New! Pre Match Interview With The Blogger (Ratchaburi): 2022

Ratchaburi fan, Neal Oliver sent me a few questions ahead of Sunday's match. Here are my replies

1. What is your expected result from Sunday’s match, and why?  

It will be interesting to see how we respond to last weekend's defeat. The way we approach this match, and the result, could define how the rest of our season will play out. We do have a terrible record at Ratchaburi so I'd take a draw, if offered one now. Therefore, I'm going to go for a 1-1 - but hope for an away win.

2. It is my belief that T1 is a league of 2 halves this season.  Teams are either very good or very bad – there seems to be very little middle ground.  It is my belief that Ratchaburi have had a fairly easy run in the league so far this season (I must be Ratchaburi’s biggest pessimist), and still have a few Big Boys to play.  I’ve looked at Chonburi’s games, and you seem to have had a similar easy run.  Do you believe Chonburi will continue their impressive start to the season to the end of Leg 1? Be realistic, where do you think Chonburi will be at the end of the season?

I'm not so sure that I agree with you about us having an easy run. We've aleady played Buriram Utd, BG, Muang Thong Utd and Bangkok Utd, which are probably four of the toughest fixtures in any season. We emerged from those games with six points and possibly should have had more; we had a mad fifteen minutes against Buriam Utd - when we conceded three goals - and should really have got something from our meeting with Bangkok Utd. In our other matches, we have performed well and been worthy winners. I believe this year's squad is the strongest we've had in a long time and, provided everyone can stay fit, and we strengthen during the transfer window, there's no reason why we can't finish in the top four or five. Obviously, I'd like to think we are genuine title contenders. Time will tell.

3. Ratchaburi have made quite a few substantial squad changes this season, and actually have T1’s largest foreigner contingent.  Who is the Ratchaburi player you fear most, and why?

I'm not too sure about the players, but I'll really start panicking if I see your chairman Fluke unscrewing the cap from a bottle of water!

4. Ratchaburi have a fantastic defence this season.  Do you think Chonburi’s attack will be able to get past them?  If they do, do you have anybody good enough to beat the brilliant Kampon?

The TPL's leading scorer, Danilo has been impressive this season and ably supported by Amadou and Yoo Byungsoo. On their day any (or all) of these three can be a handful for any defence. Let's hope that Sunday is "their day".

5. We’re 9 games into the season now.  We have all had time to see 9 of the opposition first hand, and will surely have some idea of the League’s abilities.  Do you have a feel for who will win the league, and which teams will depart this season?

Buriram Utd have always got to be considered as favourites, with BG and my outsiders, Bangkok Utd also in the mix. As for the other end, the current bottom three - Khon Kan Utd, Nongbua Pitchaya and Lamphun Warrior - appear to be struggling already and have a lot of work to do if they want to remain in this division.

6. A successful team should strengthen during the mid-season break.  Which positions do Chonburi need to recruit to?  Do you have a wish list?

We need a goalkeeper. One who is imposing and can command the defence. I really believe that this has been a big problem of ours for a number of years. We haven't had a solid custodian since Sinthaweechai was here in his heyday. It is a priority.

7. Who are the Chonburi players we need to watch, and fear?

I've already mentioned our three main strikers, but we do have stregth throughout the squad. Kritsada and Channarong have been making waves this year and are attracting a lot of attention from elsewhere so they are definitely players to watch and fear. But, in all honesty, the threat could come from anywhere. Which is a nice thing to be able to say.

8. When we visited Chonburi Municipality Stadium last season, we enjoyed the little park outside the stadium, which was perfect for a pre-match picnic, but had several odd ball queries i.e.:

Parking.  We used street parking outside the stadium, but I half expected to get back to my car to find it clamped or towed away.  Do you think signposted visiting supporter parking might be a good idea?  

There is plenty of street parking nearby, although they do sometimes close the road directly outside the stadium on match days. Due to the location of the ground - it's in a built up area - a designated away car park isn't really a viable option. Another alternative is to park at Central Plaza - about half a mile away - and take a songtaew or taxi to the game. Or, if you're feeling fit, it's quite a pleasant walk.

Tickets.  You have a beautiful box office, which was fully manned.  Why did visiting supporters have to walk the streets in search of a 7-11 to buy tickets?

I'm not really sure why this is. Maybe it's something you could ask the club. If this is the case, it does seem rather silly. I've bought tickets for the main stand from 7-11 before without any problems, but having them available for all fans at the ticket office on match days seems like a logical thing to do.

Accommodation.  As with all Municipality Stadiums, accommodation for visiting supporters is very poor, offering a less than acceptable view of the match.  Does the Chonburi Stadium get so full that a section of covered pitch side accommodation could not be allocated to visiting supporters?  I must say, I was surprised to see so many Chonburi supporters at the opposite end, who must have had just as bad a view of the game as us.

The view from behind both goals isn't the best. But I have seen (and not seen from!) worse. I'm not really sure if offering a section of the main stand or swimming pool stand to visiting supporters would be possible, as many of the home fans in those areas are season ticket holders. This policy of charging away fans more, and often giving them the worst part of the ground, is relatively new in Thai football. It is mainly a result of the boom in 2009. Prior to that, when crowds were nowhere near what they are now, vistors always used to get half of the home club's main stand to sit in. However, it's important to remember that most teams - Chonburi being the notable exception - rarely took a following of more than a dozen or so on their travels in those days. I suppose the main point here is that clubs feel they have a duty to look after their own supporters, as these are the people who will turn up week in, week out.

9. The above long-winded question is all about your stadium.  Do think it would be useful to create a visiting supporter guide for every T1 stadium.  Just basic information, so things like needing to walk the streets in search of a 7-11 to buy a ticket don’t come as a surprise.  There were several Ratchaburi supporters that day who arrived close to kick off, and missed the first 15 minutes of the match because they couldn’t easily buy a ticket.

A few of us have done this in the past, on various independent websites and blogs. However, I agree that it would be great if the league or the clubs themselves produced something official in Thai and English and make it easy to access. As you say, it would be a great help to visiting supporters and casual fans who want to visit a new ground or take in a match.

10. Is there anything Ratchaburi Football Club could do to improve the visiting supporter experience?

I always enjoy my trips to Ratchaburi - in spite of our awful record there - and I think many fans of other clubs agree with me. However, one thing I don't like is being trapped in that cage outside the away stand during half time. It's draconian and totall unnecessary and is at odds with the rest of the pleasurable matchday experience at the ground. It's like one of those exercise pens you see in American prison movies. If they are going to lock us in, at least open a shop in there so we can buy food and drink.