by Antony Sutton
Bryan Robson is currently sitting at home with a piece of A4 and the DVD playing non stop. What he's doing is learning the Thai players nicknames so when he arrives in a couple of weeks to formerly take charge he will have at least some idea of who will be in front of him.
Thai names are a mouthful with four, five, six or more syllables making them a real mouthful for us big noses. Even more so for footballers and football people who are well known for their inability to articulate anything more than two syllables.
As Robbo studies at home his assistant Steve Darby took time out yesterday to fill me in on the squad and their nicknames.
In goal of course there is Kosin. Except of course he is no longer Kosin. That would be too easy. Now he has changed his name to Sinthavichai. But for Steve and Robbo he will remain Kosin or more commonly Kossie.
The defence is a problem with a Nattaporn and Nattaphong. The default reaction of English football folk is to call them Natty and indeed that is how Nattaphong is known. Nattaporn will instead by known as Porno.
Suree is a problem 'cos he was born with a football-ised name and I understand both manager and assistant spent a few hours at the King's Head last week mulling over what to call the Chonburi defender before Robbo decided at last orders Suree was good enough and anyway Steve had to pay for the curry at the local ruby house.
Captain Datsakorn is known as Datsy while Sutee Suksomkit gets stuck with Suggs as opposed to Suks. Arthit in future is to be christened Ginny after they decided he bore a passing resemblance to David Ginola. Without the work rate.
Up front Teerathep Winothai is Theps, Teerasil Dangda is Daggers and Ronnachai is Ronnie. Thai Port striker Pipat will be known as Pippy as both Englishmen agreed he sounded like someone from a Beatrix Potter novel.
During the press conference yesterday Steve Darby was grilled by the local media about just how Robbo was going to communicate with the players but it is obvious from what Steve told me after that the new manager is already on task and I understand will in fact be tested next week by having a player's face pictured on a flash card and Robson will have three seconds to come up with the nickname.
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