No one ‘hurting more than me’ Westwood says, after Hong Kong football bosses confirm exit
Head coach Ashley Westwood’s days were numbered after the disappointing loss to Singapore ended any hopes of reaching Asian Cup finals
Hong Kong football chiefs finally confirmed the end of the turbulent 15-month reign of head coach Ashley Westwood on Monday, and the Englishman said no one was “hurting more than me” over the defeat to Singapore that sparked his departure.
In a press release, the Football Association of Hong Kong, China, finally broke a 72-hour silence and said it and Westwood had mutually agreed to “end the partnership”.
It also announced, somewhat strangely, that Hong Kong’s players would get the HK$1 million (US$128,000) bonus they had been promised if they beat Singapore, even though they didn’t.
Although the association expressed its “sincere gratitude to Westwood for his contribution”, a 350-word statement included a thinly veiled swipe at the Englishman’s reliance on ageing players.
“Looking ahead, the HKFA will implement new elements into the team by nurturing more young and promising players to enhance overall competitiveness,” it read.