Hong Kong football chief backs under-fire boss Westwood after Singapore defeat, fans’ anger
HKFA president Pui Kwan-kay also says he will not bow to pressure stemming from comments made by sports minister Rosanna Law
Hong Kong football chief Pui Kwan-kay implied on Thursday that he expects Ashley Westwood to remain in his job as manager of the city’s representative team, despite the continued fallout following the defeat to Singapore.
Westwood has been the target of fierce supporter criticism since Tuesday's crushing Asian Cup loss.
And in another blow to the team, in the latest Fifa rankings, issued on Thursday, Hong Kong slipped five places to No 153, while Singapore climbed four positions to No 151.
As hordes of fans called for the Englishman to be axed, Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, the city’s sports minister, weighed in, too, writing on social media on Wednesday that “many fans, including myself, have opinions that differ significantly from coach Westwood’s plans!”.
Pui, who is midway through a four-year term, refused to respond to Law’s remarks but said he would not bow to pressure applied by officials’ comments.
Posting on social media, Matt Orr, who captained Hong Kong in the absence of injured keeper Yapp Hung-fai, vowed his team would “remember this feeling and grow from it”.