傑志乘勢而上 強化教練團分工 加快年輕球員成長

繼成功蟬聯2020/21香港超級聯賽冠軍，傑志在今屆亞洲聯賽冠軍盃（亞冠盃）以6戰3勝2和1負11分完成分組賽，創下香港球會在此亞洲頂級球會賽事最佳成績，向亞洲各地證明香港足球實力。回顧亞冠盃之旅，傑志亦洞察球隊不少需要改進之處，尤其提升年輕球員技術、體能及心理質素，以確保傑志在新一屆以至未來數屆亞冠盃，成功打入十六強甚至更高目標。

為進一步加快年輕球員成長，新一季傑志教練團會擴大規模，細化分工，作出更仔細的工作分配。傑志一隊主教練朱志光，將會短暫卸下主帥工作，全身投入其原來的「足球總監」職務，為期半年。期間朱志光將全力專注青訓工作，特別為年輕球員度身訂造「個人培訓計劃」，確保他們有更高的能力在來屆亞冠盃舞台表現自己，讓傑志在亞洲賽事表現行久致遠。至於來季港超比賽將由助教金東進領軍，暫代主教練一職。待明年新一季亞冠盃開鑼，朱志光將會重掌傑志一隊帥印，以主教練身份帶領球隊出戰2022年亞冠盃。

港超聯成立七年，朱志光以主教練身份率領傑志四度奪冠，加上2013/14年港甲冠軍，是傑志歷來贏得最多香港頂級聯賽的主教練，更三奪「最佳教練」殊榮。朱志光亦是傑志青訓的重要成員，現時傑志一隊陣中多名具潛質青年球員，包括安永佳、羅梓駿、鄭展龍、何振廷、賓紀文及顏卓彬等，都是從小開始由朱志光親手提拔及訓練。因此球會相信，在朱志光「一對一」的培訓下，一眾年輕球員技術和心理質素有望大大提升，逐步追近亞冠盃水平。

暫代主教練職務的金東進來自韓國，球員時代司職中堅及左後衛，於2006至2009年效力俄超辛尼特，助該隊勇奪多項錦標，包括歐洲足協盃以及歐洲超級盃冠軍。他也效力過FC首爾、蔚山現代等韓職球會；金東進亦曾代表韓國國家隊上陣超過60次，包括出戰兩屆世界盃及兩屆奧運。2017/18球季，金東進加盟傑志，協助球會連續兩屆成為三冠王。直至2019年7月24日，金東進於「傑志對曼城」的表演賽後正式退役，告別18年職業球員生涯，轉任傑志助教至今。無論以球員或助教身份，金東進都展現出領導能力，加上他豐富大賽經驗，球會有信心在他領導下，一隊表現能延續強勢。

傑志將於8月11日在賽馬會傑志中心開操，部分回鄉休假的外援亦已陸續回港，由於他們抵港後需要檢疫隔離，待完成後會歸隊操練，參與多場季前熱身賽，為9月18日開鑼的港超聯做好準備。

【KITCHEE RESHUFFLES KEY COACHING POSITIONS TEMPORARILY AFTER ACL 2021 SUCCESS】

After successfully defended the Hong Kong Premier League title in May, Kitchee played recently in the AFC Champions League 2021 (“ACL 2021”) in Thailand and finished with 3 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, with 11 points against teams from Japan, Thailand and China. History was made for Hong Kong as this is the best-ever results by any local club in this prestigious Asian club competition. It successfully demonstrated the improving level of Hong Kong football in Asia. Armed with this experience, Kitchee aims to make it through to the knockout stage in future ACL competitions which will require all-round improving performance from their young players.

The Club expanded the coaching team immediately after ACL 2021, with each member taking on more refined responsibilities focusing in improving young players. To this end, Alex Chu Chi-kwong, Head Coach of Kitchee First Team, will temporarily step down from the First Team and return to his original position as Director of Football until the start of ACL 2022 with a strict focus on developing individual training programmes for the Club’s young players so that they may be better-equipped for the upcoming ACL competitions. Meanwhile, Kim Dong-jin, Assistant Coach of First Team, has been named the Interim Head Coach for Kitchee in the Hong Kong Premier League for the coming season.

Kitchee has won many local titles in recent years, including 8 league titles in the last 11 years. Alex was in charge of Kitchee’s first team on 5 of those 8 winning seasons, and he was awarded the “Best Coach of the Year” three times since the Hong Kong Premier League was formed in 2014. Alex is also a prominent figure in Kitchee Academy, which develops and nurtures talents like Matthew Orr, Law Tsz-chun, Cheng Chin-lung, Ho Chun-ting, Clement Benhaddouche, and Ngan Cheuk-pan. These players all joined the Club for more than a decade and have been promoted to the First Team. Alex will take on this important task of implementing individual training programmes for our upcoming young players so that more young players will be ready for future ACL competitions.

Kim Dong-jin, Kitchee’s Interim Head Coach from Korea, played as a central defender and left-back in his professional career. In 2006-2009, Kim joined Zenit Saint Petersberg for three seasons and won several titles, including the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 2008. Apart from Zenit Saint Petersberg, Kim also played for FC Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai in K-league. With over 60 international caps for Korea, Kim participated in two World Cups and two Olympics. In the season 2017-2018, Kim joined Kitchee and subsequently helped the Club to win the treble in two consecutive seasons. On 24 July 2019, Kim ended his 18-year professional career and made his final appearance as a footballer at the game against Manchester City for Kitchee, at which time he started his coaching career. With Kim’s extensive experience, the Club is confident that the First Team will remain dominant in the domestic league and be ready to achieve greatness by shaping the players for the AFC Champions League 2022 and beyond.

Kitchee will start the pre-season training on 11 August at the Jockey Club Kitchee Centre with players returning from their respective summer break and quarantine in the coming week. The team will have several pre-season friendlies to warm up in before the season begins on 18 September.