World Cup Qualifier
Iraq 4-0 Thailand
by Peter Reeves
11th October, 2016
This morning Thai football fans will wake up wanting answers. With a record of played 4, no points, one goal scored and ten conceded they think they will deserve them. Many did after all think they had a reasonable chance of qualifying for Russia. A lot of us though did not and understood what may happen to them. So far it has happened. In fact they have been a bit lucky it could have been a lot worse in the goals conceded column. Japan could have rattled in half a dozen and so could Iraq.
This has been the second time the life’s blood of the game in Thailand, the league system, has been ‘suspended’ to allow lengthy preparation time for Kiatisuk and his band of brothers. Has it produced results? Let’s not sugar coat this with platitudes and excuses and the usual explanations we hear from beleaguered players and the coaches. The first 45 minutes last night were dreadful, shameful, and if that really is the best they can do given all the help they get then I’m afraid they will be better off following other occupations.
At one time I felt a little sorry for Kiatisuk. Lauded by most as being a ‘national hero’, though quite why I don’t know unless flying to Huddersfield and not getting a game qualifies you, but not anymore. He has instilled nothing in this team at all. And two years after my first view of them they still cannot defend, have no shape or purpose, no discipline and tactically are a shambles.
Having made that criticism who else is there of Thai origin to replace him? No one. They are all steeped in the mistaken identity of what ‘professional’ football is about. Is it his fault? Not totally, though he could have taken a more ‘Theo Foley’ approach as a coach or ‘Micky Bailey’ style as a captain and taken one or two by the throat and smashed a few of these over-rated prima donnas on the wall of the dressing room before the match and said ‘perform or else’. I guess that’s not his way.
We all accept that the Thai FA, just like the PLT haven’t got a clue and are best just ignored in the hope they might go away but they are away from all that perpetual incompetence, he has them together as a group. Laying down a formation, coaching a solid defence, creating a structure and style of play utilizing what little strengths he has to work with.
It is very obvious that hasn’t occurred and that can only be for three reasons. Firstly he doesn’t know how in which case he shouldn’t be there. Secondly that the players are not good enough to perform basic football requirements in which case they shouldn’t be there or thirdly that they won’t in which case they should be sent home and their TV adverts cancelled. When you see a team of 5 foot nothings launching aerial balls forward against a six foot plus defence you know they just haven’t got a clue.
The goals last night. First, a corner after just 6 minutes, two unchallenged headers in the box and a tap in. Goalkeeper with his defence just watching. Not a good start. Second a break down the left, again, cross in, two Thai defenders just watching the ball completely unaware of any opposing players, it ricocheted off the post, still not cleared, a shot, keeper uses his feet straight to the opposition. In it goes.
During the rest of the half the Iraqi’s had at least 3 other clear opportunities, once when there were 3 attackers against no defence at all. The number of times that the ball was played left and not even a shadow of a right back in place for Thailand. It was all too easy.
Number 3 came close to the end after Iraq had spent a lot of the second half sitting back dealing with aimless high balls to their 6ft defenders. Midfielder runs straight through the Thai midfield. No challenge. Gets to the edge of the box and the ball is played wide left where there is no defender (of course-probably off somewhere else doing a TV ad) shot comes in and the Keeper just palms it straight to an opposing player instead of punching it clear, into the middle, Thai defender number 19, heroically turns his back in case the ball hits his haircut, another tap in.
Mmm 3 goals conceded all from tap-ins inside your goal area. Got the message yet Kiatisuk? On one occasion I heard my neighbor scream and I wondered what on earth had happened but it was just a Thai attack that produce some semblance of an effort on goal.
Bored with attacking down the empty left the Iraqi’s had a go down the right. Iraqi attacker feigns to cross and the Thai defender turns his back and ducks, another hero, and of course is made to look stupid as the attacker drifts past him and crosses in to an empty box for another tap-in from inside the goal area. That’s 4. All from inside the goal area. Another player sent off, maybe harshly, but it had little impact it was over by then.
Hard to find the words to describe such an inept effort in conceding 4 in such a way against a team that had previously not won a match in the group. Perhaps they were under instructions from ‘higher sources’ than Kiatisuk to ‘save themselves’ for an upcoming cup match. Don’t get too tired. They certainly did that.
Surely the tactical game plan of any team is an appreciation of the qualities and the shortcomings of the players you have to choose from. The Thai’s were physically out-muscled everywhere and were like little boys in the playground getting knocked about by the big boys. They are physically very weak.
Ok, so let’s build a structure and style that avoids as much physical contact as possible and move the ball fast and accurately whilst maintaining adequate cover behind that are actually paying attention. Low trajectory of players allows you to turn defenders and change direction quickly. Keep the ball on the floor. Play to your strengths.
‘Hamartia’. A word first used in Poetics by Aristotle. It has a range of meanings and interpretations but is most often concerned with Greek tragedies and failure, but a particular kind of failure. Failure that is self-imposed through ignorance and weak character traits that accumulate over a period of time that ultimately brings failure and destruction of one’s self.
Walt Whitman said “Sometimes you reach a point where you either change or self-destruct.” We are nearing that stage in all things football in Thailand. There can be no successful team in Thailand unless there is a successful infra-structure behind it. You can’t glory in your penthouse if the foundations are insecure and every week in the Thai PL we see that the foundations, the very basics, are inept and getting worse through persistent mis-management at every level. Hamartia.
I would say back to the drawing board but they haven’t got one. That first 45 minutes will stick in my memory for a long time.
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