Chan Yuen-ting to be first woman to face men’s elite as she takes on ex-Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari in Asian Champions League
‘BEEF BALL’ will pit her wits against ‘Big Phil’ in a meaty touchline battle on Wednesday.
Chan Yuen-ting will make history as the first woman ever to guide a men’s team in a continental competition.
Chan Yuen-ting poses during a training session in Hong KongAP:Associated Press
Chan, bizarrely nicknamed ‘Beef Ball’, led Eastern Sports Club to the Hong Kong Premier League title last year – younger than some of her players aged just 27.
Now a year older she will test her mettle against Guangzhou Evergrande’s coach – ex-Chelsea boss former World Cup winner Scolari – as the duo go head to head in the Asian Champions League.
Chan spoke to the BBC last year to reveal how her nickname had come about and how much she loved hearing it chanted from the stands.
She said: “I have always been quite stubborn by nature, like a cow!
Chan Yuen-ting after winning the Hong Kong Premier League titleAPChan will now go up against Luiz Felipe Scolari in the Asian Champions LeagueAP:Associated PressAt 28 Chan is younger than several of the players she coachesAPChan celebrates after becoming the first woman to win a men’s national titleAP
“When I head the Eastern fans chanting ‘Beef Ball’ in the stands I was very happy.
“As Hong Kong had never seen a female head coach, quite a few fans weren’t sure about it.
“’Is a woman suitable to lead a men’s professional football team?’”
“A crucial part of my job is done on the dressing room on match day.
Related stories
United fit the Bill-ion
Man United set to break the £1BILLION Premier League prize money barrier at the end of this season
wenger, time to gio
Ex-Arsenal man Gio van Bronckhorst led Feyenoord to title — could he replace Arsene Wenger?
SUPER SIX
Antonio Conte leads six-man shortlist for Premier League manager of THE season with Paul Clement also included
CREME DE LA PREM
Alexis Sanchez, Dele Alli, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante up for Premier League Player of the Season award
TV Times
What time is Chelsea vs Watford, what TV channel is it on and what is latest team news?
IN HIS GENES
Meet Chelsea starlet Denim Nnamudi - the 10-year-old taking the Blues academy by storm with his incredible skill
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal vs Sunderland: Gunners wait on Alexis Sanchez; George Honeyman struggling for visitors
'My mum made me anti-Madridista'
Real Madrid-bound Atletico star Theo Hernandez risks fury of girlfriend who was brought up to hate Los Blancos
BLUE MONDAY
Chelsea vs Watford live: Latest score and updates as Champions Chelsea take on Hornets at the Bridge
kor blimey
Could North Korea host the World Cup? South Korean football chief bizarrely claims they could co-host the 2030 tournament with their bitter enemies
Race for Europe
Could the fourth-placed Premier League team miss out on the Champions League?
demi-gone
Man City cult hero Martin Demichelis announces retirement from football... and fans blame Man Utd star
Team news
Southampton vs Man United team news: Jose Mourinho missing six stars for the game at St Mary's
TV Times
What TV channel is Southampton vs Man United on, what time is kick off and what is latest team news?
White Hart Pain
Arsenal cult hero Lukas Podolski trolls rivals Tottenham with hilarious Twitter 'tribute' to stadium
sanchez fitness race
Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez to face late fitness test ahead of Sunderland game on Tuesday
LIFTING THE BLUES
When will Chelsea be presented with the Premier League trophy? And will John Terry get a medal?
'OUT OF THE GAME'
Tony Pulis warns West Brom will pull out of deal for Leeds ace Charlie Taylor if it goes to tribunal
deal me in
Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and ALL Premier League clubs - get the latest transfer news, updates and gossip
'Congratulations, daddy!'
PSG star Marquinhos in tears at finding out his wife is pregnant with their first child
“Honestly, I see pretty much everything! When they’re half naked, quite smell, quite filthy and all.
“When we won the league it was like a dream. People were asking why I wasn’t smiling but it was like an out-of-body experience.
“The fact I’m a woman doesn’t necessarily make me want to prove myself even more – I don’t really see it that way. Man or woman, a coach is a coach.”
Chan talks to her players during a training session in Hong KongAPScolari guided Ronaldo and Brazil to the World Cup in 2002AP:Associated PressBut ‘Big Phil’ was not so successful during short stint at ChelseaNews Group Newspapers Ltd
Now she admits she cannot wait to test herself against Scolari, whose Guangzhou have won the competition twice previously.
She added: “It’s quite amazing, especially when you watch the games when he was coaching Brazil and they won the World Cup in 2002.
“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.
“But I know at this moment all I need to do is focus on our team and concentrate on the work that we are doing.”
Leave a comment