Home Utd of Singapore used to tour Thailand every year as preparation for our S League season. It must have worked as we won the league and cup twice in three years (2003-5) and got to the knockout stages of the Champions league and the AFC Cup semi finals. All done with a squad of 16 players due to S League salary cap rules.
The Thai pre season always guaranteed us tough friendlies and a chance for talent spotting. We normally played the established clubs like BEC, Thai Port etc, but one year we were offered "Chonburi", as we were told, an up and coming provincial team. As it involved an overnight stay in Pattaya it didnt take long to convince the Singaporean and Brazilian players!
It took us hours to get to the venue (Coke Stadium in Bang Phra - ed), as we got lost in what seemed like a new housing estate.Then suddenly we entered a side road and saw a few wooden stands on the side of what was an excellent pitch. There was a crowd waiting and a large number of kids in scout uniforms.
The "Chonburi" team we played had the hugest African players I had ever seen playing, fortunately they were not that good! We also used the game to trial a foreigner who confirmed my belief that CVs of players are useless and you have to see them play.He said he had played for national youth teams in Yugoslavia...a flexible truth I think, as he was hopeless!
However, we had asked if a Thai player could play for "Chonburi" as a trial for us...after about 5 minutes, 3 crunching tackles and 2 great passes, I signed Anurak Sitterand and what a great player he was! I can't remember the score, as I take very little notice of scores in friendlies. I just look at individual players. But I remember we were taken to a private house by I believe a politician after the game ,and were treated superbly, excellent hosts and great hospitality.
Another time we played a Thai selection for J Surachai's testimonial.That was a bit special! Zico, Tawan, Dusit, Choko, Boy, Issawa all featured and we were happy just to get out of our own half! What magnificent players and it's a pleasure to see some of these great players coaching now. I signed three Thai players at Home Utd, Sutee,Surachai and Anurak, all were top class professional off and on the pitch.
The S League then had players like Niweat,Tawan Santi, Choko. I also tried to sign a former Chonburi player, Therdsak Chaiman, but that never materialised and became like a Thai soap opera! But he did a magnifcent job for our opposition, Singapore Armed Forces!
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