Ashley Westwood, the former Afghanistan national team head coach, has been appointed as the new manager of Hong Kong’s football team. The announcement was made by the Chinese territory’s football association on Wednesday. Westwood, who once trained at Manchester United, replaces Norway’s Jorn Andersen, who successfully guided Hong Kong to their first Asian Cup finals since 1968 earlier this year.
The 47-year-old Englishman brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously coached Indian clubs Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC, as well as working with Penang FA in Malaysia. Westwood expressed confidence in his ability to lead Hong Kong to the Asian Cup when it takes place in Saudi Arabia in 2027.
He remarked, “I don’t have any reservations about the quality in Hong Kong. I’ve played here before with my Indian sides, I’ve seen their standard. I think there’s good players here.” This optimistic outlook suggests that Westwood believes in the potential of Hong Kong’s football team and is eager to guide them to success on the international stage.
