Looking For A New National Team Coach? by Adam Drury: 2008

Looking For A New National Team Coach?
by Adam Drury
3rd April, 2008

Comments from national coach Chanvit Phalajivin on the Bangkok Post website, would appear to suggest that we will soon be looking for a new coach after the summer.

Here are his comments:

'People criticise me on the Internet that I did not show spirit by resigning as Thailand's head coach,'' Chanvit said. ''Actually, I told Thai FA secretary-general Ong-arj (Kosinkha) that I wanted to resign but he wanted me to carry on until after the World Cup qualifying round.''

So, he wanted to resign - he nearly did this once before but was encouraged to stay on - now it seems that FAT are maybe interfering too much, especially with the recent appoitment of Peter Withe as a scout (what good that did for the Oman match!). It seems once the nation start performing well, everyone wants to have a say. Now there's too much interference and we could lose a good coach in the process. But who could replace him?

There's of course Peter Withe, but please, he's been there before. Yes, he did well, but lets not go back over old ground.

I'd much rather see a domestic coach take up the reigns.

I'd throw the following current domestic based coaches into the hat: Jadet Meelarp and Gawin Kachendecha.

Jadet currently coaches Chonburi and has taken them from playing in the Pro League to the Premier League, winning the title in the process and showing that he can be tactically adept at playing in the Champions League. I'd be very tempted to throw him in, and I'm sure he'd have no fear. He has led Chonburi from a provincial team to a team that could possibly be suggested as the best in South East Asia at this current moment, along with possibly the Armed Forces of Singapore.

Gawin Kachendecha coaches the Tobacco Monopoly club. This would be a long shot, but an opportunity not to be missed. Maybe he's not won a league title, but he has Tobacco constantly playing in the top 6. The only thing that goes against him, is that he isn't a proven winner, but we know he can build a side and possibly break into the top 10 in Asia (we seem to be on the fringes but never quite break it).

One last guy I would consider would be the current manager of Japenese club Gamba Osaka, Akira Nishino.

Nishino has been with Gamba since 2002. He's managed to win a few trophies over in Japan and I reckon that one day he could turn out to be Japan's national coach. I feel, that he he was offered such an opportunity with Thailand, he would probably jump and take it. He has previously coached the Japanese Under 23's and also coached Kashiwa Reysol, so he's been around a bit and I think he would just simply bring a different attitude to the Thai game.

He could have a backroom staff with the Thai guys I've mentioned earlier to get a good insight, but he might just add something tactically to our game and start getting a few minds thinking, that they can do this and that etc.