Kitchee confident of avoiding Manchester United-style decline, closing on new boss
President Ken Ng Kin cagey about identity of new manager and transfer targets, refuses to point fingers over slump
While Manchester United sank farther from competitive relevance this week, Hong Kong’s own fallen giants were plotting a speedy return to local supremacy.
Unlike United’s decade-long drift to the margins, Kitchee’s drop-off has been sharp and shocking. When they won the Senior Shield in February 2024, the interim head coach Kim Dong-jin fielded questions about landing a potential quadruple.
Ultimately, they did not come close to more silverware, and, certainly in terms of results, this has been a season of regression.
Kitchee are a distant fourth in a four-horse title race, and have not reached one cup final.
For delivering the club’s first season without a trophy since 2009-10, other than the under-22 FA Cup they won on Wednesday, head coach Edgar Cardoso paid with his job.
Ken Ng Kin, the Kitchee president, said he was in negotiations with Cardoso’s prospective replacement, and hoped to confirm the appointment early next month.