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World Cup kiss: as Luis Rubiales row rages, striker predicts woman boss of a top European men’s football club within 3 years

  • Michael Udebuluzor, who hopes to make his Hong Kong debut this month, has played in Germany under head coach Sabrina Wittman
  • He says he will ‘forever respect’ Wittman and backs women bosses to manage at the top level

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Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has been criticised for kissing Spain player Jenni Hermoso after her side’s World Cup victory. Photo: Reuters
While women’s football negotiates a man-made storm over Spanish federation chief Luis Rubiales kissing World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, the men’s game is very slowly seeing more women in prominent roles – and striker Michael Udebuluzor welcomes it.
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The Hong Kong-born teenager has played for a woman manager at his German club Ingolstadt, and said he anticipated a woman taking charge of a top-tier men’s team in a major European league within three years.

Having left Hong Kong aged 14 to board at Germany’s DFI football academy, Udebuluzor joined Ingolstadt II’s under-19 team in 2021, just as Sabrina Wittman took over as their boss. She had already been the Bavarian club’s under-17 manager.

He scored 13 goals in 31 games under Wittman – whose side are currently sixth in their Bundesliga under-19 standings – before stepping up to play for Ingolstadt II in Germany’s fifth tier.

Chan Yuen-ting twice managed Eastern and led the club to the 2015-16 Premier League title. Photo: Edward Wong
Chan Yuen-ting twice managed Eastern and led the club to the 2015-16 Premier League title. Photo: Edward Wong

“I don’t pay attention to the person’s gender, only the quality of the coaching and management,” Udebuluzor told the Post.

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