by Matt Riley
You took some really big hits against Malaysia last night. How are you and the rest of the team feeling this morning?
I feel good. We had recovery this morning with Andy (German physio Andy Schillinger) and so we have a really good staff that do it well and we are always in good shape.
Andy told me this morning there are quite a few players with small knocks but nothing major. The excitement of that win last night must help the healing process because everyone wants to play so much.
Yeah that's true. From Singapore to Malaysia we changed five positions so I think we have a really great team and everybody can play so everybody wants to be ready for the next game.
You changed three of the four defenders from the Singapore to Malaysia game. In previous years when Thailand changed then went behind, their heads went down and they usually lost. How did that never-say-die spirit you now have get created?
I think when you see the lineup yesterday it was a really young team. Only the left back was the oldest at 31. All the other players were at the Asian Games so we are all really hungry. Nobody likes to lose, but we really want to win and the fan club in the stadium helps us a lot. That is our mentality. We try to play our game our way but we tried everything to win this game. We have to say a big thank you to our fan club. They pushed us and it was a great game yesterday.
The average age of your team last night was less than twenty four. Do you think that means you play without fear?
No. I think it helps us a lot that we have already played two tournaments together and, as I said before, we all think in the same way about how we want to play. Also the coach knows tactically how to help us. Pop (Kirati) did a good job last night before he came off, but when Adisak came on he helped us a lot because we know how he will run and how we can play with him. We already had those two big tournaments together which helped so much.
Your role for the national team looks a little different than for Suphanburi FC. You seem to go wider left and right for Thailand. Are the roles different?
It is difficult to say. In the national team we play 4-3-3 so we have wingers. In the last ten games or so at Suphanburi we played a little bit different. I played wider. I like to have wingers on my side. When you don't have this you have to play like a winger. That is normally not my way. I like to be central and take my rushes with the ball. But in the end I try and I give my best in both teams and I'm here ready for this tournament and it helps me a lot that the other players know how I play.
Most people will look at your goal last night, but your assist for the first was a great example of that team understanding. Being a supplier as well as a scorer must have also given you a lot of pleasure.
It was a great goal by Adisak. He makes it so well and he is so fast. I saw him go into space and I tried to play it to him. At first I thought he wouldn't get it, but he is so fast he got it really well.
Sometimes the pitches in the qualification and the finals have been poor. Did playing on an artificial pitch last night help your passing game?
I think yes because it is our way to play. We want to play fast with lots of passing, not long balls. The pitch helped us a lot but it is everything together. The first game against Singapore was in an amazing stadium, but the pitch was not in a good shape.
Interestingly, your first goal for Buriram United was against Suphanburi. How has the move to Suphanburi helped you get noticed in the national team?
Of course last year we won everything with Buriram and I was also happy to be part of the team, but in the end I didn't play so much because I got an injury and after that I had every time small injuries and it takes time. In Buriram you have to be ready for every game, so it was a little bit difficult, but I have to really say thank you to coach Zico that he believed in me and let me play at the SEA Games. This helped a lot a then after I came back to Buriram the first six months of this year were really difficult. I didn't have the same feeling like coach Zico gave me because I trained well but I didn't play.
I am twenty two and I have to play, so I am really happy that Suphanburi gave me this chance and since I have been there I played every game and I feel very confident. In football this is one of the most important things.
You injured your knee celebrating your AFC Champions League goal against Jiangsu Sainty last year. Chananan Pombubpha had almost exactly the same problem when he scored for Thailand in the Asian Games against Indonesia. What advice do you have for him?
Yeah. I will say I think it is really hard that you have to watch your team mates and I think also for him it is really hard to watch us in the Suzuki Cup because he would normally be in the squad for sure. What I can say to him is to take good rest and don't hurry. It's really important that you need really good rest and when he comes back I hope Osotspa get him like the old striker again. He's a great striker and I am sure he will do it.
Of course you are a World Cup winner with the Switzerland Under 17 team. Who else from that team went on to have a successful career like you have?
From our squad five players are professional and they play already in the first teams in Switzerland and played in the World Cup. I'm really happy to see them in a good way and that they are now professionals. I also have some friends who are still in Switzerland playing in the first and second league. It's unbelievable that so many players are now professional from this team. It showed that we made a really good job!
There are parallels between that team and Thailand now. Switzerland have only qualified for the World Cup once and that was when you won the competition in 2009. Thailand were in really bad shape before the Asian Games and now you are performing brilliantly. Thailand moved twenty one places up the FIFA rank yesterday because of your recent results. It must create the same kind of excitement you felt in 2009.
Yeah, I am happy to be a part now of this team. It's great to see that coach Zico gave us this chance. We are young and so many good players are still at home who can play well.
I am happy that we have won two games and qualified for the semi-finals, but in the end it is still nothing. We are here to win this trophy and there are five games more.
Many people maybe don't consider the risks that Zico has taken. For you in particular, he could easily have put Datsakorn Thoglao in your position. He is only thirty and highly experienced. Zico has put a lot of faith in you young players.
Yeah that's true. Datsakorn has played an amazing season and scored a a lot of goals and a lot of assists. He is also a great player. I was surprised that he chose us, but I understand Zico because we have already played two tournaments with him and we know how his tactics are and I think he also knows about us that we are all really hungry and we believe in him. I think it is about this: it is not about personality, but thinking for the team.
Your shirt, the number seven, is iconic from David Beckham to Luis Suarez. It must give you a feeling of confidence to wear that number.
Yeah. For me I like this number of course. Many great players wore this number. Also in the Thailand national team with Datsakorn so I'm really happy to wear this shirt. But, in the end, it is only a number. You have to show in every game your best and only that counts.
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