by Gian Chansrichawla
8th June, 2018
One of the most appealing aspects of football is the idea of tactical contrast. Different teams and different managers can often come to promote and even represent diametrically opposed styles and philosophies, making football matches battles of ideology as well as skill.
While in relative infancy, it is something that has begun to manifest in Thailand and is most visible amongst the top teams in the Thai League. This article attempts to stylistically match the current top four Thai League teams - Buriram United, Bangkok United, Port and Muangthong United - with a team or a coach that is most similar to their playing style, current coach, or simply the intangible “feel” of the club.
While being far from an exact science, it provides an interesting lens from which to view the teams currently best positioned to claim the Thai League title.
...and yes, you are meant to laugh while reading this.
Buriram United - Jose Mourinho
In more recent times, Jose Mourinho has developed a reputation for playing slightly defensive football. Spells with Chelsea and Manchester United have seen the Portuguese mastermind adopt often reactionary positions, exacerbated by the contrast with Pep Guardiola’s free-flowing attacking football on the other side of town.
Buriram can’t be accused of playing defensive football by any means. They do, however, bear a comparison to Mourinho’s teams in that the side are simply serial winners. Their clinical nature comes out best in the Champions League, where Bozidar Bandovic’s game plan to stifle Cerezo Osaka at the Nagai Stadium earlier this season would have made the Portuguese coach proud.
The Thunder Castle rarely make mistakes and are well-drilled to the point of near lunacy under Bandovic. Mourinho’s classic Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid teams were all built on sheer discipline and defensive stability, bearing some resemblance to this current, all-conquering iteration of Buriram United.
Bangkok United - Jurgen Klopp
A charismatic, (somewhat) German coach who can hardly contain himself on the touchline isn’t the only thing these two sides have in common. Bangkok United’s commitment to attack (at the expense of defense) is something that could be very familiar to Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool team are often guilty of the same fatal flaw.
Bangkok United’s Mano Polking is undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the division, tactically miles ahead of some of his opposition. Despite that, his main and most visible quality is the ability to inspire his players; something that is the backbone of Jurgen Klopp’s career in management. For all the fancy “gegenpressing” associated with the Liverpool boss, his secret ultimately comes down to raw belief and emotion, something not too dissimilar to the side currently chasing the Thai League title.
Bangkok United’s narrative of taking on the big sides with a charge built on passion has amassed major support for their cause, and makes them arguably the most entertaining team in the division. Going forward for both Liverpool and Bangkok United, the secret to success will be about maximizing the highs while reducing the tendency to capitulate - something that both teams have made great progress on in 2018.
Port FC - Maurizio Sarri
Based on his recent achievements with Napoli, Port’s team is a very close tactical fit for Italian coach Maurizio Sarri. During his time coaching his local club, the Partenopei became famous for a style now commonly known in Italy as “Sarriball,” driven by the side’s creative and attacking talents.
It is impressive that I can claim that the Thai side currently led by Jadet Meelarp bear some similarity to the one fashioned by one of the greatest tactical visionaries of a generation without a hint of irony. The winger-come-striker Dragan Boskovic, surrounded by the immense creative talent of Nurul Sriyankem, Sergio Suarez and Pakorn Prempak are capable of tearing apart any team in the country, and would be a side to greatly benefit from Sarri’s creative vision.
The Italian would likely set them free to wreak havoc on all opposition, fashioning a team to best suit their talents and working the same magic on Boskovic - who scored 38 goals from 33 games last season - that he has on Belgian forward Dries Mertens.
Lastly, and most importantly, there’s just something funny about the idea of a chain-smoking Italian banker prowling the touchline at the PAT Stadium.
Muangthong United - Antonio Conte
Any sense of identity built for Muangthong United went flying out the window on the 12th of March, 2018; the day fan favorite Totchtawan Sripan stepped down as manager after a devastating 6-1 loss to newly promoted side Prachuap FC. The coach had returned glory to the club in the form of the 2016 Thai League title and elevated the standard of play well beyond normal levels. His departure was a loss that the club are still reeling from.
The arrival of a savior, in the form of the burly mountain of a man Radovan Curcic has finally ushered in that new identity the club had been lacking. The disciplinarian coach has drilled the side in a way not too dissimilar to how Antonio Conte saved a Chelsea side in free-fall and turned them into title challengers. Where there was once aimless kicking there is now directed and purposeful play, yielding three consecutive wins going into the second half of the season.
Curcic resembles Conte in how he has managed to drill the squad with what appears to be sheer intent and intimidation. While his stoic demeanor strikes a stark contrast to that of the animated Italian, and they share a sheer presence that entices those under their watch to whip into shape.
The Thai League’s top sides are each developing their own sense of identity, meaning that the battles between are not only in the pursuit of glory, but also in the pursuit of vindication. Which of these approaches will come out on top is anyone's guess, but it is almost certain that the journey there is going to be one of the most exciting this league has ever offered.
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