For our 11th season review, we turn the spotlight on Chonburi FC. Here's Tim Spear with his opinions on the 2022/23 campaign.
A season of two halves. A good first half. A woeful second half. It was nice to see Adul back at the club. I know it was only a temporary appointment, but to be honest, it was really good to have him in charge. And I did want him to stay. Whether he’ll turn out to be a good coach or not, it's hard to say, but there was a little improvement in the way the team played so I was quite pleased about that.
What did we get right and wrong on the field?
During the first leg we were playing a fluid style of football, with a lot of width. Channarong had a free role and he was playing well. After the Christmas break, you could see he wanted to go off and run the game from up the field, but he was moved much deeper. This meant that we, as a team, just became slow and predictable, meaning we got annihilated left, right and centre. We lost that sense of urgency so I think we definitely got that wrong.
And off the field?
Everything surrounding the drunk driving tragedy. The management handled it very badly. Worawut was the best goalkeeper we had, and certainly looked a very good prospect, but that isn't really the issue. The issue is the ongoing drinking culture at the club and what it has lead to. Initially, the club dealt with it appallingly. Then they seemed to make amends and got things right. However, certain people who were involved were allowed back at the club, which is fundamentally wrong. We shouldn't have a drinking culture at the club, nor people who encourage that with young footballers. It destroys their careers and it destroys the chance for my club to do as well as they can do.
What advice would you give our management ahead of next season?
I know I sound like a stuck record, but get rid of the drinking culture. That's the most important thing they need to do.
On the field, let's hope they can give the new manager some support. My fear is that we will make the same mistakes as the last time we had a Japanese coach. Wada had no support. And I wonder why? There does seem to be something in the club that is antagonistic towards foreigners and it's been about for a long time. We shouldn't be in a position where a manager of ours is publicly criticising foreign players, like Sasom did last season. His outburst should have been dealt with at a higher level, but it was just swept under the carpet and ignored. That was appalling.
Which players, or type of players, would you like us to sign next season?
I think we need a spine of solid players. We need to find a couple of good central defenders, a large player in midfield and we need a goalkeeper who is more than one metre fifty in height. The latter is essential. You’re not going to win games with a goalkeeper who is small.
Which was our best performance this season?
We were magnificent early on. However, I can't really remember any specific matches because it was such a long time ago now!!
And our worst?
There is a plethora of worst games. You could almost select any game since Christmas. We were just woeful at times. We kept giving the ball away! And the manager playing the foreign players out of position really didn't help.
Which was your favourite away trip?
I didn’t get to many this year, but usually my favourite away trip is BG Pathum Utd. Which I sadly didn't make this time around. However, I really enjoyed Port. It’s a nice away ground. Good support and a lot of noise from both sets of fans. But it was hot!
And your least favourite?
Where do I really hate going? It’s hard to say. I like going to all the away games, to be honest. They're all different.
What was the best thing that happened to you personally whilst supporting Chonburi this season?
I think meeting you, Dale. Seeing you back at Chonburi was a highlight. (Thank you, Tim. The feeling is mutual - ed). Also, seeing other fans away from home, and bumping into people that you don't always expect to see and haven't seen for many years.
What are your impressions of the league overall this year?
Obviously Buriram Utd were head and shoulders above the rest and ran away with it, but that’s what you’d expect, given the how professional they are and how well they are run. The rest of league has been fairly competitive. It seemed to be a pretty level playing field, with some teams slightly better than others. The teams I have seen play against Chonburi have been pretty evenly matched. It was also nice to see some new teams in the TPL, even though they struggled near the bottom.
Which T1 teams most impressed you?
It's really hard to say because when I’m watching a game of football, I’m concentrating on Chonburi. I don't care about the opposition. I have no interest in how they are playing. I just want Chonburi to win. Some teams do come and play very well, but I haven't seen everyone this season; for instance, I didn’t see Buriram Utd play this year. However, I did see Muang Thong Utd and I thought they were woeful. BG Pathum Utd were very good, so I would say out of all the visiting teams I have watched at Chonburi Stadium, they were the most impressive.
Away from home, I thought Port played exceptionally well against us. We played pretty well in the first half, but after the break they completely overran us. They have this really talented attacking midfielder. I don’t know his name; Wora something or other? He looks like one for the future. I wouldn’t mind him in our team. He might be expensive though.
What has really annoyed you about Thai football this season?
What has really annoyed me about Thai football this season? Easy. VAR. Referees, linesmen and VAR. It is unbelievable. This is just going to be a rant now! For every decision, they stop the game for about ten minutes. Even when it’s for something obvious that the linesman should have seen. If it's obvious, it should take a matter of seconds to reach a decision. If it's not obvious, OK. But it still shouldn’t be taking that long. And what are the linesmen doing?! God knows what they're doing! They’re just waddling up and down the touchline. They may as well give them a guide dog and get it to follow the action. For me, they are a waste of time. As you can tell, this really annoys me! But I’m sure everyone else feels the same.
Finally, what message would you like to give to your fellow Chonburi fans and fans of Thai football?
To Chonburi fans; we love you. We love you all. To fans of Thai football, the same message; we love you. We love you all.
I think to compare Thai football with football from other countries is really wrong because there are so many different factors influencing the game here. When you come here and watch Thai football, you should enjoy it for what it is, and relish the experience. The fan experience is unique. I love the way that both sets of fans mingle before and after the game. It's very friendly, and if there is any banter, it's very light hearted. And that's what I like about about being here. I love going to away matches, chatting to people and finding out where the the local beer is or the food.
At times the football is very good and at other times, it's not. I think people sometimes forget about the heat in which matches are played and the fatigue this causes. When everyone from Europe complained about the high temperatures in Qatar for the World Cup, I was complaining it was too cold! The temperatures were 22 degrees centigrade, and our players are regularly playing in 32 degrees centigrade - and above. There's a big difference. I think this needs to be taken into consideration and we should have some sympathy for the Thai teams.
I like the way that Thai teams are generally pretty sporting, like kicking the ball out when an opposition player is down. I'm sorry, Dale, I know you hate that. (I do! -ed). I’m not that keen on it when it happens in England, but here it's just the way that they do it and I think you get used to that.
Therefore, in summary, enjoy Thai football for what it is and make the most of it while you're here.
Hopefully, I’ll get to meet many of you when you come to Chonburi in the future. If you do come, please visit us in the sala and we will always make you feel very welcome.
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