Hong Kong hero back in town for Fifa Asean Cup, as current coach plays down key-man exit

Scheduling the pre-tournament press conference less than five hours before the opening match did little to disabuse anyone of the impression that everybody involved in organising the inaugural Fifa Asean Cup is flying by the seat of their pants.

It all got too much for Vladica Grujic, the fiery Laos head coach, as the clock ticked 15 minutes beyond the scheduled 12.15pm start time.

“This is crazy, we’re playing this evening and my player [captain Bounphachan Bounkong] needs to have lunch,”...