My interview with Football Consultant, Rob McEvoy, from 6th July, 2014
Q - Please can you introduce yourself
My name is Rob McEvoy, 34, originally from Burnley in England. I am currently a Football Consultant for UK based sports management company Catalyst4Soccer for the regions of Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Catalyst4Soccer specialise in recruiting quality players for SE Asia football and currently represent players in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar. In Thailand we work in conjunction with Jay Bothroyd and Erik Paartalu at Muang Thong United, Lee Tuck at Nakhon Ratchasima and previously, Ben Webster of Sri Racha and TTM Customs.
Q - How long have you been in your current job?
I have worked with Catalyst4 since the start of 2014. However, I have worked in the sports management industry in the UK for a number of years. I have been watching TPL since 2013.
Q - How did you get your current job?
In the UK I worked in professional sports with rugby clubs and then a sports agency. At the sports agency I worked mainly with rugby agents, but some agencies double up into football. When I moved to Thailand I knew an agent here and offered to help with English based players if he needed help, and through working on a potential deal spoke to Catalyst4Soccer. They checked my references in the UK and suggested they need somebody in Thailand to help the players they have here, and to be a contact who could liaise with the Thai, Malay and Singaporean Clubs.
Q - What does your job entail?
It has three main strands. Firstly, I speak to the President / Director of Football / Coach at Thai clubs to find out what type of player / coach they are interested in, and then communicate with Catalyst4Soccer head office who use their contacts within world football to source the best player / coach for that profile. I then present the best players to the club for them to make a decision on. It is key to Catalyst4 that screened CVs are submitted, as we are recognised in SEA for only sourcing quality players.
When a player signs, I assist them with adapting to the cultural changes and in addition try to maximize their revenues by attracting commercial sponsorships.
Finally, Catalyst4Soccer work with high profile global football clubs and businesses in Europe, who might want to link with Thai clubs, or vice versa, to expand their brand into this emerging market. I discuss these potential synergies with Thai clubs.
Q - What do you enjoy most about your job?
It’s a great rush when you have a player that you know is perfect for a club’s requirements. Even better when they sign. Most people who work outside sport imagine mixing with players is great but generally they’re normal professional people who just want to do their job well and be treated normally.
Q - What did you know about Thai football before you came here?
Not very much at all. I knew Robbie Fowler had played here and that Peter Reid had been Manager of Thailand, but that was it.
Q - What were your expectations of Thai football?
Probably the same as everyone else.
Q - What were your first impressions of Thai football?
Very impressed. Good, enthusiastic crowds, unbelievable prices, good football, big name sponsors and that the crowd was mixed, family friendly and from all backgrounds.
Q - What do you most enjoy about Thai football?
The crowds and atmosphere are fantastic. It’s noisy, passionate and fun, and when the final whistle goes there’s great respect for the opposition. The post match Wai and singing of the opposition team’s name is unique and a joy to see.
Q - And least enjoy?
I don’t understand the need for a whole squad huddle, followed by an 11 man team huddle, especially just after half time when the players have spent fifteen minutes in a room talking to each other. In addition, I don’t agree with banning referees and linesman for mistakes. I think they do a decent job in difficult circumstances, contrary to popular opinion.
Q - When you've taken friends to TPL matches, what has been their reaction?
All have been extremely impressed, loved the atmosphere, found the football entertaining to watch and now go fairly regularly.
Q - What would you say to foreign fans to encourage them to go along and support their local Thai team?
It’s the best value thing you can do on a weekend: cheap entry, very cheap beer and food, three hours of good entertainment, pretty girls everywhere and you can take your partner / kids no problem (in fact she’ll probably be made up even if she’s never watched football before). If your local team is a smaller club, make your first game against a big club with a good away support, but once you’ve been once or twice you’ll enjoy it without the away fans.
Q - It's often asked so there's no escape for you: How would you compare Thai football to English football?
Very difficult to assess, as the temperatures are so different. When you speak to the foreign players they say that they can’t play the same way here, as they have to manage their energy levels in the heat. If you watched any of the games in Manaus during the World Cup, teams had no energy in the last 10 minutes (or half hour for Italy v England). If you played EPL in this weather it would be very different.
Q - Which clubs have most impressed you and why?
I can’t really comment about the inner workings of clubs, but wearing my fans’ hat, here are some things that are really impressive. I think the Buriram Utd fans are amazing. Muang Thong Utd vs Buriram Utd in the League Cup was pulsating, great noise from both sets of fans, great pace to the game, good skills and no trouble.
I love the feeling at Tarua. The fans are part of the club, push the players on and it’s a really good feeling there. When I’m not watching a game for work, I go to Tarua for fun. Also very impressed by big crowds without success on the pitch, so Suphanburi and Nakorn Ratchasima deserve a mention.
Q - Do you think that having the same two or three clubs dominating the TPL is good for the game as a whole?
I’m not sure they are this year, no more so than any other league in the modern world. The top clubs are driving the standards up, and I think others are following them. There are more specialist coaches coming over, training will improve, as will fitness. Lower clubs must improve, improve coaching, recruit better overseas players, develop better Thai players, build their crowd and keep working hard. The TPL and Thai National Team will be better as a result.
I was reading up on the MLS in the USA. Eight years ago no non Americans at the World Cup played there. Four years ago, two players, this time ten non Americans and twelve USA Internationals. That shows how a league from a non traditional football country can develop on the pitch. Anyone who saw Muang Thong Utd vs Buriram Utd this week can see what can be achieved and must want to aspire to it.
Q - What do you think Thai football needs to do to continue its development?
I think that bringing in experienced, foreign coaches to work alongside local coaches would help improve the Thai players at the higher levels. Thai players are very good technically, and you can start to see the benefits of playing with good quality foreign players in the TPL in terms of game play, positioning and playing to set tactics.
With regards to development, I know the benefit of getting good, passionate coaches into schools and other places where kids play football, so I would encourage clubs to set up Community / Coaching Development schemes in their area, as they will not only improve young players but also help push the club brand into a wider audience. At all the clubs I worked at n the UK, setting up strong community programs was key to developing the club for the long term.
Community programs deliver off the pitch too, developing supporter bases and club brands. Selling tickets and driving attendances is key. Big crowds are out there and waiting to be attracted to games.
There are some big cities currently not represented in the TPL, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Phuket etc. When these clubs, or the rich benefactors in those towns get involved, then the league will be stronger and have a wider spread, which will bring in bigger sponsorships and TV audiences.
Finally, I think that the clubs could do more to attract the expat community waiting to be attracted, who could bring revenue and contacts, and that True could offer English Commentary very cheaply. That would add to the TV experience and viewers.
Q - If you could address the chairmen/owners of all the TPL clubs, what would you say to them?
I would never tell anyone how to spend their money or run their business, but I would ask if I could add value to their recruitment and assist develop potential strategic business opportunities with other global football clubs we work with. In addition, confirm all their phone number, email and Line IDs.
Q - What advice would you give to the Thai players?
Same as every player: Work hard, listen, learn to do the basics really well, communicate (ideally in English, football’s common language) a lot and try to help the foreign players with cultural aspects.
Q - What would you say to young (or old!) British players who are considering coming to Thailand to play in the local leagues? What advice would you give them?
I would say choose a good agency to go with so you get good advice, a good club and know what to expect before you come. When you come, come with an open mind, learn to be patient, smile, be polite and accept that it’s not the UK so you don’t know everything. If you embrace the lifestyle and perform for your club I can’t imagine a better life, to be honest.
Q - Anything else you'd like to add?
Thank you for the opportunity to answer the questions, and keep doing what you’re doing to promote Chonburi and the TPL.
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