The Thai FA Cup Final: Not The Usual Suspects.
by Matt Riley
Tomorrow's FA Cup final may feature one of Thailand's most consistent clubs, but Chonburi haven't lifted the league's showpiece trophy for four years. Underdogs Bangkok Glass made last year's final, but were comfortably seen off by perennial champions Buriram United. All the odds point to a second trophy for The Sharks but, if there is one thing that we can predict about BG, it is their extreme unpredictability.
Chonburi were a linesman's errant flag and one win away from claiming the Thai Premier League title this season. The shocking officiating by referee Chaya Mahaprab may have landed him an eighteen month ban and the linesman a two year career break for his highly-suspicious injury time goal overrule, but that gives little comfort to Chonburi. Combined with this being an emotional send off for Brazilian Thiago Cunha (a man who can make tying his shoelaces into an act of high drama) there will be a huge groundswell of righteous indignation and widespread support for a Chonburi win. Adding to the feeling of neutrals' support comes the promise by Thai football legend Therdsak Chaiman to hang up his boots if they win tomorrow. It would be a fitting end for the ultimate professional. He has a unique blend of football intelligence, courage, discipline and humility. But, as we see every week, football is no respecter of what is fitting and hoped-for.
Bangkok Glass, despite another heavily-subsidised season from Singha Corporation, have not even lived up to their previously mediocre league performances. They finished eleventh, only six points from relegation and spiralling to the end of the season on a terrible run of form that saw them lose four of their last five matches, shipping a dozen goals. But, this being Bangkok Glass, their win was against highflying BEC Tero. Their form for the nineteen games of the season's second half would have seen them clear relegation by only two points if they hadn't secured five more before the break. They are infamous for signing big money players happy to stay in a highly-coiffured comfort zone, and next season's capture of Singhtarua's skillful (but struggling for consistent fitness) Leandro da Luz from Singhtarua looks to continue the trend.
Another area of confidence for Chonburi is the performance of the two coaches. Rightly voted TPL Coach of the Year, Japanese former Vissel Kobe man Masahiro Wada has tactical understanding, uses his players wisely and shows tremendous calmness in the face of some outrageous situations (successfully) aimed at preventing his team getting their hands on the TPL trophy. In the opposition dugout is a man in Anurak Srikerd whose behaviour toward then Head Coach Surachai Jaturapattarapong was less than impressive. From a number two, a boss assumes far more loyalty and his dealings with the players make him vulnerable to dressing room division. Within the club, he has also been described as being "out coached" regularly by his opposing number this season, so a tactically developed performances with a few surprises thrown in by The Sharks will comfortably out think the former Thai international.
All things being equal, tomorrow will also be our chance to see four players before they head off for Singapore via friendlies in Nakhon Rachasima (the first of which, against The Philippines, coincides with this match). The sole Bangkok Glass international is twenty four year old defender Pravinwat Boonyong who, despite a loan spell at Chainat last year, has already clocked up almost a half century of appearances for his only club so far.
For Chonburi, twenty six year old defender Suttinan Phuk-hom has played over a hundred times for The Sharks and fifteen for his country, whilst midfielder Adul Lahso has the honour of being named Thailand's AFF Suzuki Cup captain. His twenty three caps and almost two hundred appearances for Chonburi in two spells have been sandwiched between a season at Japanese club Gainare Tottori. Second of the three Chonburi midfielders chosen for the AFF Suzuki Cup is Kroekrit Thaweekarn; a more attacking midfielder than his skipper, he is also joined by midfielder-come-right-winger Nurul Sriyankem. Nurul started the recent Asian Games tournament looking very dangerous but, at the business end, South Korean power nullified his threat. However, the twenty two year old has plenty more to offer if he can improve the consistency of his crossing.
So: the odds strongly favour Chonburi and the prize of AFC matches would be richly deserved for their thrilling season. But the taste of last-hurdle failure is difficult to dissipate, especially when expectations are so high. Bangkok Glass thrive on mediocrity and will continue to binge at the all-you-can-buy beer buffet of their chairman's uncle, Singha Vice-President Chutinant Bhirombhakdi no matter what the result: and that is what makes them dangerous. As a neutral, there are too many areas of strength for Chonburi to clip another final hurdle. BG don't have the discipline to do a Mourinho and shut the game down, so I'll go with a two nil lead for Chonburi pegged back to 2:1 for the sake of brinksmanship, before a hard-fought last few minutes and blue ribbons on the trophy.
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