Hong Kong Premier League Official Says League No Different Than First Division

Hong Kong Premier League club official Peter Leung Shou-chi said that the league, due to be launched in September, "is little different from its predecessor and will hardly change domestic soccer," according to Chan Kin-wa of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Leung, a director of ambitious side Eastern, said that he "was disappointed with the way things were being handled by the administration, saying nothing had been done to move the sport forward." Leung: "The Hong Kong Football Association has become more bureaucratic under Phoenix Project; the only thing they have done is hire more people to do jobs, which were handled by fewer people before." Leung said in professional leagues like those in England, Europe and Japan, clubs "have a strong say in matters relating to the league, but this did not appear to be the case in Hong Kong." Leung: "There have been no discussions on setting up a Premier League decision-making body consisting mainly of the participating clubs" (SCMP, 7/9).