Teams, star players, coaches: All you need to know about Chinese Taipei Premier League 2020
Founded in 2017 after the folding of the then highest-ranked National First Division Football League, the Chinese Taipei Premier League is set to kick off its fourth season with Tatung FC from Taipei the defending champions.
While matches are set to be held behind closed doors, and no estimated date for changing this policy, there is plenty of intrigue and backstory to the action that is set to take place on the field.
Ahead of the kick-off of East Asia’s only active league, the-AFC.com previews the eight participating teams.
Tatung FC
Head coach: Chiang Mu-tsai
2019 result: Champions
Foreign players: Luke Deming (USA), Angel Samuel Kouamé (Cote d’Ivoire), Elias Argueta (Honduras), Hirokimi Harada (Japan), Luis Galo (Honduras), Ben Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso)
Player to watch: Onur Dogan
Chinese Taipei’s perennial heavyweights, Tatung FC are seeking a fourth consecutive title but the big question will be how much of a blow is the loss of last year’s star Marc Fenelus to rivals Tainan City?
A key part of the 2019 championship-winning side, Fenelus’ goals will be sorely missed, although Tatung do retain potency up front in Turkey-born Chinese Taipei international Onur Dogan and Ivorian Angel Samuel Kouamé.
Can Chinese Taipei’s powerhouse maintain their stranglehold on the league or is this the year their grip slips?
Taipower FC
Head coach: Chen Kuei-jen
2019 result: Second
Foreign players: None
Player to watch: Chen Chao-an
If Tatung have dominated the Premier League since its inception in 2017, then it’s Taipower who have always been the ones to run them closest, finishing runners-up on all three occasions.
The Kaohsiung side were 90 minutes away from ending Tatung’s run last season but a disappointing home defeat to their rivals handed the championship to the capital city club.
The addition of 24-year-old international midfielder Chen Chao-an and young gun Jiang Sin-long to an already strong side could be the extra edge Chinese Taipei’s most successful side need to end their recent title drought.
Hang Yuan FC
Head coach: Hung Ching-hwai
2019 result: Third
Foreign players: Judelin Aveska (Haiti), Michael O’Gorman (USA), William Lopez (El Salvador), Atsushi Shimono (Japan), Luan Anderson (Brazil), Louis Emmanuel
Player to watch: Wu Yen-shu
History-makers as the first side from Chinese Taipei to appear in the AFC Cup, Hang Yuan’s exploits on the domestic front have been overshadowed by those of Tatung and Taipower with the New Taipei side finishing third in three consecutive domestic seasons.
And their chances of improving on those finishes suffered a major blow ahead of the 2020 campaign with last season’s top scorer Benchy Estama and prolific forward Ju Ik-seong leaving the club.
While their attack may be lacking the same bite as their 2019 side, they have added solidity in Haiti international centre-back Judelin Aveska and defensive midfielder Atsushi Shimono, while young midfielder Wu Yen-shu has been touted as a rising star.
Tainan City (Taiwan Steel) FC
Head coach: Lo Chi-chong
2019 result: Fourth
Foreign players: Alim Zumakulov (Russia), Matias Del Canto (Chile), Benchy Estama (Haiti), Marc Fenelus (Turks & Caicos), Mauricio, Vitor
Player to watch: Marc Fenelus
Despite finishing fourth last year, the team from Tainan could be poised to pose the biggest threat to Tatung’s title reign to date after some eye-catching pre-season signings that give them arguably the most formidable forward line in the league.
Haiti-born Marc Fenelus was the standout star in 2019, deservedly winning the MVP award, and is considered by many to be the best foreign import in the league. His arrival from Tatung alone would have hugely boosted Tainan City’s credentials, but the side also then added last season’s Top Scorer Benchy Estama to their ranks.
With goals guaranteed, Tainan City will be ones to watch in 2020.
Taichung Futuro FC
Head coach: Toshiaki Imai
2019 result: Fifth
Foreign players: Jun Kochi, Keita Yamauchi, Kohei Ueda, Yugo Ichiyanagi, Yoshitaka Komori, Seiji Fujiwara, Keisuke Ogawa (all Japanese), Ju Ik-seong (Korea Republic)
Player to watch: Ju Ik-seong
With vastly experienced Japanese tactian Toshiaki Imai brought in at the helm, Taichung Futuro have recruited heavily from their new coach’s nation with seven players from the Land of the Rising Sun recruited.
Imai knows the Chinese Taipei football landscape well, having twice been coach of the national side and will be asked to improve on what was a disappointing fifth place finish in 2019.
One of the main weaknesses was a lack of clinical finishing in front of goal and the arrival of Korean striker Ju Ik-seong, who netted 20 times last season, could prove the answer.
Taiwan Sports University FC Head coach: Chen Po-yu
2019 result: Sixth
Foreign players: None
Player to watch: Chen Chun-ting
Having narrowly avoided the relegation play-off positions last season, it is again likely to be a difficult year for the Taichung team attached to Chinese Taipei’s University of Sport
A creditable 1-1 draw against top five side and neighbours Taichung Futuro was among the highlights of the 2019 campaign and the club will be looking to ruffle the feathers of the bigger teams once more this season.
Ming Chuan University FC
Head coach: Tseng Tai-lin
2019 result: Seventh
Foreign players: Shunnosuke Tadokoro (Japan)
Player to watch: Tu Shao-chie
Like TSU, Ming Chuan will likely be focused more on developing the next generation of Chinese Taipei talent than having realistic championship aims, while also hoping to avoid the relegation play-off they endured in 2019.
One such up-and-comer is Tu Shao-chieh, who at 21 years old has already represented the senior national side, and the defender’s progression at Ming Chuan will be watched by many with interest.
Red Lions FC
Head coach: Francisco Arce
2019 result: 8th
Foreign players: Yuki Inoue (Japan), Zacchary Meftah (France), Esteban Vasquez (Chile), Diego Ramirez (Chile), Pa Baboucarr Jallow (The Gambia), Camilo Salazar (Chile), Matias Vilchez (Chile), Diego Loza (El Salvador), Joshua Del Valle (USA), Gerardo Rabre (Guatemala), Douglas Alfaro (El Salvador)
Player to watch: Wang Yi-you
Incoming Chilean coach Franciso Arce, much like Toshiaki Imai, has drawn heavily from his native land with four players from the South American country joining the ranks of 2019’s bottom-placed side.
Further additions from Guatemala and El Salvador give Red Lions a distinctly Latin vibe, although the signing of Chinese Taipei U-19 defender Wang Yi-you ensures some local interest.
With just a solitary victory and four draws gained last season, the side will hope for better in 2020.