally hit Hong Kong during the Second Sino-Japanese War.[3] The club's records during this time were destroyed during the bombing.
As the Pacific War began, Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on 25 December 1941, therefore the club's operations were suspended during the three year, eight month Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.
After the Japanese surrender of Hong Kong in August of 1945, former members of Kitchee returned to the club. They resolved to help revitalize the The Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation of Hong Kong and establish the Chinese Football Association of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Chinese Football Referees’ Association and the Hong Kong Chinese Footballer's Fraternity.[4]
Post War to 1964
Following the war, Kitchee were admitted into the 1947–48 Hong Kong First Division League where they won the league title, the club's first major trophy. Between 1947 to 1964, the club won three Hong Kong First Division titles, one Second Division title, four Hong Kong Senior Shield's and one Hong Kong Junior Shield.
During this period, Kitchee discovered Hong Kong football legends Yiu Cheuk Yin and Lam Sheung Yee. Yiu led the club to its first two First Division titles and later became known as the "Treasure of Hong Kong Football."[5] Lam spent a total 14 years at Kitchee, split between two spells, and was a part of every Kitchee squad which won a trophy between 1948 to 1964.[6]
1965 to 2003
In 1965-66, Kitchee won only one game while drawing four others in the season, finishing second bottom of the table. The club were relegated after a 17 year spell in the top flight. In the subsequent season, Kitchee slid into the Third Division for the first time in three decades.
In the late 1980s, Law Ding Chun was hired as the new chairman of Kitchee. Law moved quickly to modernize the operations of Kitchee, buying insurance for all of his players in order to provide them with peace of mind in the event of an injury. His changes worked as Kitchee were soon promoted back to the Second Division.
In 1991–92, Kitchee won the Second Division title, returning to the top flight for the first time in 26 years. The squad during this period featured many future Hong Kong internationals including Yau Kin Wai, Chung Ho Yin, Yeung Hei Chi, Yeung Ching Kwong, Dale Tempest, as well as former England international Mark Barham. Kitchee spent three seasons in the top flight before they were relegated along with Kui Tan at the end of the 1994-95 season.
During the 1998-99 season, Kitchee won promotion back to the First Division as well as the Hong Kong Junior Shield. The following year, the squad were led by a backbone of young local players such as Lee Wai Lun, Man Pei Tak and Ng Wai Chiu. However, these were soon poached by bigger clubs and due to inadequate replacements, the performance of the team suffered and Kitchee were once again relegated at the conclusion of the 2000-01 season.
Ahead of the 2002-03 season, former Hong Kong national team manager Chan Hung Ping was hired as Kitchee's manager. He led the team to the Second Division title in his one and only season as manager.
A new golden age
Following its return to the First Division in 2003, Kitchee became one of the most prominent teams in Hong Kong, winning three trophies in two seasons under coach Dejan Antonic: two in (2005–2006) and one in 2006–07 season. Kitchee secured 2nd place in the league, along with league champions South China who had already qualified for the AFC Cup as the Hong Kong Senior Shield winners. As a result, Kitchee became one of the two Hong Kong representatives in 2008 AFC Cup.
Since 2009, the club has been a partner of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in its Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement (IPPE) program.[7]
Kitchee were invited to take part in the 2010 Singapore Cup,[8] 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 season, under coach Josep Gombau, Kitchee won its first league title in 47 years by one point over arch rival South China, allowing the club to compete in both the 2011 Barclays Asia Trophy, where they lost 0:4 to Chelsea and 0:3 to Blackburn Rovers, and in the 2012 AFC Cup.
Between 2011-14, Kitchee players combined to win the Footballer of the Year award for four straight years. The recipients of this award were Roberto Losada in 2011, Lo Kwan Yee in 2012, Huang Yang in 2013 and Fernando Recio in 2014.
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 training ground at Shek Mun, Shatin, New Territories. The Jockey Club Kitchee Centre, as it was later called, opened in 2014. The trust provided 90% of the funding, with the rest coming in part from the proceeds of a Kitchee vs Arsenal exhibition match.[9] Apart from serving as the training ground of Kitchee first team and Kitchee Academy, the Centre also provides facilities for the Education Bureau-approved Professional Footballer Preparatory Programme, which Kitchee jointly offers with Yan Chai Hospital Tung Chi Ying Memorial Secondary School, in order to integrate football training into regular school curriculum and schedule.
In October 2012, Arsenal donated HK$780,000 to Kitchee Foundation in support of the youth training centre.[10]
The club won the 2013–14 First Division title. The following season, Kitchee won the inaugural Hong Kong Premier League, the 2014–15 HKFA Cup and the 2014–15 League Cup, completing the treble for the second time.
In 2016-17, Kitchee completed a treble for the third time, capturing the 2016-17 Senior Shield, the 2016-17 Hong Kong FA Cup and the 2016-17 Hong Kong Premier League title.[11] The club promoted long time assistant coach Chu Chi Kwong to Head Coach and Director of Football. Brazilian attacking midfielder Fernando won the 2017 Footballer of the Year award while striker Sandro won the Golden Boot.
Honours
League
- Champions (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
- Champions (3): 1950–51, 1991–92, 2002-03
- Champions (1): 1997–98
Cup Competitions
- Champions (6):1949–50, 1953–54, 1959–60, 1963–64, 2005–06, 2016–17
- Runners-up (6): 1948–49, 1951–52, 1955–56, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2014-15
- Champions (2): 1951–52, 1998–99
- Champions (1): 2009
Performance in AFC competitions
- AFC Cup: 6 appearances
- AFC Champions League: 1 appearance
- 2017: Play-off round
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Kit sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2003–2004 | Umbro | Xplore |
| 2004–2008 | Mizuno | Canon |
| 2008–2013 | Nike | |
| 2013–present | Jockey Club Kitchee Centre |
Players
Current squad
- As of 13 July 2017.
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.
LP These players are considered as local 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
- As of 11 January 2017.
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
Club Senior Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President |  Ken K. Ng
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| General Manager |  Wilson Ng
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| Public Relations Manager |  Ng Yee Yun
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| Director of Marketing | Lo Shuk Ting
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| Director of Football | Chu Chi Kwong
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| Competition Manager | Chiu Yun Shing
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| Customer Service Manager | Cheng Ching Yu
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Club Coach Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Chu Chi Kwong
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| Assistant Coach |  Roberto Losada
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| Assistant Coach | Cristiano Cordeiro
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| Goalkeeping Coach | Roberto Sambade Carreira
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| Director of Youth Development | Pedro Garcia Diaz
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| Head of Recovery & Regeneration | Pau MP
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| Head of Performance | Lee Wai Yuk
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| Club Physiotherapist | Ngai Chi Wing, Gorman
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| Team Assistant | Lee Wing Po
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| Reserve Team Head Coach | Pedro Garcia Diaz
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| Reserve Team Assistant Coach | Yu Siu Chee
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| Reserve Team Assistant Coach | Gao Wen
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| U18 Team Coach | Gao Wen
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| U17, U15, U14 Team Coach | Cristiano Cordeiro
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| U16, U11 Team Coach | Chu Chi Kwong
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| U13 Team Coach | Roberto Losada
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| Youth Coach | Yu Siu Chee
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| Youth Coach | Sham Kwok Keung
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| Club Doctor | Dr. Yung Shu Hang
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| Kitchee Academy Director | Roberto Losada
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| Kitchee Academy Coach | Gao Wen
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| Professional Footballer Preparatory Programme Coach | Cristiano Cordeiro
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Basic Information
| Item | Name |
|---|---|
| Training Ground | Jockey Club Kitchee Centre
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| Mascot | Kit Jai (A Little Blue Bird) |
| Club Song | We Are Kitchee! |
| Supporters Group | ULTRAS BLUEWAVE |
| Professional Footballer Preparatory Programme Partnership | Yan Chai Hospital Tung Chi Ying Memorial Secondary School
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| Home Stadium for Hong Kong Premier League matches | Mong Kok Stadium
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| Home Stadium for AFC Champions League matches | Hong Kong Stadium
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History of Head Coaches
| Years | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2002–2003 | Chan Hung Ping
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| 2003–2005 | 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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| 2007–2008 | 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 |
| July 2016 – present | Chu Chi Kwong
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Notable seasons
| Season | League | League Position | Senior Shield | FA Cup | League Cup | Season Play-offs | Community Cup | Asia Tournament | Top scorer | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947–48 | First Division | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1949–50 | First Division | Champion | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Double Champions | |
| 1950–51 | Second Division | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1951–52 | Second Division | — | Junior Shield Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1953–54 | First Division | — | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1959–60 | First Division | — | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1963–64 | First Division | Champion | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Double Champions | |
| 1991–92 | Second Division | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | Promoted | |||
| 1997–98 | Third Division | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | Promoted | |||
| 1998–99 | Second Division | — | Junior Shield Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2000–01 | First Division | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | Relegated | ||||
| 2002–03 | Second Division | Champion | — | — | — | — | — | — | Promoted | |||
| 2003–04 | First Division | 2 | Second round | Runners-up | Group stage | — | — | — | ||||
| 2004–05 | First Division | 3 | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Group stage | — | — | — | ||||
| 2005–06 | First Division | 4 | Champion | First round | Champion | — | — | — |  Keith Gumbs |
15 | Double Champions | |
| 2006–07 | First Division | 2 | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Champion | — | — | — | Keith Gumbs |
13 | ||
| 2007–08 | First Division | 6 | Runners-up | Quarter-finals | Runners-up | — | — | AFC Cup | Group stage |  Goran Stankovski |
12 | |
| 2008–09 | First Division | 2 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | — | — | — |  Paul Ngue |
14 | ||
| 2009–10 | First Division | 3 | Runners-up | First round | — | — | Champion | — |  Baruc Nsue |
7 | ||
| 2010–11 | First Division | Champion | Quarter-finals | First round | Semi-finals | — | — | — | Jordi Tarrés |
15 | Singapore Cup Quarter-finalists | |
| 2011–12 | First Division | Champion | 1st Round | Champion | Champion | — | — | AFC Cup | Round of 16 | Roberto Losada |
13 | Treble Champions |
| 2012–13 | First Division | 2 | Quarter-finals | Champion | — | Champion | — | AFC Cup | Quarter-finals | Jordi Tarrés |
18 | Double Champions |
| 2013–14 | First Division | Champion | 1st Round | Runners-up | — | — | — | AFC Cup | Semi-finals | Juan Belencoso |
22 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | Champion | Runners-up | Champion | Champion | — | Runners-up | ACL | Second Qualifying Round
Quarter-finals |
Juan Belencoso |
34 | Treble Champions |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 2 | Semi-finals | Quarter-finals | Champion | Champion | Runners-up | ACL | Second Qualifying Round
Round of 16 |
Rufino Segovia del Burgo |
17 | Double Champions |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | Champion | Champion | Champion | — | Runners-up | ACL | Play-off round | Sandro
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25 | Treble Champions | |
| 2017–18 | Premier League | — | — | — | — | ACL | Group-Stage | — | — | — | ||
References
- ^ Chow, Ka Kin (28 August 2015). 濁世消磨──日治時期香港人的休閒生活. Chung Hwa Book Co.(HK) Ltd. p. 11. ISBN 9789888340507.
- ^ "傑志歷史". Kitchee Football Team. Template:Zh-hk icon
- ^ "War in China". Time. 6 March 1939. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ^ "傑志歷史". Kitchee Football Team. Template:Zh-hk icon
- ^ "'Treasure of Hong Kong Football' Yiu dies". South China Morning Post.
- ^ Lo, Clifford; Chow, Vivienne. "City mourns Spencer Lam, the soccer hero turned commentator famous for his dry wit". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
- ^ Injury prevention and performance enhancement intervention in soccer Archived 28 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine 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 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "ARSENAL MATCH TO CELEBRATE ESTABLISHMENT OF JOCKEY CLUB KITCHEE CENTRE". Hong Kong Jockey Club. 5 July 2012.
- ^ Chan Kin Wa (17 October 2012). "Arsenal: 'We've promised fans a China rematch'". South China Morning Post.
- ^ "Kitchee edge South China in FA Cup Final to clinch treble". Football Tribe. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
External links
- Kitchee SC Official Website
- Kitchee SC Official Facebook Page
- Kitchee SC Official Instagram Account (@kitcheeofficial)
- Hong Kong Football Association - Kitchee S.C. Team Page