Through some impressive displays on the pitch, emerging Wofoo Tai Po talent Sun Ming-him has been named as the BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League MVP (February, 2020), co-chosen by The Football Association of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Sports Press Association.

As one of the fastest rising young stars in the premier league, Sun scored two goals for Wofoo Tai Po in February, helping the New Territories side to record one win and three draws in the month. The nineteen year-old admitted he was extremely surprised when first heard about being named as the latest recipient of the monthly MVP award.

“When Coach Fung (Wofoo Tai Po head coach Fung Hoi-man) informed me about being named as the February MVP, I was really caught off guard. I never thought I would be linked to these honors and never imagined I would be lucky enough to win it,” Sun confessed.

“I guess the team’s improved performances on the field, as well as the coach’s decision to play me in a more attacking role on the pitch, might have contributed to me winning the monthly MVP award.”

As the reigning Hong Kong Premier League champion, Wofoo Tai Po started the new season somewhat slowly. It was not until the sixth game in the new campaign that the New Territories side finally recorded its first victory in the new season. Things got worse when Wofoo Tai Po ventured to Malaysia for an AFC Champions League Preliminary Stage clash against local side Kedah but was duly handed a 1:5 defeat. Ever the optimist with a sunshine personality, Sun stressed that Wofoo Tai Po players were always composed during the skid, hoping to break out of the slump through genuine team effort.

“At the start of the season when the team was not doing well, even after the heavy defeat against Kedah in the AFC Champions League Preliminary Stage, morale in the squad was actually not that bad,” revealed the talented teenager.

“As a matter of fact, everyone just kept digging deep, practicing hard and keep encouraging each other, trying to keep our confidence intact. When we started to develop some on-field chemistry around midseason, our results picked up quite naturally.”

From making his senior Hong Kong debut against Chinese Taipei last summer in an international friendly match, to appearing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers group-stage and the EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2019 Final, Sun’s professional football path seems to be quite plain sailing, yet the young gun maintains he is far from the finished product and his own game still requires a lot of improvements.

“Ever since I turned professional two seasons ago, I have certainly learnt a lot regarding various parts of the pro game,” offered the young stalwart, who juggles professional football alongside studies in the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

“Playing for Hoi King at the start of my career, I realized early on the differences in fitness and physical confrontation between the pro game and school matches. It certainly took me a while to adapt to things.”

“In additional, losing out in the relegation battle with Hoi King also brought me quite a lot of sadness.”

“Regarding receiving ample opportunities on the international stage with Hong Kong, making my full international debut, participating in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers group-stage and playing the EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2019 Final, all of these experiences have made me realize the many deficiencies in my own game, spurring me on to keep on improving.”