Hong Kong Football Club's teenaged goalkeeper James Wright has said the weekend's HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens provided a rare gateway for local talent to play at an elite level overseas.
After putting up several outstanding performances in the previous year's competition, Wright got an invitation for a tryout at West Ham United, his favorite team.
After Wright came to England, that chance did not materialize because even though he held a British passport, he was considered a non-EU player according to FIFA regulations. As a result, West Ham decided not to offer him one of their limited spots reserved for players who do not qualify for a UK work permit.
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A week-long stint with Charlton Athletic was arranged instead, with Wright not offered a deal but told he was welcome to train in future with this season's League One play-off finalists.
Shortly after competing in this year's Sevens tournament, 17-year-old Wright was all set to fly to Japan for a four-day trial with Kamatamare Sanuki. This opportunity came through arrangements made by ex-Hong Kong international Au Yeung Yiu-chung, who previously played for the club in the J3 League.
Wright mentioned that this competition provides young athletes such as himself with an opportunity to showcase their skills against major teams like Aston Villa and West Ham, and he received interest from West Ham following the previous year.
Although he felt let down, Wright got connected with Vic Bettinelli, who was the chief of the Chelsea academy goalkeepers.
Wright stated about the English game, "The football is far more physically demanding, yet from a goalkeeper’s perspective, I met their technical standards. It benefits my growth having the opportunity to consistently train with them."
Charlton informed Wright that his comparatively shorter height of 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) played a crucial role in their decision not to offer him a contract.
Unshaken, he finds motivation in Yapp Hung-fai’s achievement, who dominated as Hong Kong's unrivaled top player for over ten years despite their comparable size. This is a status that Wright aspires to achieve in the future.
He may not be tall, but he pulls off amazing saves and is an outstanding goalkeeper," Wright stated. "Iker Casillas, Yann Sommer, and David Raya all stand at 183 cm; since I am 180 cm, we're just 3 cm apart, indicating that the dream isn’t out of reach.
A new window of chance might soon open up. Au Yeung has been leveraging his ties in Japan with the aim to create chances for the best among Hong Kong’s youthful talents.
Au Yeung currently plays for Kowloon City. He became aware of Wright’s talent when Wright excelled in a competition at South Island School.
“I’ll seize every chance that comes my way,” stated Wright, who has logged one appearance for the senior Football Club and played with the Hong Kong under-20 teams.
In Japan, the gameplay is distinct and at an exceptionally high standard. My objective is to turn professional wherever I can and sustain a career in football for as long as feasible.
I am highly energetic and prefer not sitting behind a desk. I have reached the pinnacle in Hong Kong and require an opportunity to advance further.
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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