Therdsak: Thailand Ace
by John Crean
afc.championleague.com
As if playing his trump card at the vital moment, Therdsak Chaiman's free-kick ultimately put BEC Tero Sasana into the inaugural AFC Champions League final. Four minutes after Anvarjon Soliev had scored to bring Pakhtakor within a goal in their semi-final clash in Bangkok, the Thai international's strike into the top-left corner of the net sealed a 3-1 result on the night and proved the tie decider following the 1-0 defeat in Uzbekistan.
"I was really happy with my goal. I struck the free-kick well," says Therdsak, who is as effervescent and bubbly off the pitch as he is on it. Although it was a true wonder strike, few watching that night in the Supachalasai Stadium were completely surprised. After all, Therdsak is playing the best football of his career.
After being been named the S.League Player of the Year for 2002, Therdsak was the tournament MVP in Thailand's victorious Tiger Cup campaign in December, scoring his side's second goal in the final against Indonesia. Having carried his Tiger Cup form into the inaugural AFC Champions League, his stock has sky-rocketed.
When the Bangkok club played host to Group A, his pace, reading of the game and ability to shoot with both feet provided a constant threat in clashes with four-time J.League champions Kashima Antlers, Taejon Citizen of Korea Republic and China's Shanghai Shenhua. Therdsak scored vital goals in victories over Taejon and Shenhua, which followed a draw against Kashima. The attacking midfielder had several shots on target in the decisive match against Shenhua before scoring the goal that put BEC into the semis and the crowd into hysterics.
He picked up the ball on the right, cut inside to leave two defenders in his wake and unleashed a left-foot shot from the edge of the box that drilled into the right-hand corner of the net. "It was a great feeling. But I was a bit lucky, as I hit it with my weaker (left) foot," says Therdsak, who celebrated by ripping off his shirt and waving it in the air.
"I can shoot with both feet but I usually take free-kicks with my right." It's his free-kicks for both club and country that have become Therdsak's stock in trade. David Beckham-like in their pace and power, he has scored around 75 per cent of his goals for the national team from dead ball situations and relishes the opportunity to let fly from the edge of the box.
"I practise free-kicks at training all the time - I love hitting them. I know that David Beckham says that he expects to score every time he steps up to take a free-kick. My aim is to hit the target."
Interestingly, Therdsak might not have enjoyed his recent successes with BEC, and the opportunity to put himself in the transfer shop window, if the Thai league had not come out of hibernation. He was loaned to Singapore Armed Forces when the Thai championship was inactive and they hoped to make the move permanent for the 2003 season. But with the local league getting going late last year, BEC Tero Sasana wanted their biggest asset back in Bangkok.
"They wanted me to play in the Thai league and the AFC Champions League. But SAF are still interested and I could go back there."
Again Despite his achievements at club level, the master marksman knows it's the international stage where the spotlight shines most bright. Part of the Thailand squad that impressed at the 2000 Asian Cup in Lebanon before winning the Tiger Cup the same year, Therdsak appreciates that global recognition can only come when playing at the very highest level.
"The world does not know much about Thai football or the players. Only by doing well in the Asian Cup or qualifying for the World Cup will people take notice of Thailand," says Therdsak, who models himself on French midfielder Zinedine Zidane whose play he describes as 'beautiful'. "Look at China's Li Tie and Sun Jihai. They were unknown outside of Asia before last year's World Cup but now they're both in the English Premiership."
Therdsak himself expresses a desire to continue his club career in the lucrative Japanese or Chinese leagues rather than in Europe, and he's aware that following his outstanding recent performances, an impressive Asian Cup run will help him realise this. However, he admits to knowing next to nothing about two-thirds of Thailand's Asian Cup Qualifying Round group opponents - Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Hong Kong, who have beaten Thailand twice in their five meetings.
"I've never been to Uzbekistan or Tajikistan and I don't know anything about the countries or their players," he admits. "Maybe they'll have the same playing style but I'm not sure. It will of course depend on each coach."
That said, Therdsak is confident the Thais can qualify for the biggest continental clash since the competition began by finishing in the top two in Group A.
"I've played twice against the Uzbeks and while they have a very different style from ours, it isn't one we should be afraid of. We have a good record against Uzbekistan and we should make it through to the Asian Cup finals," he states with conviction. At the Tiger Cup, his superb form and the absence of numerous key players enabled Therdsak to break free from the supporting-cast role he played at the last Asian Cup, the 2000 Tiger Cup and the World Cup qualifiers in 2001. As such, he will now have to take on more leadership responsibility, particularly as many of the youngsters who were brought into senior football at December's Tiger Cup have forced their way into coach Peter Withe's thinking.
"Each young player will inevitably be nervous when he goes to a new and different country," Therdsak says in reference to the two tricky away ties in Central Asia. "But each one of them is part of our team and we will emphasise that our side have some good players and a great manager and this will help them to concentrate on playing well." As the youngsters look to Therdsak for inspiration, the player himself would be happy to keep looking to Withe for guidance. "Peter Withe is a good coach and has done everything that has been asked of him - victory in two Tiger Cups, the last four in the Asian Games. Although he uses English when coaching us, that's not a problem as he's a very good motivator," he says. "However, I think it would be better for the team if he was given a long-term contract as most of the players would like him to lead us to the 2006 World Cup." It would be a fitting target for Withe and Thailand, who currently hold an ace up their sleeve with Therdsak.
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