Chan Yuen-ting becomes first woman to manage in men's continental top-flight competition

Chan Yuen-ting manages Hong Kong Premier League champions Eastern SC

A Chinese coach has made history by becoming the first woman to manage a men's team in a top-flight continental competition.

Chan Yuen-ting, who lifted the Hong Kong Premier League title as boss of Eastern Sports Club last season, managed her side in an Asian Champions League match on Wednesday.

Her team could not quite live up to the occasion however - they were hammered 7-0.

She faced up against Luiz Felipe Scolari - a World Cup-winning coach with Brazil - and his Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande.

Chan became the first woman to coach a men's professional team to a top division title when they won the Hong Kong Premier League in 2015-16.

They lost only once in 15 matches after she took over in December 2015 to become first female coach in the league.

Chan previously worked as a data analyst for Hong Kong Pegasus before taking over as assistant coach at the club.</s>You may not be aware but Chan Yuen-ting made football history earlier this week.

The 28-year-old became the first woman to coach in an inter-continental football competition by leading out Hong Kong side Eastern Sports Club against the Chinese outfit Guangzhou Evergrande in the Asian Champions League.

The 28-year-old took the reins at the Mong Kok Stadium last season and inspired Eastern to the Hong Kong Premier League title, losing just one of her first 15 matches in charge of the club.

In the process, she became the first woman to lead a men’s football team to a domestic, top-flight championship.

That’s some going - especially when you take into consideration her young age. Chan doesn’t turn 30 until October 2018.

Her history-making match didn't go well...

On Wednesday she led out Eastern in the biggest match of his managerial career so far - and one of the biggest matches in the club’s history.

Their opponents, Guangzhou Evergrande, are managed by the Brazilian World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari and boasts several household names in their squad including the Colombian striker Jackson Martinez and Brazil international Paulinho.

Eastern also have a few Brazilians in their squad, although nobody you’re likely to have heard of.

Their number nine is a Spaniard called Manuel Bleda who spent time with Levante B between 2010 and 2012 but failed to force his way into the first team.

So, that outlines the gulf in class between the two teams.

Eastern were always up against it, although they shot themselves in the foot twice during the second half.

Wong Tsz Ho and Wong Chi Chung were both sent off, in the third and 34th minutes respectively, and Scolari’s side went into the half-time interval with a three-goal advantage.

Guangzhou Evergrande ended up scoring four more times after the break to record an emphatic 7-0 win over Chan’s team.

“We have learned a very valuable lesson today,” Chan was quoted as saying by Fox Soccer. “Of course losing the game is a very big disappointment, but we learned we need to adjust our mentality as soon as possible [to compete in the Champions League].

“After the red card everything changed, all our tactics and plans had to be changed. And in a competition like this the pace is quite different from that we encounter in Hong Kong … it’s our debut and naturally we’ll make mistakes.”

Her opposite number, however, told her not to take the result too badly because of the two red cards.

“I comforted her and told her this match cannot be a real evidence for your ability,” the former Chelsea manager commented. “This is quite different when within such a short time you have two red cards like this – you can’t take it seriously.”

Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: http://gms.to/writeforgms</s>Wednesday 22 February 2017 will be a special day for the Asian Football Confederation (the organisers of the AFC Champions League), reigning Hong Kong champions Eastern Long Lions and their coach Chan Yuen Ting.

It is a day that will see Eastern make their first appearance in the prestigious continental competition since it was revamped, having taken part in it 20 years ago, while for her part, Chan Yuen will become the first woman to coach a men’s team in a continental club tournament.

On the eve of her side’s opening 2017 AFC Champions League group match against China PR’s Guangzhou Evergrande – one of the favourites to lift the trophy – the intrepid young coach gave an exclusive interview to FIFA.com. Looking ahead to the occasion, she said: “I never thought I’d find myself in such a big competition. Last year was fantastic for everyone here. I didn’t think that the players would take me so far, but we're on the way to making our dreams come true. My job now is to coach the team as best I can in the competition.”

As well as the Chinese giants, Eastern will be coming up against two other Asian big guns in the group phase of the competition: Suwon Samsung Bluewings of Korea Republic and Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale. Sizing up the opposition, Chan Yuen commented: “We knew before the draw was made that we’d be facing some big teams from Japan, China, South Korea or Australia. I think they’re all stronger than the clubs in Hong Kong. We know that there’s a gulf between us, but we’ll be giving it everything we’ve got. We can’t wait for the group phase to start.

“All the matches will be tough for us because we know that Eastern are not as strong as their opponents. Nothing is impossible in football, though. We’re well prepared and we’re ready for these games. We’ve analysed our opponents and come up with game plans for them. I want my players to show their mental strength and technique on the pitch.”

The only woman involved in the competition, Chan Yuen will be stepping out against none other than Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guangzhou’s Brazilian coach. “Everyone knows that Scolari is a great coach who’s won the World Cup with Brazil,” she said. “I’m going to talk to him when I meet him. I want to learn from him on the pitch because he has a lot of experience.”

So what thoughts will be going through Chan Yuen’s head when she comes up against such an experienced opposite number? Will she be adopting the tactics used by some of her role models on the global scene? Answering those questions, the confident coach said: “I have a few coaches I look up to but I don’t copy the philosophy of people like Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho or Antonio Conte. I respect all the great coaches and their achievements at the highest level, but they all have their own personalities and philosophy. I have my own method, one that is tailored to what my team is capable of and to the matches we have to play.”

And what of the pressure Chan Yuen has faced since steering her side to the domestic title last season, a landmark achievement that saw her make headlines around the world? “It was a very fulfilling year for me,” she replied. “I gave a lot of interviews, which perhaps created a bit of pressure, though that’s all part and parcel of a coach’s job. I try to avoid the trap created by negative pressure by just focusing on my job.”

Her story is a potential source of inspiration for any woman looking to coach a men’s team but who is perhaps put off by the obstacles involved: “I’m happy to be a role model for other female coaches. There’s no professional women’s league in Hong Kong, which is what we need if we’re going to progress. I’m ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who’s thinking of getting into coaching.”

All eyes will be on Chan Yuen and her Eastern charges over the six matchdays of the 2017 AFC Champions League group phase. Yet no matter how the Hong Kong side fare, there is no question that this fearless coach is making her mark on the game.</s>REUTERS: Premier League champions Leicester City sacked Italian manager Claudio Ranieri on Thursday with the Midlands team still in the Champions League but hovering near the relegation zone.

Ranieri, whose side are a point and a place above the bottom three, leaves Leicester less then a year after clinching a remarkable English title triumph that stunned the soccer world.

"Leicester City Football Club has tonight (Thursday) parted company with its first team manager, Claudio Ranieri," the club said in a statement.

"Claudio, appointed City manager in July 2015, led the Foxes to the greatest triumph in the club’s 133-year history last season, as we were crowned champions of England for the first time. His status as the most successful Leicester City manager of all time is without question," it added.

"However, domestic results in the current campaign have placed the club’s Premier League status under threat and the board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the club’s greatest interest."

Ranieri had come under pressure following Leicester's amazing title success, with the team battling relegation amid media reports suggesting that he had lost the dressing room.

The club had given the Italian their "unwavering support" in a statement two weeks ago, but Leicester suffered another low last weekend when they exited the FA Cup at third-tier Millwall.

Leicester, who lost 2-1 at Sevilla in a Champions League last 16, first-leg tie on Wednesday, lifted their first top-flight league title in May having after starting the season among the favourites for relegation.</s>Hong Kong's Chan Yuen-ting will smash another hole through football's glass ceiling when she makes history in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday -- but it couldn't be a tougher debut for the trailblazing female coach.

Chan, nicknamed "Beef Ball" and just 28 years old, will etch her name in the record books as the first woman worldwide to lead a professional men's team into continental competition, at the helm of Hong Kong's Eastern.

The game is not far from Hong Kong, in southern mainland China -- but it is against Guangzhou Evergrande, the mega-rich "Manchester United of Asia" with two Champions League titles and six straight domestic trophies to their name.

But for Chan, who last year became the first female coach to win a top-flight men's league, it will be an honour to face Evergrande and their World Cup-winning manager, Brazil's Luiz Felipe Scolari.

"I never imagined or expected this could happen but now we're going to play against him so I feel excited and I'm looking forward to meeting him," she told the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website.

"All I need to do is focus on our team and concentrate on the work that we are doing."

Chan's ground-breaking 2016 Hong Kong title with Eastern made headlines around the globe, and earned her the AFC's coach of the year award and a place in a BBC list of the world's 100 most influential women.

Eastern then became Hong Kong's first club to be handed an automatic berth in the Champions League group stage, thanks to the recent performances of the city's teams in AFC competitions.

Chan said Eastern would concentrate on defending on Wednesday -- understandably, against a team which can call on the Brazilian firepower of Paulinho, Ricardo Goulart and Alan.

"We need to focus on defence, and especially our discipline and attitude during the match," Chan said.

"At this moment I don't want to create extra pressure for myself and my players so we just want to do our best and try to go as far as we can."

Chan, whose nickname "Beef Ball" refers to her competitive spirit and is often chanted by Eastern's fans, first caught the football bug when she was 13 and had a crush on David Beckham.

She followed Manchester United games on TV and her passion eventually led her into coaching, despite opposition from her parents.

"On the pitch I forget my gender as a woman. I just hope to show my abilities," Chan told AFP last year. "I think no matter your age or your gender, what you need is hard work."

Hong Kong Football Association chief executive Mark Sutcliffe said Chan had become a shining light for women involved in sport across the world.

"We are proud that Hong Kong has provided an opportunity for a female coach to operate at the highest level," Sutcliffe told AFP.

"I am sure she will act as an inspiration for women in sport across the world," he said, adding: "(But) let's not kid ourselves - it's going to be very, very tough."

Evergrande will be gunning for their third Champions League title in five years, and as an added incentive real-estate billionaire club chairman Hui Kayan has offered a 300 million yuan ($43.68 million) bonus per win in the tournament.

But whatever the result on Wednesday, the debut of Chan and Eastern will remain a significant moment for women in football, and for the sport in Asia.

"It is a ground-breaking moment for football in Asia, for the women's game and for the global game," said AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

"The world will be watching."</s>GUANGZHOU, China (AP) — After the 7-0 rout mercifully ended, Luiz Felipe Scolari walked over and shook hands with counterpart Chan Yuen-ting, then gave her a warm, fatherly pat on the head.

It was a tough night for the 28-year-old coach, but Wednesday’s Asian Champions League match was historic nonetheless as Chan became the first woman to lead a professional men’s soccer team in a continental competition.

Chan was making her debut in the tournament with Hong Kong champion Eastern SC while Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, took over at Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande in 2015 and led them to the Asian Champions League title that same year.

Eastern got into trouble early on Wednesday, and then things got worse.

Wong Tsz-Ho was sent off for handball in the third minute and Wong Chi-chung was given a red card in the 34th, forcing Eastern to play most of the Group G match with only nine men.

Wang Shangyan and Liao Lisheng scored two goals each for the two-time champions, while Ricardo Goulart, Alan and Paulinho added the others.

In South Korea, former Chelsea midfielder Ramires scored a late goal to give Chinese club Jiangsu Suning a 1-0 win at Jeju United, while Japanese team Kawasaki Frontale drew 1-1 with Suwon Bluewings.

Also Wednesday, Gamba Osaka defeated Adelaide United 3-0 to end a poor week for Australian clubs in the competition.

In three matches played in Australia this week, the home teams failed to score a goal.</s>After the 7-0 rout mercifully ended, Luiz Felipe Scolari walked over and shook hands with counterpart Chan Yuen-ting, then gave her a warm, almost fatherly pat on the head.

It was a tough night for the 28-year-old Chan, coach of Hong Kong club Eastern SC, but Wednesday’s Asian Champions League match was historic nonetheless as she became the first woman to lead a professional men’s soccer team in a continental competition.

Chan was making her debut in the elite Asian club tournament with the Hong Kong champions while Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, took over at Chinese powerhouse Guangzhou Evergrande in 2015 and led them to the Asian Champions League title that same year.

Eastern got into trouble early on Wednesday, and then things got worse.

Fullback Wong Tsz-ho was sent off for handball as he defended on the line in the third minute and Wong Chi-chung was given a red card in the 34th, forcing Eastern to play most of the Group G match with only nine men.

Wang Shangyan and Liao Lisheng scored two goals each for the two-time champions, while Ricardo Goulart, Alan and Paulinho added the others.

“The two red cards in the first half completely ruined our plan,” Chan was quoted as saying by Chinese news agency, Xinhua. “Many of our players are too young, we made many mistakes, I hope we can learn from these mistakes in our next matches.”

Scolari said took full toll of its numeric and experience advantage.

“It was not a normal match, because our opponents were two men down in the first half,” he said. “We took advantage of that.”

In South Korea, former Chelsea midfielder Ramires scored a late goal to give Chinese club Jiangsu Suning a 1-0 win at Jeju United, while Japanese team Kawasaki Frontale drew 1-1 with Suwon Bluewings.

Also Wednesday, Gamba Osaka defeated Adelaide United 3-0 to end a poor week for Australian clubs in the competition.

In three matches played in Australia this week, the home teams failed to score a goal.</s>Who was the most recent Manager of the Month winner at your club?

While Manchester United are top of the pile when it comes to picking up Player of the Month awards, you have to go a fair way back to find their last Premier League Manager of the Month.

Three current top-flight teams have never had a boss win the monthly accolade, while several sides struggling down the Football League will have a long wait before their next victorious manager.

Scroll through the gallery above to find out who was the most recent boss at your club to win the Premier League Manager of the Month award.</s>English Premier League champions Leicester City have sacked manager Claudio Ranieri, the club said in a statement.

Ranieri, whose side are currently a point and a place above the relegation zone, leaves less then a year after clinching a remarkable title triumph.

The Foxes were defeated 2-1 by Sevilla in the Champions League earlier this week.

“Claudio led the Foxes to the greatest triumph in the club’s 133-year history last season, as we were crowned champions of England for the first time,” the statement said.

“His status as the most successful Leicester City manager of all time is without question.

“However, domestic results in the current campaign have placed the club’s Premier League status under threat and the board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the club’s greatest interest.”

The board called the decision a painful one but says it feels duty-bound to make the call.

“This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City,” vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said.

“But we are duty-bound to put the club’s long-term interests above all sense of personal sentiment, no matter how strong that might be.”

Assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and first team coach Mike Stowell will take over the managerial duties until a new coach is found, starting with this weekend’s Premier League match against Liverpool.</s>Leicester City sacked their manager Claudio Ranieri on Thursday, just months after leading the club to a remarkable Premier League title triumph, the Midlands side announced. The Italian's position has come under intense scrutiny this season during a slump that has left the Foxes just a point above the relegation zone. That follows their startling title triumph, with Leicester 5,000/1 no-hopers before the start of the 2015/16 season.

Not even a gutsy 2-1 loss away to Sevilla in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday was enough to spare Ranieri, 65, the sack, even though the statement from Thai-owned Leicester confirming his departure from the King Power Stadium proclaimed him the "most successful manager" in the history of the 133-year-old club.

"Leicester City Football Club has tonight (Thursday) parted company with its first-team manager, Claudio Ranieri," said the statement.

"Claudio, appointed City manager in July 2015, led the Foxes to the greatest triumph in the club's 133-year history last season, as we were crowned champions of England for the first time. His status as the most successful Leicester City manager of all time is without question."

Leicester though have won just five of their 25 league games this term and are yet to score a league goal in 2017, having also been knocked out of the FA Cup by third-tier Millwall.

"However, domestic results in the current campaign have placed the club's Premier League status under threat and the board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the club's greatest interest," the club statement added.

Leicester vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said ditching Ranieri had been the hardest decision the current owners had made but one they had to take when, with 13 games left to play, there was still a chance of Premier League survival.

"This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City," he said.

"Claudio has brought outstanding qualities to his office. His skilful management, powers of motivation and measured approach have been reflective of the rich experience we always knew he would bring to Leicester City.

"His warmth, charm and charisma have helped transform perceptions of the club and develop its profile on a global scale. We will forever be grateful to him for what he has helped us to achieve.

"It was never our expectation that the extraordinary feats of last season should be replicated this season. Indeed, survival in the Premier League was our first and only target at the start of the campaign.

"But we are now faced with a fight to reach that objective and feel a change is necessary to maximise the opportunity presented by the final 13 games."

Former Leicester and England striker Gary Lineker, now a television football presenter, reacted to Ranieri's exit by tweeting: "After all that Claudio Ranieri has done for Leicester City, to sack him now is inexplicable, unforgivable and gut-wrenchingly sad."

Leicester's title success came after they narrowly avoided relegation under former manager Nigel Pearson.

But they have not won in their last nine matches in all competitions since a 2-1 FA Cup success at Everton on January 7, with their last league victory a 1-0 win over West Ham on December 31.

Assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and Mike Stowell will take caretaker charge ahead of Monday's match against Liverpool.

Guus Hiddink, who helped arrest Chelsea's decline last season when they suffered a slump immediately after winning the title, was installed as the 6/1 favourite by British bookmaker William Hill to replace Ranieri.

Hills made Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill, who enjoyed success as Leicester manager from 1995-2000, the 8/1 second-favourite.
Eastern Sports Club's manager Chan Yuen-ting becomes the first woman to coach a male football club in a top-flight continental competition with managing team against Guangzhou Evergrande in the AFC Champions League.