Interview With Two Muang Thong Utd Fans: 3rd October, 2009

Ahead of "The Biggest Game in Thai League History", I interviewed Matt Riley and Greg Hill, two Muang Thong Utd fans. Here's what they had to say:

Me - What is your name and where do you come from?
M - I'm Matt and I come from England.
G - My name is Greg and I'm from Southampton in England.

Me - Where do you live now?
M - I currently live in Don Meung.
G - I'm living in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi.

Me - How long have you been in Thailand?
M - I've been here for ten years.
G - About five years.

Me - How long have you been supporting Muang Thong United?
M - I've been supporting Muang Thong United for one year.
G - A very short time - about two months. But I'm already hooked.

Me - How did you first become aware of MTUFC? 
M - A friend of mine took me to a game.
G - Actually it was through an advert for Bangkok United in the 'Bangkok Post'. Seeing them marketed as a proper team made me realise the TPL had changed since I last looked. I did a quick internet search and discovered MTU was my local team so I decided to take a look.

Me - Which was your first match? 
M - I can't remember. One Leo too many!
G - At home to Bangkok Glass. We won 1- 0.

Me - Which has been your most memorable match supporting Muang Thong? 
M- The recent victory against Bangkok Glass.
G - The last one against Samut Songkhram. I made new friends, watched an exciting game with a remarkable 'walk off' protest by the away team and stood in the pouring rain as we scored two world class goals. I then had to make my way home in a flood.

Me - Do you travel to away games? 
M - Yes.
G - I went to one and certainly plan to go to more.

Me - Which has been your favourite away trip? 
M - The trip to watch us play Bangkok United.
G - The one away game I went to was Chula United. I enjoyed it a lot because it's really as close as a home game and it's downtown Bangkok, so it's a good atmosphere.

Me - What sort of crowds have you been getting this season? 
M - We were getting 2,000 at the beginning of the season. However we had 13,000 last week and we are expecting 15,000 this week.
G - During my time supporting the club we've been getting full house crowds.

Me - What sort of image does the club have in your area? 
M - A good one. Lots of images and we promote the team at Harrow School.
G - Amongst the growing fan base, the club is fashionable and successful. But like all Thai teams, there is still a remarkable amount of people unaware they have a local football team.

Me - How do your owners promote and advertise your club? 
M - They put up posters in the area, the players go out on local visits and the team trains on the school pitch at Harrow International School.
G - In a very modern way. There is big name sponsorship and all the usual club products. The internet site is highly professional too. They also promote in more traditional Thai ways such as sending a van with a loudspeaker around the area to remind people when the next game is. Overall, I believe the club are consciously marketing themselves as the Thai version of Manchester United.

Me - How far do you think the club can go?
M - I think that we will be League Champions in the next two years. I then expect us to have a good run in the AFC competitions over the next two to three years
G - Good question. There's no doubt we can become dominant in Thai football but that's still a big leap away from success in Asia.

Me - How ambitious are your owners? Have they made any promises as to what they hope the club can achieve? 
M - They seem very ambitious. Robert Procuruer has a clear idea of what he expects on and off the pitch.
G - They are certainly ambitious. They recently pledged to invest some 30 million baht in new players.

Me - What are your opinions about the new stadium? Is it what you were expecting or are the club taking shortcuts in order to have "stands" ready in time for Sunday's game? 
M- It's taking shape, but the explosion in numbers mean that there will be some rough edges.
G - This is something a lot of people are talking about right now. As far as I can see the club is doing exactly the right thing. They are very quickly building stable stands to accommodate the huge demand we have right now, but the way these stands are built makes them - to my eyes - very easy to remove or disassemble. So, in the long term, the ground can still be expanded.

Me - Do you think, in its present state, the Thunderdome is capable of hosting such a big game? 
M - No, that is why they have opened the exhibition centre for the fans to watch the game on big screen TVs. But I'm glad it is at The Thunderdome as it is a home game.
G - The ground itself? Yes, if the new stand is finished in time. The real challenge is for the staff inside and outside the ground in managing the large number of human traffic.

Me - How do you think your club is regarded by fans of other Thai teams? 
M - Some seem to think we are rich and greedy and too rich, but we support them as our local team so we can live with that.
G - You tell me! I'm sure there is some level of resentment similar to the feeling other fans have for Man Utd fans back home, but I need to speak to more Thai fans of other teams to get a clearer picture.

Me - How do you think your fans are regarded by fans of other Thai teams? 
M - I think they are respected as being passionate and friendly.
G - As above. I think most other fans expect us to be numerous and noisy, which we are.

Me - What sort of welcome can the Chonburi fans expect? 
M - A friendly one, if it was anything other I wouldn't be interested in bringing my family again.
G - Normally it is a good friendly atmosphere. There is a lot at stake in this one of course but hopefully everyone will behave themselves. I'll certainly be looking to sit down and talk football with some Chonburi fans like yourself before and after the game. 

Me - Who would you say is your best player? 
M - Yaya.
G - I'm still working on that one. I have a shortlist of - Yaya, Piyachat, Leesaw and Kawin.

Me - Is there anyone else we should keep an eye out for?
M - Kawin.
G - Honestly, the whole team is strong. The two centre backs give very little away. The wing backs have been very well positioned for the last few games, the goals are being shared by several players and we look dangerous from set pieces.

Me - What do you think the score will be on Sunday?
M - I think that it will be a draw.
G - To use a cliche - it really is anyone's game. If pushed, I'd say 2 -1 to Muang Thong.

Me - Which other TPL players (or players from overseas) do you wish you had at your club? 
M - Michael Byrne
G - Realistically, I don't see any options right now. I wouldn't mind your boy Byrne or another British player at the club just so I know at least one player will understand when I shout all the stuff English fans shout at the team! Not that they can hear me anyway of course, but you understand!

Me - Which is the best team (apart from Muang Thong) that you have seen this season? 
M - I really rate Chula on their day and, in general, I have been impressed with most teams.
G - Pattaya United seem to have given us a very tough game. Of the games which I've attended, we were actually very lucky to get a point from Chula. I think they will stay up.

Me - Who do you think will win the TPL? 
M - Chonburi this year because they have the experience in these situations.
G - Sorry, Dale, I'm truly confident that we will win it.

Me - Which is your favourite other team (if you have one)? Thai or overseas. 
M - Aston Villa.
G - Southampton is my team in England and I listen to every game. Back in Thailand, I'm also planning to watch Rajpracha in the Thai Division 2 playoffs whenever I can.

Me - Do you support the Thailand national team?
M - Yes.
G - I like to see them do well but I wouldn't call myself a supporter.

Me - Who do you think is the best Thai player at the moment? 
M - Kawin
G - Too early to say. I expect to have an opinion on that by the end of next season.

Me - Are you happy that Bryan Robson might be the new Thailand head coach? 
M - No. I would have preferred it if Steve Darby had taken over.
G - Not really. I think Reid is a better coach. The appointment of Robson is just an expensive form of showing off for the Thai FA.

Me - Anything else you'd like to add?
M - Here's to a great day out on Sunday showing the best of Thailand and Thai people.
G - Just to say to fans of both sides that we know this is an important and tense game, but let's make sure the focus is on the football.

Me - Thank you both. 
M&G - You're welcome.

Muang Thong Utd v Chonburi Match Preview: 3rd October, 2009

At a similar stage last season we travelled to Ayutthya to play the league leaders, PEA. At the time we were three points behind, in second place. That match ended in a draw and we were unable to overtake them in the few games that followed. It would be nice to think that we've learned from that experience and can go to The Thunderdome tomorrow and return with maximum points. We certainly have the personnel, and Zico has shown in recent weeks (in league matches anyway) that he has worked out how best to employ the players at his disposal.

Putting aside the two cup disappointments, I felt that our display at Nakorn Pathom last weekend was our best in a long time. The players showed a desire and a determination that I believe has been missing for large parts of the campaign. Their timing is perfect as the match against Muang Thong will be our toughest test yet. The home side have quality, and depth, in every department and will be keen to show the whole country that their victory against us earlier in the year wasn't a fluke. That defeat still haunts me and I hope that our boys will do everything they can to wipe that miserable wet evening at the godforsaken Nong Prue "Stadium" from memory.

They certainly have the ideal platform on which to perform. An all ticket crowd of 15,000+ and a sizeable Thai television audience will be supplemented by a number of people watching on a giant screen, which has been erected outside the stadium for those unlucky souls who couldn't get a ticket but want to be there on the day. This is easily the biggest domestic game in recent Thai football history and has already commanded a lot of newspaper column inches and the internet is buzzing with the pre-match hype.

It isn't only the football that has generated talking points. Indeed the venue itself has been the subject of a lot of discussion. At one stage it looked like the game would be moved to Supachalasai in order to cope with the demand and the large numbers expected. However, the home team have built a new stand (seemingly out of Meccano) in record time and are assuring everyone that they can deal with the occasion.

Ticketing too has been a hot topic. Muang Thong have been selling advance tickets for the past few days but have held back 3,000 which will go on open sale from 11:00am on match day. Chonburi's official allocation was 1,500 but I expect that two or three times that number of fans will make the trip. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly tomorrow. Thai football can't afford to get this wrong. A lot of people will be watching so let's hope that all they are talking about afterwards is the quality of football currently on offer in the TPL.

The match will be televised live on NBT Channel 19. Coverage starts at 4:30pm. Kick off is at 5:00pm.

Interview With A Chiang Rai Utd Fan: 2011

Here's an interview I did with Chiang Rai Utd fan, Jean (John) Jeurissen back in 2011, which was the club's first season in the top flight.

Please can you tell me a bit about yourself and where you come from? 
- I am a Dutch former museum curator who celebrates his 65th birthday on Saturday.

How long have you been in Chiang Rai? 
- I have been visiting every year since 1986 and when I retired in 1997, I moved here.

How long have been following Chiang Rai United?
- Since its second or third home game ever in 2009 (Second Division North) so almost from the start.

What sort of crowds do you currently attract for home games?
- Last year, when we were still playing in the First Division at the stadium of Chiang Rai town, the number of spectators was in between five and six thousand. Now, playing at the stadium of the Mae Fah Luang University, about thirty kilometer to the north of the city, the number went down to between three and four thousand (too far for motorcycles!). The crowds are made up of mainly men between eighteen and thirty years of age.

How does this compare with when you first started going to watch? 
- The first match I visited, when we also played in the stadium of the MFL-University, I shared the stands with about 250 others. With a gigantic snowball effect this number went up rather quickly and when we started to play in Chinagrai town it was booming.

What does the club do to help the fans travel to away matches? 
- On occasions in the past buses were organized and for 500 Baht you could join the party. This also included one night’s stay at a hotel. Our average away game is more than 800 kilometers away. The club doesn't have a big budget, but we are happy that we have a fanclub in the Bangkok area as well (Kwankrung) that cheers our team when we are playing there.

Do you manage to get to many away games?
- Last Sunday was my first time. I travelled to Mahasarakham, where Khon Kaen temporarily plays (about 800 kms from Chiang Rai), and met up with a friend that lives in the that neighbourhood. We were the only orange fans at the match and our combined age was almost 140 years old.

Do you hope to travel away more often this season?
- Yes, but the nearest place is Phichit (about 500 kms) and we have already played there. I hope to be in Ratchaburi at the beginning of May with Chiangrai Hills FC, the all-hiltribe team of Maechan.

What are your happiest memories of supporting Chiang Rai United?
- Sitting among the other fans I can forget that I am a foreigner here and hearing Chiangrai! Chiangrai! feels great. I am still too shy to join the choirs but I do in silence. It's the feeling of unity, to be part of a local thing. And of course two championships, first in the second division and one year later in the first. Which club manages to offer that to you?

Who are your best players?
- Wasan, our number forty, was officially the best striker of the first division last year. This year I haven’t seen that much of him (he has a newborn daughter, nicknamed ... Forty!). My favourite is Brasilian Edvaldo Pereira, not only as a very experienced player, but also for his cheerful character. He is one of the two players that played European Cup football (with St. Gallen, Swiss champion in 1999). Lovely guy and unsurpassable on the square meter. The other one is Romanian Leontin Chitescu, who was a champion with Cluj. Nice player.

What do you think about your coach/manager? 
- Brasilian Stephano Zugurra, he’s a very sympathic person. He played with Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands more than ten years ago. He was the coach with Persebaya when they were three times Indonesian champion and he coached the Brasilian U19 team. He’s also coached at a number of other clubs. He arrived in Chiangrai last year for the second leg of the league. We were in ninth position but when the league was over we were third and were promoted to the Premier League. He was instrumental in that.

What do you think about the people who run your club? 
- The first word that comes to my mind is admiration! Our Chairman, Miti Tiyapairat, was 23 years old when everything started and he is doing most things by himself, with the assistance of his fiancee Khun Korbtip. I have great respect for his professionalism, his vision, perseverance and strength. Don't forget that we have strong headwind politically, so things aren't easy.

What are Chiang Rai United's realistic long term ambitions? 
- First of all to stay in the Premier League. Many agree with me, and I am happy that also BG-man Andy belongs to them, that we have been the best team in games were the points however were left behind. The potential is great and it should be cashed in one day.

Which TPL teams have impressed you this season & why? 
- ... no idea 

Which TPL players have impressed you this season? 
- ... no idea 

What do you think about Chonburi FC - the club, the team, the fans? 
- I know that it is one of the top-teams of Thailand, but I never had the pleasure of being introduced. 

Who do you think will win the TPL this season? 
- The team of Newin Chidchob. 

Anything else you'd like to add? 
- Please never confuse Chiangrai United with Chiang Rai FC, now at the bottom in the Second Division North. After the success of Chiang Rai United in the first year of its existence, the Provincial Administration Authority lost face (they have been 'sitting' on the stadium for thirty years and didn't manage to do anything with it) and reacted by taking over FC Thoeng, led by a visionairy local doctor and renamed it Chiang Rai FC. 

Many people think that the foundation of this club was a political move. The stadium was suddenly theirs and finally security guards chased away the players of Chiang Rai United when they were training there, as they usually did. The doctor is side lined in the meantime and a military man is now in charge of this club. 

Thanks John. And happy birthday! 
- Have a nice day and take care! 

Chonburi FC Squad Photo: 2007

Chonburi FC Squad Photos: 2006

Chonburi FC Squad Photo: 2005

Chonburi FC Squad Photo: 2004

Chonburi FC Squad Photo: 2002

Thai Pro League Official Handbook: 2005

Interview With Sven Beyrich: 2010

Sven Beyrich is the webmaster at www.thai-fussball.de. In July, 2010, I interviewed him about his trip to Thailand, his thoughts on the local game and Chonburi's chances for the rest of the season. You can read our conversation below. 

Q - What is your name and where do you come from? 
My name is Sven and I am from Germany. Originally I come from a small town called Colditz, near Leipzig, but I have lived in Munich for the past ten years. 

Q - How long have you been following Thai football? 
I have been following Thai football since the beginning of the 2008 season. 

Q - What first got you interested in Thai football? 
At the End of 2007 I started to work for a FIFA-Manager fan website and I did some database work for them. As I used to spend my holidays in Thailand it was logical for me to work on a database patch for Thailand. And it was much more interesting to do that, instead of working on all the countries which are usually providedfor on this particular PC Game. 

Q- Which was the first match you saw? 
I was actually aware of Thai football earlier than 2008 because I had been spending my holidays in Thailand since about 2002. But, as you know, information about the local football scene was tough to find in those days. However, the first game I watched in Thailand was the international friendly between Thailand and Germany in 2004. My first league match was in 2008. It was Chonburi vs Samut Songkhram. Thanks to you, by the way. 

Q - Please can you tell us a bit about your website and your involvement with the Wikipedia pages. 
Well, I started www.thai-fussball.de in October 2009. It was around the time when lots of other sites, like yours, were springing up. As I already had accumulated a deep knowledge about the local game through my work at the Wikipedia, I thought it might be not a bad idea do to a website about Thai football in German. There are a lot of Thais living here in Germany and also in Switzerland and Austria. They might be able to speak Thai, but most of them are not able to read Thai. And of course you have a big German community in Thailand itself. But the basic idea was simply to promote the Football in Thailand. I think this is something we all try to do with our respective websites. 

Regarding Wikipedia when I started the work for the FIFA-Manager fan website, I needed to do a lot of essential investigation about players and clubs for the database. It was during my search for information that I noticed that Wikipedia contained very little about Thai football. Therefore, I had the idea to share my collected knowledge. I started the English language Wikipedia pages with Adam Drury, an Englishman who is also a keen follower of Thai football. I added the German language version later on.

Q - You recently watched a couple of Chonburi matches. What did you think about...
(a) The team?
Chonburi is surely one of the best teams in Thailand. They really have a great quality in the squad, mainly because of their national team players. On the other hand, I like the fact that the team contains young lads as well and they are given a chance to play in TPL, in order to gain experiance and match practice. Chonburi also has one of the best coaches in TPL. They have a solid defence who do a great job, which is not so common in the League. But, as seen during recent games, it looks like they really miss Pipob. I think they are lacking a bit in the strikeforce. And sometimes Sinthaweechai can cause headaches! 

(b) The fans?
Frankly speaking, I don’t think there is much of a difference from fans of other clubs in Thailand. Everywhere you go, you are likely to receive a warm welcome from local fans and you will soon feel a part of them.A part of the family. And that is really a nice feeling. During halftime at the Navy Rayong v Chonburi match (5th June), a young Thai spoke to me. He said that we had met up during the Muang Thong v Chonburi match (28th May) but, unfortunately, I really couldn't remember him. I still feel sorry about that. Nevertheless, I can say that Chonburi fans are really helpful, in every respect. And morons, you can find everywhere.

(c) The matchday experience?
The matchday experience, like the fans, is nearly the same everywhere you go in Thailand. It's wonderful. I really love it. I watched 6 games during my recent visit, and I couldn't get enough of it. I have seen a lot of matches in my life but the experience in Thailand is really great. It is the kind of mixture you can find there with whole families going out to watch the game together. Nearly everybody is wearing their team colours. It is a very friendly atmosphere, with the fans singing and supporting their club nearly the whole time. One thing that is different about Chonburi are the big fire crackers the lads like to set off in front of the stadium before each match. I've never seen this before. 

A negative point for me is all that construction waste and mud you can find at some stadiums. You are even able to find construction tools. People could easily grab them, and use them to hurt someone. So, in this case, I think it is maybe better to allow firecrackers inside the stadium, instead of having such kind of tools lying around. I also would like to see a standard regulation for all stadiums in regards to your drinks. You never know in advance whether you can take your beer into the stadium or not. And, if you can, are you allowed bottles, glasses, cans or plastic cups? You never know!

Q - What were the biggest differences you noticed from the last time you watched a Chonburi home match? 

There weren’t many differences. The overall experience was nearly the same, except you now have a few more chants and a big shark flag. The game I watched in 2008 (0-0 v Samut Songkhram on the 4th October) was nearly sold out, and this time it was sold out again. The access to the players has changed, as now you have wait for them behind barriers outside the main entrance. I like this idea. It stops everyone running on to the pitch but it’s still possible to get autographs and take pictures with them. You still have the chance to get close to your lads. The only thing I missed were the firecrackers inside the stadium.

Q - Who is your favourite Chonburi player? And why?
There are a few. Pipob,Therdsak, Michael and recently the young lad Phuritad Jarikanon. He is really a young promising player. Pipob has always amazed me, right from the first time I saw him play. He is a small guy, but with a huge presence on the field. I like his dynamic. And his fully trained body is simply amazing. Therdsak is an old rascal, always going forward and with great ideas and lots of ability. He really understands the game. Michael is very popular with the fans. Everybody loves him. The kids are crazy about him. He is really smart and a nice guy. He may be a superstar in the league, but he’s still very down to earth. He is very professional but he’s not playing only for the money he gets. He really cares about Chonburi. 

Q - Do you think we can win the league this season? If we don't, who will?
Last week I would have said definitely not. The situation has now changed a bit with Muang Thong surprisingly losing to Police United. I think the championship will be battled out between Muang Thong and Chonburi. There is no doubt about that. However, I don’t think that this is a good thing for the league as a whole. If you have 4 or 5 clubs challenging for the title, it would be better for the whole league. I still think Muang Thong will it again. Compared to the Chonburi strike force, they have more quality in depth, even though Yaya will leave the club. And, as this year goal difference will decide between teams on equal point, Muang Thong have the advantage.

Q - Which other Thai teams and players have impressed you?
I’ve been impressed by different ones. I’ve seen several of the Army’s games on the internet and I am impressed by their playing style. They also have no foreigners in the squad. And for that I have to give kudos. 

Valci Junior from Sisaket impressed me during the first few games he played for Sisaket. They can play brilliantly up front, but lack in defence. Somjet Sattabud from Navy Rayong is a great midfielder with a lot of skill. Sutee Suksomkit, even though he hasn't performed well in some games for Bangkok Glass, I rarely missed any games when he was playing for Melbourne Victory. Even though I had to get up early in the morning. 

And last, but not least, Kawin. I have to admit that I am a big fan of goalkeepers. Kawin is really the future. He will become the best goalie in Asia if he keeps on track. I am really sure. He has everything that a goalie needs nowadays. Same as Hassan Sunny from Singapore. I really would love to see Kawin playing in the German Bundesliga. And I think he really could cope at that level.

Q - What did you enjoy most about your recent trip?
The thing I enjoyed most was meeting up with old friends like you. But also making new ties and meeting guys like Andy, Tobi and Lulu. Not to mention all the Thai lads I met up with and talked to. However, I was really excited to meet (Chonburi Technical Development Director) Witthaya Hloagune by chance, as he is the only Thai to have played in the Bundesliga so far. 

Q - Do you prefer watching football in Germany or in Thailand?
I enjoy both. Of course if you have Bayern Munich and one of the best leagues in the world on your doorstep, like I do, you are spoiled by the high level of football. But I don't really like the Allianz Arena, or all those new stadiums we have in Germany. They all look the same! There is also a big distance between the players and the fans compared to Thailand. So, if you I like to watch high quality football, I’d say I’d prefer Germany. But if you like to have a unique experience, in atmosphere, matchday experience, fun and enjoying a match, I’d go for Thailand. The level of quality on the pitch isn’t always what’s important for me.

Q - German beer or Thai beer?
Here I have to be 100% German. The varieties of German beer are far superior. But I always love to have my Chang, Leo or Singha.

Q - German food or Thai food?
I like both. Roots are roots. I couldn't live without the typical German plain fare we are known for. However, if I am in Thailand, sure I always enjoy Thai food.

Q - Anything else you'd like to add?
Yes, the World Cup 2010 has just ended. We would all love to see Thailand playing in the tournament at sometime in the future.But I think one of the first steps towards achieving this would be to cut down the new foreign player rule in the TPL. There are a lot of young and talented Thai kids out there but if they have 7 foreigners ahead of them, and no chance to play, it doesn't make sense. During my recent stay I saw some foreign players who were really poor quality. It would be better to give the young talented Thais a chance. Look at how England and Italy, two domestic leagues with lots of foreign players, ended up at the World Cup!