James Clarke is here with his preview of Port's 2022/23 season.
1.What are your expectations for your club in the season ahead?
The general feeling is that it can’t be worse than last season. Which was the least interesting season I’ve witnessed as a Port fan. We were bad, yet not bad enough to really get sucked into the tension of realistic relegation danger. Our matches were uneventful in the main, the grounds in general and for Port games, empty and devoid of atmosphere. The pre and post match hampered by COVID rules. It can only get better.
2. How have your pre season preparations gone?
I’ve not watched but the results have seen us rack up a number of easy wins against opposition from lower down the league.
3. What are your thoughts on your team's opening four fixtures?
We’ve ended up with an opening four fixtures of Lamphun Warriors, Prachuap, Police and Khon Kaen United. With only the Police game away from home. Its about as good an opening set of fixtures as you could pick (bar the fact we always get beat at Police). The expectation would be to get off to a flyer, which makes it a massive banana skin.
4. What do you make of your new signings?
Hamilton is the obvious big signing and hopefully brings something upfront we’ve lacked both in style of play and the number of goals he scores.
Negueba I’ve been told has looked good in preseason and his past of playing for some of Koreas top tier lesser clubs is a sign of potential.
Airton is more problematic, signing for the club having been sent off for spitting against us last season isn’t a great start. I also didn’t think he looked that great a player when l saw him. Hopefully he can win the masses over and show us why he was signed.
The rest look like smart squad moves.
5. And what about the players you've let go?
A lot of people were shocked to see Siwakorn, having skippered the team last season, moved to Customs, who Pang has acquired. Whilst I was never as big a fan as some, I certainly feel he would have been of value as a squad player.
Also making the same trip on loan is Kannarin, which seems bizarre. Having finally got his chance at the back end of last season, he looked to have established himself and was one of the few positives I took from the campaign. Both are too good for the second tier.
6. Which players will have the most impact this season?
Pakorn and Bordin always get mentioned here, as if either played at their full ability for the season they’d light the league up (equally we know they’ll be inconsistent). William is my choice great fun to watch with bags of energy. He also prone to getting into confrontations and already targeted by opposition players, they’ll be plenty happening around him this season.
7. If you could bring back one of your club's former coaches, who would it be and why?
Which ever is most in need of a big pay off for a couple of months work.
8. If you could give your current head coach one piece of advice, what would it be? And your owners?
Coach, none. Better to leave football to those who genuinely know it
Owner, follow the above. You are not a football genius. Leave the day to day running of the club to those who know how to do it.
9. Which home games are you most looking forward to?
Anyone who brings a decent support is always a bonus. At the other end of the scale beating Bangkok United is always fun and it’s a nice trip into the city for the terrible lot from Rangsit.
10. And which away games are you most looking forward to?
Prachuap is always a nice weekend away. There after anywhere new or that falls right for a weekend away with a few of us going is a plus.
11. What do you think of your club's new kits?
Its not out yet but Ari’s training gear looks good.
12. Who are your favourites to win the league?
Buriram, they were a street ahead of everyone in the second leg and the close season activity means l suspect the gap grows.
13. Who else do you think can challenge?
BG are the only team who could but l expect they’ll be some way short of Buriram and equally someway clear of the chasing pack.
14. Who is going down?
The newly promoted teams will all be getting mentioned along with those who finished the season poorly. I’ll go with Ratchaburi sadly. A nice club with a great stadium and ideally located for a Port away day but they’ve been dropping off for a while and l can see this season being the year it goes wrong.
15. Which team would you most like to beat this season?
MTU of course. Then the comic villians of Rangsit (BG and Bangkok United). Everything that is wrong with Thai football is at its purest out there.
16. Who will be this season's surprise package?
I’m struggling to come up with anything here. Sorry.
17. What changes would you make to improve the Thai league?
More advertising of the league locally. Fixtures out earlier. Free to air coverage and a highlights package. Basically more effort to grow the game and get the local football fan along to matches and engaged.
18. Which visiting fans are you most looking forward to seeing at your stadium?
Muangthong, its been too long with only one set of fans at the derby game. The owners and league need to let it happen and put in place whatever measures they feel are required.
19. What are your match day superstitions and routine?
None. I used to walk to the ground which was about 5kms but since moving I’m now pretty inconsistent and I’m not someone who does superstitions or believes in luck.
20. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks and good luck.
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