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Paul McNamara

Lee Man have parted company with head coach Chu Siu-kei following their shock FA Cup quarter-final defeat by BC Rangers on Sunday, with assistant Darren Read taking charge until the end of the season.
Initially installed as caretaker boss following the exit of Matt Holland almost a year ago, Chu was appointed on a permanent basis at the end of last season.
Lee Man are second in the league, 11 points behind runaway leaders Kitchee, having played one game fewer.
Heavy favourites to beat Rangers on Sunday, they conceded two late goals to draw 3-3, then missed three out of four penalties in a shootout they lost 3-1.
Barely four hours after full-time, Lee Man issued a statement confirming that Chu would “leave … with immediate effect”.
“The club sincerely thanks him for his dedication and contributions, and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours,” read the statement, which added that Englishman Read would “lead the team for the remainder of the season”.

Former Kitchee and Hong Kong midfielder Chu won 11 and lost four of his 18 matches in permanent charge, after his 11 games as caretaker boss yielded eight victories and three defeats.
He has ultimately paid the price for Lee Man almost certainly missing out on AFC Champions League Two football next season, following a heavy summer outlay on players including Noah Baffoe, Mikael Severo, Dostonbek Tursunov, Max Poon Pui-hin and Cy Goodard.
Chu’s departure leaves Norman Lee Man-yan, the club president, looking for his fourth permanent boss in 17 months, after both Tsang Chiu-tat, who led Lee Man to the 2023-24 title, and Holland left last season.
Read, who worked alongside ex-Hong Kong manager Ashley Westwood at Malaysian club FC Penang nearly a decade ago, will begin his temporary reign with a League Cup semi-final against Tai Po at Mong Kok Stadium on Wednesday.
Holland also left soon after an FA Cup quarter-final loss to Rangers, although the 2-1 defeat 12 months ago had little of the drama of this weekend’s tie.
Lee Man were 2-0 up after 27 minutes following a strike from Merab Giguari and an Alvin Lau Yin-hong own goal.
Rangers forward Mauricio Cortes pulled one back shortly before half-time, but Severo’s 72nd-minute header appeared to have killed the contest. Lau Chi-lok converted from the spot after Ryoya Tachibana’s 88th-minute handball in the box, then Cheng Tsz-sum, on loan from Tai Po, crashed home a leveller deep into stoppage time.
Lee Man defender Yu Wai-lim was sent off after collecting two yellow cards in extra-time. Cortes, Lau and Matias Panigazzi were all successful in the shootout, but after Willian Gaucho scored Lee Man’s first penalty, Dudu, Severo and Kyle Lau Ka-kiu all failed from the spot.
In the semi-finals, cup specialists Rangers, FA Cup runners-up in 2023 and 2025, will meet Tai Po in a rematch of the recent Senior Shield final, which the district club won 4-1.
After beating Kitchee 6-5 on penalties following a 1-1 draw on Saturday, Tai Po will suddenly see a path to cup glory and, perhaps more importantly, ACL2 qualification for the second straight season.
Out of contention in the league, they had braced themselves to have to overcome Kitchee and Lee Man to reach the final.
Eastern, winners of the past two FA Cups, lost a shootout 4-3 against Eastern District following a 0-0 draw on Saturday. In the last four, Eastern District will face North District, who beat Football Club 3-1 on Sunday night.


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Lee Man boss Chu sacked hours after shock FA Cup defeat to Rangers, Reed takes charge

Lee Man spent big in the off-season, including on striker Noah Baffoe (right), but are likely to end it empty-handed. Photo: Edmond So

Chu Siu-kei (second left), seen here alongside (from left) defender Timothy Chow and Southern boss Calvin Pui and forward Sohgo Ichikawa has ultimately paid the price for missing out on Champions League football. Photo: HKFA

Hong Kong Olympic swimmer Yvette Kong happy to keep on defying traditional limitations

Yvette Kong’s new venture, Arelyx, has partnered with more than 10 schools, with early pilots showing gains in students’ ‘cognitive flexibility and emotional regulation’. Photo: Handout

Yvette Kong overseeing an Arelyx workshop at Buddhist Yip Kei Nam Memorial College. Photo: Handout

Yvette Kong competing in the 2016 Olympic Games after qualifying by 0.1 seconds. Photo: Reuters

Yvette Kong (far left) on a 2025 panel about the mindset needed to turn challenges into opportunities. Photo: Handout

Yvette Kong says the next frontier is about helping young people understand their capacity. Photo: Handout

Tai Po backers deny they’ll pull plug on team, say Hong Kong champions have full support

Tai Po players and staff celebrate with fans following their ACL2 victory over Cong An Hanoi last December. Photo: Elson Li

Francis Yip addresses players and staff after Tai Po’s defeat by Southern last Saturday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Tai Po players celebrate beating BC Rangers in the Senior Shield final last month. Photo: Elson Li

Sport

Football

Chu Siu-kei fired shortly after penalty shootout loss, with assistant Darren Read stepping up on interim basis. Tai Po stun Kitchee


Chu Siu-kei fired shortly after penalty shootout loss, with assistant Darren Read stepping up on interim basis. Tai Po stun Kitchee.


Hong Kong Premier League

Lee Man FC

Kyle Lau Ka-kiu

BC Rangers (Hong Kong)

Lee Man boss Chu sacked hours after shock FA Cup defeat to Rangers, Reed takes charge

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chu Siu-kei fired shortly after penalty shootout loss, with assistant Darren Read stepping up on interim basis. Tai Po stun Kitchee

Chu Siu-kei fired shortly after penalty shootout loss, with assistant Darren Read stepping up on interim basis. Tai Po stun Kitchee