Here's the new issue of our popular regular feature - 'Five Asides'. Take five Thai football fans, share five contentious opinions with them and let everyone have their say. Nice and simple. Our panel today is made up of Steve (neutral), Rick (Muang Thong Utd), Blaine (neutral), Isaac (Khon Kaen Utd), and Rob B ("Nomad"). Away you go...
1. Thailand should follow the example of other South East Asian countries and consider using naturalised players in the national team.
Rick: I don't see any reason why not, since everyone else is doing it. If they are serious about going to the World Cup, naturalized players might be that small detail that is missing all these years. The league has been bringing in good foreigners over the years so why not.
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Steve: Foreign officials are less likely to have Thai “pressure” on them. I often feel sorry for local refs when they get a call on the Friday suggesting future plans for them!
Blaine: It's not something I like seeing to be honest. If someone has played in Thailand for a long time, blends in well with Thai players, feels strongly about the country and is significantly better than current national team players, then I get it. Also finding players who were raised in Europe in top academies and have a Thai parent (not technically naturalising) and feel strongly about the country, can also work.
But bringing players in who don't understand the culture, speak the language or know what it means to pull on the Thailand shirt isn't for me. It's a short-term fix and is a plaster for the issues at the youth level in the game. I'd much rather see a bottom up approach to develop the game at the youth level as that will bring the biggest rewards long-term.
Isaac: If they did, I wouldn't oppose it, but I'd much prefer if they didn't. I'd rather lose with a team of Thais (and dual nationalities) than win with a team made up of Brazil rejects that have lived in Thailand long enough to get naturalized.
Rob B: Yes. I want to see the real Andy Carroll and his Brazilian twin Hamilton somehow sorted with passports to play up front together. Ideally with Dave Basset or Sam Allardyce as coach.
2. A top flight club making a marquee signing – such as Cristiano Ronaldo – would benefit the league as a whole.
Steve: A foreigner should be better than a local to justify the wage, attract spectators and be good professional role models on and OFF the pitch. I think foreigners should be restricted to 2 per team, with a high minimum wage. Stop the cheap import who is often just a big lump. As it deprives locals of opportunities, usually strikers, and actually changes the game...the ball being whacked long to the big fella up front.
Rick: It might benefit the league for the short term but having seen how some Thai clubs manage their payroll, I think it's better to keep that idea away for the time being.
Blaine: If you get a top player, with the right attitude, it would benefit the players who train alongside them everyday. It would also get more bums on seats short-term but it's not a sustainable strategy long-term, as we've seen in the Chinese Super League.
The amount of money you'd invest in top foreign players would be much better spent creating better training facilities and academies, by hiring more full-time development coaches and support staff to develop the next generation. Clubs have signed top players in the past and it hasn't worked. It's not easy helping top players adapt and having to manage their expectations and how they fit into the group.
Isaac: All publicity is good publicity, right? Using the Ronaldo example, look at how much Al Nassr's IG followers grew once Ronaldo signed. How many people outside of Saudi Arabia had ever watched an Al Nassr match or bought one of their shirts? If a Thai team could sign a true megastar, it would greatly increase the exposure and revenue of the league.
I think that was the general strategy of the MLS for a while with signings like Beckham, Gerrard, Rooney, Zlatan, Pirlo, etc. As an American, it did grow my interest in the league, and I'd say the overall quality of the league is higher now than it was, say, 10 years ago, even if that improvement was going from 'poor' to 'below average'.
Rob B: All clubs should be funded and allowed to have one. Apart from Buriram.
3. Foreign referees and assistants should be used to officiate the big league and cup matches.
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Rick: I totally agree, but I am not sure if Buriram United and its fans would agree with that though.
Blaine: It could be a short-term fix but I'd much rather see a top foreign referee hired as the Head of Referees to improve refereeing standards in the country. This would leave a more lasting legacy than bringing in foreigners, if they feel the locals are incompetent. This would take huge investment to get a figurehead in, increase local referees salaries to make it a more attractive career prospect and to build a full-time referee training programme to improve the fitness and officiating standards across the leagues.
Isaac: I'd say no, just keep the Thai referees. As far as I know, I don't think any other leagues import referees for any matches(?).
Rob B: Honestly not sure. Neutrality full stop would be a welcome addition.
4. The best Thai players should be encouraged to play abroad in order to benefit the national team and the league.
Rick: We have seen how great things turned out for Theerathon and Chanathip so it's a yes for me.
Blaine: Players succeeding abroad has huge benefits for the national team and how the Thai game is viewed abroad. Playing at higher levels provides the challenge needed to take their performance to the next level, which benefits the national team. Working alongside better professionals and seeing how they conduct themselves can switch the mindset and help them break through any cultural barriers that were holding them back at home.
Once they've succeeded it paves the path for the next generation of players to thrive abroad. Also, if they return to the Thai League, to finish their career, they can be an invaluable role model which lifts the players around them.
Isaac: I think this might be something of a catch-22. I think if the best Thai players would play in Japan for example, that would help their individual development, helping the quality of the national team. However, if the top Thai talents are playing abroad, and the players leftover in the Thai League aren't breaking in to the nat'l team squad, then that might hurt interest in the league as a whole.
Rob B: I think if any were seriously good enough they’d have been picked up. I think that the few who have stand out in the league and national team.
5. The Thai League should employ someone like Richard Barrow to promote the local game to foreigners in Thailand and abroad.
Steve: Anything that promotes the game is good. Dual language web sites...and my pet hate commentators who don’t have multiple orgasms or giggle when there is a throw in or corner. Better quality TV coverage with dual language commentary.
Rick: I would prefer to have football people promoting football and let Mr Barrow promote the train rides instead.
Blaine: It could increase awareness but improving the product first would make a much bigger impact. I'd rather focus on making it easy to get tickets, improving stadium experiences and views and improving the quality of the playing and refereeing standards in the league (which all stems back to youth and referee development again). It's so easy to watch the Premier League on TV, so the Thai League needs to create (and sell) a better fan experience that makes them not want to miss the next game!
Isaac: It couldn't hurt to try... Mark Wiens stadium food tour? Kidding aside, I'm not sure if the league itself would be the best way to do that, but maybe it would be better to do it at the team level (that's kind of my goal with Khon Kaen Utd). They should focus on marketing domestically first and filling stadiums before worrying about attracting interest abroad.
Rob B: Someone of that ilk for sure. The Thai League for all its faults could be made into a really good product with proper marketing, fan involvement and some common sense around fixtures. The matchday experience is great and top value for money but not enough know about it.
Please note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of each individual and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the blog. Thank you.
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