Football's revival "is set to take its next step forward" with the government showing signs it will support the Hong Kong FA's new five-year plan, according to Alvin Sallay of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. However, there are concerns whether an estimated HK$210M ($27M) of additional funding over the next five years will be provided by the government, with a high-level source saying that even the current annual subsidy provided by Project Phoenix -- HK$20M ($2.5M) -- "was not guaranteed." HKFA CEO Mark Sutcliffe, who was instrumental in setting up Project Phoenix and the main architect behind the five-year plan, hoped that "funding would be extended beyond October." Sutcliffe said, "We have not received official confirmation yet about a future funding commitment from the government, but the noises we are hearing are positive." The HKFA estimates that it needs around HK$210M "to bridge the deficit between income and expenditure over the next five years." Sutcliffe: "This is over and above the money we are currently receiving from the government" (SCMP, 5/27).
