NEW!! The Tap Room: 2021

 The Tap Room: January, 2021

The Tap Room was a popular feature on my old website, which now gets an occasional run out on here. Over the course of a week, I invite various fans to share their views on a topic connected to Thai football, until we have built up a lively debate. Here is our latest discussion:

Let's settle this once and for all, what level of the English league does Thai football compare with?

Reply #1

Name: Phil Williams

Team supported: Samut Prakan City

Twitter: @Ajarncom

I find it one of the most fascinating hypothetical questions about Thai football, namely ‘The Thai Premier League is roughly on a par with what level of English football?’ Exactly how good (or bad) is it? 

Just for clarification, when we talk about the levels of English football, we’re considering the 20 levels of the English football league pyramid, from the Manchester Citys and the Liverpools of the Premier League all the way down to the bottom rungs and the likes of the Bournemouth Saturday League, where undoubtedly a hungover rabble of delivery drivers, bricklayers and carpet fitters play for a modest match fee but mostly for the love of the game.

In the UK, I was something of a lower division and non-league football anorak. Colchester United have always been my ‘little team’ (it’s a long story) and I’ve seen them play plenty of times in the third and fourth divisions as well as watching Walsall Town Football Club, whose old Fellows Park Ground was just a short train ride from where I lived in Birmingham.

In the early 90’s Colchester were disastrously relegated from the football league into what was then the GM Vauxhall Conference (Level 5 of the pyramid) They were promoted back to the football league at the second attempt but I did get the opportunity to watch many games at that level at places as diverse as Telford, Kettering, Merthyr Tydfil and Runcorn.

To go even deeper into the English league system, I’ve seen a number of games at Coles Lane, the home of Sutton Coldfield FC (a suburb of Birmingham) They are currently level 8 of the pyramid and play in the Evostik something or other. 

Sorry that’s a bit of a long-winded introduction but I just wanted to establish my credentials. I’ve done my fair share of football grounds with sloping pitches, crackly tannoys and doddery turnstile operators who have been there 50 years but still can’t work out the change from a twenty pound note.

So where would the Thai Premier League fit in to that lot?

I’ve caught bits of discussions on this topic before and I seem to recall many folk saying you can’t compare the two countries because you have to take into consideration the heat, the humidity, the state of the playing surfaces, the weight of the ball, etc (I may have made that last one up) but I don’t buy into that at all. When you put eleven players up against eleven players, generally the best eleven will win, regardless of the conditions. OK, the heat and humidity might tip the scales in the Thai teams favour but not by all that much methinks. If you can do it on a wet Tuesday night in Merthyr Tydfil, you can do it on a balmy night at Muangthong. 

You’ve only got to browse Wikipedia and look at the playing careers to date of the foreign stars who grace the T1. Players the world over soon find their level, be it the Japanese third division, the Brazilian second tier or a handful of games for Swindon Town, before being told to sling their hook. And that’s where the majority of those foreign stars have come from – and yet they still mostly manage to shine for their relative Thai clubs. 

I said early last season (when I was still relatively new to watching Thai football) that I felt the T1 was on a par with the Vauxhall Conference (now called the National League) – which to reiterate, is level 5 of the English league system – and my opinion hasn’t changed. So in a handful of hypothetical match-ups, we might have; 

Stockport County v Trat FC

Notts County v Prachuap

Hartlepool v Police Tero 

Bloody hell, I wouldn’t have a clue where to put my gambling money!

Reply #2

Name: Russ John

Team supported: Nakorn Ratchasima FC

Twitter: @russreport

Oh crikey, good question Phil. I'm afraid my knowledge of lower tier football in England is poor - Wolves only sank to the fourth division and I haven't watched any live football in England for 20 years.

I think this question should be aimed at tactical aficionados but I, as a mere fan, will have a go.

The pace within the TPL is pretty slow and tactical awareness among Thai players seems limited, presumably caused by lack of good coaching from an early age. Physically most TPL players would be massacred by the hard running and strength of a typical English "bite yer legs" mentality.

I have always believed that Thais will always struggle in sports because of their “Mai pen rai” cultural upbringing. Thai footballer’s nice, non confrontational, approach would leave most terribly exposed to the cut and thrust, win at all costs, attitude prevailing within the English football pyramid.

So to the question; I think that the professionalism of the Buriram side of a couple of years ago would enable them to survive in England's third tier but most "ordinary" TPL teams would, as Phil suggests, probably be able to mix it with 'non league'" as was, fifth tier teams.

I'm not sure that climate or fitness are the major determinants in this argument, I suggest that physical size and lack of a real cut throat mentality would ultimately be the real reasons why Thai players would not cope with a full rumbustious season within the English leagues.

Not forgetting of course that TPL teams could possibly field 5 non Thais. Although most of these imports improve the standards. I am assuming that if these players had skills commensurate with those of players in, for example, lower European leagues they would be snapped up by those leagues and not end up plying their trades in the TPL, so no real impact on the argument.

So, around tier 5 it is and this is in no way meant to demean the standards in the TPL, after all, “it doesn’t have to be good to be enjoyable”!!

Footnote; Having watched Chorley, who currently compete in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, dispatch Derby County in the FA Cup, I, as a Wolves supporter might ask, would I rather face Chorley or an average TPL team, let’s say Suphanburi, in the next round of the FA Cup? 

Well the answer would be – Suphan every time!!! 

Can I change my mind, most TPL teams would struggle in the English tier 6 or 7 leagues I’m afraid!!

Reply #3

Name: Jamie Pinder

Team supported: Buriram Utd

Twitter: @nangrongifo

So this is a discussion we’ve had many times over the last few years. The reality of course is that the average Thai team in the top league is probably a match for a top quality amateur English team or old fourth division maybe but then you have to look at the top teams that we’ve had over the last 10 years such as my team, Buriram United, and the great team they had which was unbeatable.

That team, supplemented by half a dozen or less players from the UK would have fared pretty well I imagine. If you could’ve added the right players in the right positions such as an extra fullback, a strong central defender, and a creative midfield player, then they would’ve maybe gone as high as the old third division. You need to remember that in that team there were players who had played Champions League football, who had played in good Brazilian leagues, and who were good international players within the region. I think sometimes we underestimate the quality of some of our players and add them to a team with a bit of quality and they would improve.

Some of our players have gone to play abroad such as Osmar Ibanez who won the Asian champions league while at FC Seoul. Usually players who get to play with better players improve themselves and I think if Thai players had the opportunity then they would also improve not just their skills but their strength and their tactical ability. It’s been shown by the players who moved forward that they can improve greatly.

One or two or even three of the current side here are rumored to be going to the UK to train with a top Premier League side and it’s very possible that one of them could stay in the England and be the first Thai player to play in the EPL.

But, when all is said and done, in my opinion, the average Thai League side is not much above nonleague standard and may just about get promoted to the main leagues but would struggle to stay there more than one or two seasons.

I’ve said once or twice that it would be fabulous if the Thai FA could make use of a short break in January and invite one or two top European teams to do their preseason training in Thailand and take part in a local four team competition when the Europeans are on their one-month winter break. It would be great for the fans and fun for the European teams to come here rather than doing the annual trips to Dubai in the Middle East.

Reply #4

Name: Richard Keyworth

Team supported: Chiang Mai FC

Twitter: @thaimiller2019

In the 11 seasons I’ve been supporting Chiang Mai  FC and the 9 seasons Ive been doing the CMFC English Fanzine this is certainly the most asked question from both friends back home and also new expats and tourist that come to watch CMFC for the first time.

My view on this has changed quite a few times over the years and although I don’t really have much experience with the top league in both Thailand where CMFC flirted briefly with it last season but found it very difficult with Chiang Rai Utd as a parent club pulling the strings and also in the UK where I supported Rotherham United since a kid, including 5 seasons from 1998 to 2003 where I never missed a game home or away before moving to Thailand, these included back to back promotions from fourth to third to second but never into the promised land. So I’m really going to concentrate more on the teams and divisions I know better.

When I first started watching CMFC they were the big team in the North regional league where they would go around spanking teams like Tak, Lampang, Nakhon Sawan four, five, six nil etc and I thought at this stage that the standard was pretty good and they could possibly make or hold their own in the fourth tier in England, but as they moved up to a national league in 2011 and the money was a bit tighter and teams around them a bit stronger I realized that this was a pipe dream and they probably wouldn’t be good enough for the conference back home.

My first taste of the top league in Thailand was Muang Thong Vs BEC Tero around 2012 and I didn’t get what I was expecting, I thought it would be a lot better standard of football than it was from supposedly two of the giants of Thai football at the time. So again I thought where would these 2 be in The Uk league tier and I probably though lower 4th division at best.

Then after attending games of Zico’s golden generation at the national team level from 2014 until 2018 WC qualifiers I changed my mind again as some of those players would certainly make teams in the 1st and 2nd division in the UK right? I told anyone that would listen in the UK about Chanathip and Theerathon who have both gone on to be successful in pastures new but would they have made it in the lower leagues in the UK with being so slight framed, especially the little man?

The one game I really thought that Thai football would be competitive in the UK leagues was Buriram Vs Muang Thong in probably 2018 and it was an high scoring game maybe 3-2 and both teams played flat out and I would have put that into the second tier of Uk football, but games like that don’t happen every week and although I don’t watch the TPL every week when I do I am never that impressed much with the standard apart from the odd game and team.

So my answer to the question is probably I don’t know where the top teams would fit in the UK, I would say certain players including a lot of the younger ones coming through could make lower league teams, I doubt any player would make the EPL yet and for me certainly no Thai club would be good enough even for the third tier in the UK. Buriram  (usually) and this year BG would probably hold their own in the fourth tier, with the rest somewhere between the conference and tier 7 and unfortunately I would put Chiang Mai in the lower category.

Reply #5

Name: Steve Darby

Former Thailand national team coach

Twitter: @darbystevecoach

This is a complex question. If you were play a 10 game season, then I think the Thais could hold their own at a high level, but a 38 game season, over a filthy winter, and mental strength comes in to it. The reality is, that to survive you have to be a good specimen. I think a good 2010 Chonburi team could have survived a 15 game English Championship season.

As for individuals, Bryan Robson and Peter Reid, both far better qualified than me, felt two players - Teerasil Dangda and Kawin Thamsatachanan - could have handled lower English Premier League and about 5 more - Suree Sukha, Surat Sukha, Nattaporn Phanrit, Nattapong Samana and Panupong Wongsa - could've handled the English Championship. As you can see, all good physical specimens

Put one Thai in a good team and they could have succeeded, eg Sutee Suksomkit. I sent him to Chelsea, they wanted to sign him and loan him to Brentford for a year to adapt. Which I think he would have done. He - along with Surat - had the mental strength, which is so important.

Chanathip? I dont know, as I never coached him, but my gut feeling is that he would struggle physically. Datsakorn would have struggled physically. Nattapong wouldnt have cared! Just smiled.

Reply #6

Name: James Clarke

Team supported: Port FC

Twitter: @ValderramasHair

One of the major stumbling blocks in answer to the question is that the gap between the top and bottom of the TPL is far greater than to fit one tier of the English set up (or even two).  Something which also serves to hold the better Thai teams back, if a fair percentage of your games played against teams considerably worse than you, then it allows sloppiness to sneak in. 

Having read the previous replies, I think I'd have the top of the division slightly higher than other contributors, with the top teams living comfortably in League One (some individuals would cut it in the championship), while the bottom would struggle against my local side, St Albans City, in the English sixth tier. 

 

I agree with Steve that the winter would be a major barrier to Thai success. The temperature has dropped into the upper teens here and the Thais around me have taken to wearing jumpers and the odd coat. So it's hard to imagine many would be up for classic wet Wednesday at your lower league hellhole of choice. 

However, I take the opposite view to him over the effect of a full season. The better players and teams adapt to the circumstances they find themselves in, and learn to deal with the challenges presented. 5 or 10 games might not be enough for that process to take place, but come the back end of a full season, some would have got on top of the new issues confronting them. 

I suspect it might not be the most obvious contenders (both individually and as clubs), rather those who work hard, are adaptable and have a willingness to learn. Numerous players who are considered a success in Thailand wouldn’t cut it, while other less-heralded players possessing those traits, would be more than able to make it in England. For example, at Port, Nitipong might not be the biggest star but he has those attributes by the bucketload and would be someone I'd expect to transition easily. 

Theerathon’s time in the J League also highlights this. I doubt many predicted when he first went to Japan that he would go on to win a title and build his reputation to such an extent that he is considered amongst the best fullbacks in Japan and even made the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) Asian team of 2020. 

Russ mentions the lack of “bite yer legs” players in Thailand and it’s a fair point. They are lacking and something I miss about the English lower leagues. That’s not to say they don’t exist. When I first arrived in Thailand, I always enjoyed seeing Adrul’s combative performances. 

But too many of the current crop of Thai central midfielders are lightweight, flat-track bullies, who would be overrun in the battle of the English game, before they’d even made the decision that they didn’t fancy it. The current Port top two, Sarach and Siwakorn would be prime examples. While I’d expect their midfield partners, Thitipan and Go, would have a great time in England. 

So I’ll conclude as I started, by saying there isn’t a simple answer, but it would be interesting to see how it played out.

Reply #7

Name: Rob Bernard

Groundhopper

Twitter: @Rob_Bernard

Haha, this is a question that often comes up when I return home after trips and chat to mates

when I’ve watched football outside England.

It’s a conundrum that I find slightly easier to assess if I’ve been watching whatever level in

say Germany, Austria or Scotland as the climate is very similar, which in turn sees a similar

tempo of play. Incidentally, I do attend anything from the top professional division right down

to amateur non-league wherever I go.

As for countries in hotter humid climates such as Thailand. Now that isn’t so easy.

If I had to throw a guess out there, I’d probably say National League or League Two would

be comparable to Thai League 1 which seems the general consensus.

How would say a Stevenage fare away to Buriram on a hot Tuesday night in November?

Either of those clubs would adapt in in the opposite’s country after a while, whether it was

tactics, fitness or pace. One big difference I do find is the standard of the goalkeeping. 

I wonder if people in Singapore make jokes about Thai keepers in the way the English would

about the Scots when I was growing up? I’ve seen some very dodgy performances with a

theatrical claim of injury after a howler. All part of the entertainment mind.

I think a huge deciding factor would be money. I’m sad to say that it matters too much in the

modern game. How would a League Two club go on with the same income as in Thailand? I

say this with the old how would Celtic and Rangers get on the Premier League, every time a

sports shock jock needs to fill in an hour. They’d struggle to start with until they started

getting the same TV money.

Back to Thai against English football, I often relate to Baz Savage. Baz was a steady away

lower league journeyman in England, without not being quite good enough to go any higher.

Yet he was the stand out performer at TOT on the couple of matches I saw him.

I was lucky enough to get a chat with him when with Dale at a Chonburi game. He told us his

agent could get him a six month deal at Accrington or two years at TOT, which I found an

eye opener and a bit of a surprise that others don’t venture across. Maybe they’d miss the

pies?

So, I use Baz as my barometer. Though there are obviously there are better and worse

players than when he was playing in the lower league’s here and in the top Thai league. And

standards may have got better or worse in both countries since then?

As for some of the T3 and T4 I’ve been to over the years. I honestly think I played in as high

a level in local football back home as one or two distractions to the day out that I’ve

attended. Although I didn’t have to run around in ridiculous temperatures. Indeed, some

would say I didn’t in cold weather either!

As you can probably detect, I think it’s a very complex discussion and one we’d never really

get an answer to unless we managed to cobble together an amalgamated division with

salary caps in somewhere such as Italy with a climate midway between the two countries

with a referee from somewhere neutral.

There’s one thing for sure. I can’t wait to escape the UK and carry out further research,

whether it’s right down to Thai amateur football. There is nothing like travel, adventure and

football.

Reply #8

Name: Mika Chunuonsee

Bangkok Utd player

Twitter: @Chunuonsee16

“What's the standard like in Thailand compared to the league back in the UK? Would it be League 1?"

That's probably the question I get asked the most from my mates, and also other players, back in UK. Having read all the previous replies in this discussion, I would have to say I agree with most of the guys' opinions and analysis of the league here. Even though football is the same game all around the world, you can't compare the level in Thailand to anything over in the UK. Indeed, most of us can't even agree on where Celtic and Rangers would be if they joined the English league.

But my opinion and thoughts on this are simple; the Thailand national team can maybe play in the Championship and the top 5 teams in Thai league, can play League 1, and they would be OK.  People will say “no chance”, “not physically strong enough”, and “the Thai league is too sloppy”, but having played international football, believe me, Thai league teams will do better against Championship teams than they would against League 2 teams. Why? That's because the higher you play, the more technical the game is, and Thai players are probably the most technically gifted players I've played with.

Additionally, with sports science and technology being introduced to our game over the past few years, Thai players are stronger and also more professional, with the nutrition and diet, so the league is definitely more professional now than when I first came 10 years ago. Back then, I would have said to you non-league standard, without hesitation.

If you remember a few years ago when Reading played Thailand U23s, some of the Reading players I knew back then, told me the technical ability of the Thai players was unbelievable, and these players could definitely play back in the UK.

In conclusion, I think the best way to compare is probably by watching Thailand v Australia, or Thai teams against A League clubs, because Australian football is similar to the English game. Over the last few years we have definitely held our own and done well against them, at both club and country level. So, like I said, it's all opinions, but all I can say is the league is getting better. 

The Final Word

Name: Phil Williams

Team supported: Samut Prakan City

Twitter: @Ajarncom

Thanks to everyone who contributed to an interesting discussion. I think most were in agreement that Thai football is about on a par with the English National League (level 5 or level 6 of the English league pyramid).

The contributions towards the end from Steve and Mika were probably the most crucial to the discussion because it's difficult to argue against someone who has actually played or coached the game professionally. 

So basically we need to organize a two-legged play-off between the top of the Thai league and the top of the National League and test out our theory. So BG Pathum v Torquay United it is.

NEW!! Interview With Lamphun Warrior Fan, Andy: 2021

My interview with Lamphun Warrior fan, Andy.

Please can you start off by introducing yourself 

Hello Dale, firstly let me thank you for inviting me to write an article for your blog. 

Let’s start with some basic details , my name is Andy,  I am 54 years old. I am originally from England but I have been living in Thailand for the last five years and consider Thailand as my home. I am married to a Thai lady and have a 12 year old step-daughter. I work as a English Teacher in Lamphun, Northern Thailand about 60km from Chaing Mai.

How did you first get into following the team?

I have been a football supporter for most of my life and first started going to games with my dad and grandad at the age of 5. My love of football has taken me to some of the biggest stadiums in World Football and I have attended the World Cup Finals in France in 1998 and numerous FA Cup finals and International Matches at Wembley both with Manchester City and England. On the continent I have seen games in Siere A in Italy and La Ligue in Spain. I suppose in England they would call me a bit of a ‘football Anorak’ as I live and breathe football.

I love going to live games for the spectacle and the atmosphere and have always enjoyed the social side that often goes with it. The feel good factor that a football fan experiences when they can share a great goal or watch a great match or revill in an amazing atmosphere or join in with communal singing is not easy to replicate and I just don’t get the same buzz watching a game on the TV or seated in a pub.

Live sport was one of the things that I missed most when I moved to Thailand and a friend shared my sentiment so when we heard there was a team in our city that was in Division 3 of the Thai League we were intrigued to find out more, be it a bit sceptical about what the quality of the football would be like and what the locals would think. We decided we had nothing to lose so we made arrangements to see a game and find out more.

The first game I went to - four years ago - finished in a 2-1 defeat and was a bit scrappy but we enjoyed it and I certainly got the buzz I had been hoping to get from seeing live football.

What also surprised us was a) how easily the locals accepted us and b) we were not the only foreign supporters at the game. So what started out as a one-off adventure quickly became a force of habit and we have both attended the majority of games played since that date.

New friends have also joined us and they too, have got the Warrior ‘Bug’ and decided to stick around and like us are now Fanaticos as are some of the other foreigners like Edgar, John the German and Jake.

Unfortunately like any club, we have lost some of our group on the way to becoming the Fanaticos, sometimes in sad circumstances and sometimes it was just down to job or personal relocation. But that withstanding, the core group of friends have remained and indeed grown with the addition of friends of friends and when Erik joined us he became the driving force that united us into the Fanaticos.

Can you tell us a bit more about the Lamphun Fanaticos?

Well it really all started a few months ago as I said with the addition of  our now Club Chairman, Erik the Belgian. His vitality and gregarious nature was the catalyst that gave us the idea and unity to form the Lamphun Fanaticos.

We  currently have 25 members including Thai partners and children and have representatives for several continents and ten countries made up of England, Scotland, Wales, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, South Africa , USA and Thailand. 

Like many of the members I grew up supporting a club at the top end of the English game and whilst the club rivalries still remain, we share one common interest in that we support the Warriors. There are quite a few teachers in our ranks but this is not exclusive and we also have retired and semi retired members, local business owners and even a stay at home house-husband. Our Club Chairman Erik, is from Belgium and is a semi-retired businessman whose wife runs a successful local family shop near Chiang Mai.

We set up The Fanaticos to unite all the foreign fans and their families and so that we could show our respect and love for the Warriors. We hope it will become part of the local community we appreciate and recognise all the work the Owner(s), Management, Players and the other Thai fans have put in to make the team a success. 

Whilst we all now sit together in the open stand in our Fanaticos tops and caps and beneath our banner we all join in with  the chants and songs of our Thai friends especially the Ultras even though most of us can only speak a small bit of Thai .

If by our actions and behaviour we can help change a few peoples’ perceptions of Foreigners and Foreign Football Fans then that would be a real bonus.

There are plans when circumstances permit to present the Club with a Fanaticos shirt and cap during a home game but Covid means this had to be put on hold along with Erik dressing as Father Christmas and handing out candies to the local children.

We are a not for profit fanclub and we plan to donate any excess profits from the sale of fan club merchandise to a local charity.

How is the season going for the team?

There is one way to describe our season so far and that is Incredible. The days when we turned up at the ground expecting to lose are still quite fresh in some of our memories, especially for the older fans like Edgar and John, but a remarkable run of wins and a record number of clean sheets has certainly made it a great season to remember. The Toyota Cup run was also a nice addition and even in defeat against Chonburi, a team from two divisions higher,  we could celebrate a fantastic team effort and arguably we could and should have won. 

We have continued the run of improved form that we started last year and this is not surprising given the quality of players we have been able to bring into the team, This season we look a lot more solid defensively and have more size and physicality upfront. We have  scored a lot more goals thanks to Natan Oliveira and Andre Luis and are conceding a lot fewer and which  appears to have given the players a calm confident approach when they start a game. The backroom and coaching staff  has also  been strengthened and the players look better organised and in a greater physical shape. 

The previous season we had been in the mix for promotion most of the season so it was disappointing that we continued this season in T3 but it meant we went into this season thinking we had a good chance. Our plans and hopes for the new season were dented when we lost several of our strongest performing players and if this was not bad enough we then lost all our pre-season games. A run of 4 successive 1-0 victories backed up with a 4-0 thrashing calmed our early nerves and we have never really looked back. Indeed fast forward to now where we have finished the curtailed season six points clear at the top of the table having won 13 of our 15 games and only conceded 6 goals. This is despite losing a recent home against Maejo United, one of our closest rivals, where we literally threw away a one goal lead and handed the game late on to the opposition. In truth though this was a minor blip in an almost faultless season and one where we have totally outclassed most of the opposition.

What are your hopes and expectations for the rest of it?

There was enough promise in the Cup game against Chonburi for us to think that  we might finally get promotion to T2. It is unfortunate that we have not been able to complete all our games and finish the season in style and the Fanaticos would have liked to have had the opportunity to celebrate with the other fans and the team at the stadium with the team but I guess it will make it all the more sweeter if and when we get promoted. The play-offs are always very competitive and each team will have the form and belief to think they can win promotion. With the Warriors in the Play Offs, I want the Fanaticos to be there to will the team on to victory, to a place in T2 and to celebrate the achievement with the players and the Thai fans. Fingers crossed we now win promotion!

Please can you give a brief summary of that recent FA Cup tie against Chonburi ?

There was a record attendance for the game against Chonburi as it was seen by many fans as a chance for the Warriors to test themselves against a top premiership club and we were keen to see if we could take our good form into the cup and maybe take the scalp of a team that only a round earlier had hit seven goals. Realistically though we knew it was going to be tough as one look at the Chonburi team revealed a team with several players with recent international experience. Chonburi were in sixth place in the Premiership, only a few points behind Buriram United and, a few years ago, had played in the Asian equivalent of the Champions League. So regardless of our tremendous record in our own league some of  Fanaticos were fearing a real drubbing and said they would be pleased if we could keep the Chonburi score down to just 4 or 5 goals. There were even discussions about how the players would need to bounce back after a defeat quickly and win the next league game.

So given the strength of the opposition there was genuine shock when the team was announced as several key players were missing, including the former Chonburi player, Adul Lahso, who had been an almost ever present player since he joined the Warriors. We were also missing most of our first choice back four that had kept us so many clean sheets. The surprises did not end there even as there was also no place for Luis, our Brazilian right winger but at least we could see that he was named on the substitute bench.

Despite some early pressure and a couple of fine saves by the Chonburi goalkeeper the opposition started to turn the screw in midfield and took the lead halfway through the first half from a slightly generous penalty. Not long after this we got hit by a classic counter attack and headed into the half time interval 0-2 down. By now we were all fearing it could get worse with most of the talk being about what effect a heavy defeat would have on the rest of our season. Some of our players were already looking tired and very leggy whereas in contrast the stars of Chonburi had really started to motor and there was an evident gulf in class especially in wide midfield areas.

The addition of Brazilian winger Luis at the start of the second half gave us a little more cause for optimism and it proved to be a master stroke by our Manager as he immediately changed the game, chasing down every loose ball, making winning tackles in midfield and going off on maizy runs right into the heart of the Chonburi defence. This interjection of pace and determination galvanized his teammates who all started playing with a renewed sense of purpose. Suddenly the Warriors had wrestled almost full control of the midfield and were making wave after wave of attacks on the Chonburi goal. 

In their desperation to keep the attackers at bay the Chonburi players started to make mistakes and misplace their passes and chances were coming quick and fast. The Chonburi keeper was forced into pulling off a string of fine saves but even he could do nothing when a miss-timed last ditch tackle on the edge of the penalty area led to a free kick being awarded. The Warriors took full advantage and bent the ball over the wall and passed the despairing keeper high into the net. Euphoria broke out on the terraces and suddenly we believed we could yet win the game. For the remaining minutes it became a duel between our forwards and the Chonburi keeper but unfortunately despite a barrage of promising attacking moves the ball would just not go in the net and with a mixture of last ditch defending and clock management Chonburi survived.

At the final whistle it was the Chonburi players who were now out on their feet and full-time was greeted with disappointment but the crowd gave the players a rousing ovation befitting the heroic performance they had given us . The Chonburi players, though obviously delighted with their win, were almost apologetic when they took their applause infront of us and the relief they were still in the cup was almost palpable. It was now the Warriors  players turn to take a salute and the crowd clapped and whistled giving them the ovation befitting the team that had played so well. In that moment we almost forgot that some of our best players had missed the game so well did our understudies perform. 

A quick poll was taken amongst us after the game and Luis was unanimously voted man of the match for the impact he had made when he came on at half-time. Many Fanaticos also agreed that it was probably the best game the Warriors had played for a long time and that it would give them all the confidence they would need to go and win promotion.

I too was surprised at Adul's ommision. He's a Chonburi legend. How has he been playing this season?

Some of the great players in world football wore the No 10 shirt and it is more often than not reserved for special players; Pele, Platini, Maradonna (God rest his soul), and Lionel Messi to name but a few. It is a shirt number that has to be earned and is seldom given away. One of the qualities that all these players had in common was the ability to make the game look ridiculously easy at times and inspire others to greater things. 

Whilst Adul is obviously not in the same league as the aforementioned great players he definitely can make the game look  easy at times. His link up play and ability to make a quick and smooth transition from defence to attack and back again has marked him out as a standout performer week after week. He is also unselfish and prefers to pass than shoot himself. He has an engine that belies his advancing years and he pops up everywhere on the pitch and wins the ball back when he really has no right to get it.

Adul is also very versatile so on the occasions he was used as an impact player, the effect was almost immediate. A good example was the recent away game at Uttaradit which at half time looked nailed on to finish 0-0. His introduction at half time brought about an immediate improvement and his presence and his ability to link up the play and find the passes gave the Warriors players a huge lift and a new found belief. The chances started to flow with regularity and we went on to win the game 2-0 .

In addition is that he would be my choice for player of the season which is impressive in itself given the superb seasons that Luis and Natan have also had for the Warriors.

Part of the reason he just shades it for me is that his impact away from the pitch has also been considerable and he has led the team by example. He could really be described as a model professional and a good mentor for juniors and less experienced players. After the game with Uttaradit he was the star that all the young Uttaradit fans wanted to meet and take photographs with as they were aware at one time he had played for the Thailand National Team. Given his tremendous effort in the second half of that match, it would have been perfectly understandable had he just stood for a few photographs, shook a few hands and walked off the field for a well deserved shower but nothing was further from his mind. He made a point of giving every single boy time and the opportunity to take a  photo with him and he signed every last piece of paper and shirt put in front of him. 

Long after all the other players had retreated to the dressing room he was still out in the middle of the pitch talking to a group of young boys. Indeed I almost felt guilty as I stopped him as he finally made his way off the pitch to thank him for being the game changer in the second half. But I  needn't have felt guilty, as Adul was obviously pleased to see me and thanked me and the other fans for making the 400 plus km journey to support the team. He then quietly ushered me towards the away team dressing room, opened the door and much to the surprise of the other players he went to the dirty kit box and got out his match shirt, signed it and then presented it to me, he then stood for several photographs before I left him to get a well earned shower. It is this selflessness attitude and gratitude that sets him apart from many players I have had the opportunity to meet.

That's lovely to hear. Are you able to see any weaknesses?  

That’s a hard one given everything I have already said about his performance on and off the pitch. If I had to pick one it could be that he probably does not appreciate the level of his own talent. He is a very quiet and humble man and not one to overplay his own importance. I have heard it said that some of the fans think he should be scoring more goals but I think these fans are in the minority and need to understand that his job is to be the enabler for the attacking phase and to protect the defence from counter attacks. We have great goal scorers in Nattan and Luis amongst others, so as long as he keeps doing what he is good at, the Fanaticos will be very happy. 

What did you know about him before he signed for your club?

I am ashamed to say I’d never heard of Adul before he joined the Lamphun Warriors and to be honest it has come as some surprise to learn that there is a player of his quality and poise playing not only in T3 but in Thailand as a whole. I don’t really get the opportunity or time to watch much Thai football on TV and I have enough trouble keeping pace with the games of my beloved Manchester City play given my teaching commitments and the often inconvenient kick off times of games in the UK. If he had been born in Europe where the scouting systems are better developed I believe he would have had a real chance at making it as a pro footballer at a very good level. 

For all I have come to know and respect him as a footballer I have also come to know Adul now as a friend and we often talk on facebook. Whilst his English is not the best I am honoured to know him and I was recently honored that he saw it fit to gift me his match shirt after the game at Uttaradit. What he does not know is that I have had several shirts gifted to me by players in the past including Manchester City and England stars and whilst it’s true to say that the players that wore these shirts are more famous in the game, Adul’s shirt is now one of my most treasured shirts because of what he and the Warriors have come to mean to me and the rest of my fellow Fanaticos.

How is he regarded by the fans?

The majority of fans really appreciate the effort he consistently makes as his performance rarely drops below 8/10 . He plays the game with energy and enthusiasm and we are sometimes left marvelling at the amount of ground he covers which is the more remarkable given his age and that he is often one of, if not the oldest player on the pitch. He has great link up play and can thread a ball through a tightly packed defence. I am sure that if there was a vote for the Fanaticos player of the year it would be a toss up between Adul and Nattan as both have had a great season to date, that can also be said for a lot of the team which explains why they have done so well. 

Unfortunately, his playing days are coming to an end. Do you think he has a future at your club in some other capacity?

Sadly you are right, he is not getting any younger so I think now we should just appreciate and savour him for what he does now on the pitch. I am not sure what his plans are when he finally hangs up his playing boots. I am sure has the leadership skills to get into the coaching side if so chooses as he is a good mentor and has good leadership qualities but I don’t really see him going on to be a manager as he is very quiet and unassuming. These are not qualities that you normally associate with a top class manager but then again there are always exceptions like Roy Hodgson so perhaps he could make the transition from player to manager. Failing that I could see him in an ambassadorial role.

The 132nd Best Team In Asia: 2011

Chonburi FC - The 132nd Best Team In Asia

13/1/11

Chonburi have been ranked the 132nd best club in Asia during the period 2000-2010, in a table compiled by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. The IFFHS ranking system takes into consideration the results of the past ten years of continental and intercontinental competitions, national league matches and the premier national cup tournament - in Thailand's case, the FA Cup.

 

Other Thai teams to feature prominently on the list include:

68th BEC Tero

74th Bangkok Glass

99th Osotspa

123rd Thai Port

132nd CHONBURI

156th Thailand Tobacco Monopoly

184th Provincial Electric Authority

193rd Bangkok Utd

225th Bangkok Bank

230th Telephone Organisation of Thailand

250th Muang Thong Utd

NEW!! The Tap Room: 2021

The Tap Room: January, 2021

The Tap Room was a popular feature on my old website, which now gets an occasional run out on here. Over the course of a week, I invite various fans to share their views on a topic that is in the news, until we have built up a lively debate. Here is our latest discussion:

What are you views on the latest Thai league postponements and the management's handling of the situation?

Reply #1: 4th January, 2021

Name: Phil Williams

Team supported: Samut Prakan City

Twitter: @Ajarncom

I was so looking forward to January. Six games in 21 days including a trip to Rayong FC (a stadium I’ve not been to) and a midweek FA Cup tie away at Muangthong United. Now it’s a case of keeping fingers crossed and hoping I’ll get to see the games at some stage in the future.

As the covid situation worsened here over Christmas and the New Year, the Thai FA seemed to be going in the direction of playing games behind closed doors and we already had a taste of that with last week’s fixtures. Before today’s FA meeting, I was all in favour of closed door games because Samut Prakan are in sparkling form at the moment and it would be a shame to lose the momentum. 

It’s also fair to say I’ve got used to watching Premier League games in empty stadiums, but whereas, let's say, Leeds at home to Manchester United loses virtually all of its appeal with no fans allowed in, the same can’t be said of Bangkok United at home to Trat or Suphanburi against Prachuab. There’s not that much difference in atmosphere between 4,000 fans rattling around in a great big stadium and no one there at all. Not all that much is lost. Do the players in the Thai teams feel it affects their performance to not have fans cheering and motivating them? It certainly didn’t do Samut Prakan any harm against Port last week.

Now the suits at the Thai FA have had their meeting and decided, predictably, to press the pause button on the season for January at least, and hopefully we’ll resume again in February. Frankly, when I heard the news, I wasn’t disappointed. But we’ve been here before haven’t we? How long did we have to wait last year until we got the all-clear to start playing football matches again? Six months? That was such an agonizingly long wait.

An optimist would say it won’t be a six-month break this time around but I can see the covid situation in Thailand getting worse before it gets better. I’d be overjoyed with the break being just a month long but I can’t see it. More likely two or three.

Football journalist Paul Murphy tweeted earlier today - “Thailand still can’t strike a balance between managing risk and getting on with life despite protocols being in place. Leagues all over the world carrying on but the answer here is to shut things down”

I do agree that the government here seem far too cautious, and the Thai FA are merely toeing the line, but whatever decision they made would’ve been unpopular in some quarters.

I’m trying to stay positive. I managed to survive six months without Thai football last year, I’m sure I can manage another month or two this time around.

Reply #2: 5th January, 2021

Name: Russ John

Team supported: Nakhon Ratchasima 

Twitter: @russreport

I, like most other Thai football fans, share Phil’s frustration at the announcement. This decision I’m afraid was made inevitable given the recent rise in corona virus infections. One can only hope that the ban on matches only lasts one month however the current situation bears uncanny resemblance to last year’s situation with promises of an early resumption, I suspect that the ban will continue into February, March and beyond.

Looking around the globe, one sees that other countries have managed to continue playing with innovative methods and forward planning. Talk of bubbles and games being played behind locked doors in Thailand is being banded around and is laudable, however it won't happen, as this would require some proactive preplanning from the FAT - enough said!!! 

My main fears concerning the break are twofold. First the financial implications: Many clubs, who surely must be just clinging on financially, now may be at breaking point exacerbated by a potentially long break. Lack of income from gate receipts coupled with the inevitable lack of interest from sponsors must be leaving club’s coffers pretty low. My second concern is that another break will have an adverse effect on attendances. 

I have to admit that during the last break, my own personal interest and enthusiasm waned and although I have not studied relative attendance figures throughout the league, anecdotally at Korat games, which in past seasons would have attracted 11 or 12 thousand fans, now struggle to attract 4 thousand die hard supporters. 

The oft used adage 'out of sight out of mind" springs to mind, the game is quietly hemorrhaging fans and I suspect that fans once lost will not return. In conclusion, fingers crossed but the chances of a resumption in February are for me 2/10, my hopes for future successful completed season - a meagre 6/10!!    

Reply #3: 6th January, 2021

Name: Grant Aitken

Team supported: Muang Thong Utd

Twitter: @GrantMTU86

I share Phil and Russ’s disappointment at the suspension of the season, and similarly, their pessimism that the season will resume again after a month’s break. 

The key difference this time around was the sense of formality when restrictions were put into place by the government. The lack of support for the local game means there is little chance they would make the Thai League an exception to the rule. Once the first swimming pool and Muay Thai arenas had to shut up shop, we knew our days were numbered. 

The prospect of continuing the league with players isolated within their own bubble and shepherded into some random city seems unlikely, especially with certain provinces trying to impose 14 day quarantines to cross borders. 

Furthermore, I don’t think it’s fair to put that strain on the players either. The majority are not cash rich millionaires, the staff members even less so. I don’t see why they should suffer away from their families for our enjoyment. 

There isn’t the budget form 87.5% of the clubs to fund such a grand operation, not right now. The FA have already cut costs at grassroots level to keep the league going, I’d dread to think what would be next. 

We had a good run, enjoying a COVOIDless existence whilst the rest of the world looked on in envy. I can’t blame the government for trying to get that back. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. 

I don’t expect to see Thai football back in February, but I’ll not be looking for anybody to attribute guilt towards in the meantime either. It’s out of the FA’s hands. 

We’ll have to wait with bated breath for the next 2 weeks to see if cases go down but I don’t hold out much hope their either. To be quite honest the whole season is tainted. Time to put on a brave face, endure what is left of it and look forward to a time when we can put this mess behind us. I just hope all the club’s struggling for income right now can be there to see it.

Reply #4: 7th January, 2021

Name: Gian Chansrichawla

Website: www.thaileaguecentral.com

Twitter: @GianChansricha1

I largely agree with what Grant said about how a break is virtually necessary at this point. If provinces are setting up quarantines to stop the spread of the virus, players should not be exempt from it because they are not being tested frequently enough and are in nothing resembling a ‘quarantine bubble.’ I am still undecided on whether the Thai League should use this month off to try and develop that sort of system; Grant makes good points against it but it may be the only way out if the situation continues to worsen. 

I also agree with Russ’ point about attendances potentially falling and club finances taking another hit from this break. However, I would like to point out that it *seems like* some clubs opted for this break instead of playing games behind closed doors. For them, I guess it was a question of lost match day income versus delayed match day income, as playing behind closed doors also represents a significant financial loss. Another thing to remember about finances is that so few clubs actually even attempt to break even; the level of spending in the Thai League is often not dependent on how much money the clubs take in, but rather the overall health of the broader economy and the willingness of club owners to spend more of their own cash. 

My issue isn’t so much the fact that the league has been postponed, but more so the lack of a contingency plan and exit strategy if the situation continues to worsen. The FAT rightly pointed out that since the league was originally slated to end in March, there is plenty of time to play out the rest of the season before next campaign begins in September. However, that is little consolation as another long spell of multiple months without football would be incredibly damaging. 

I have to admit that I have lost some confidence after witnessing what has happened with T3, which was called to an abrupt end and teams were quickly funnelled into the ‘champions league’ round (promotion playoffs). It is a decision that is very unfair to the teams that narrowly missed out on qualification, and effectively means that most T3 clubs won’t play competitive football until September. This is also a major hit to the young players on loan in that division from T1 clubs seeking regular first-team football - combine that with issues and stoppages in the youth league, and COVID could have a major impact on an generation of young footballers if things don’t change soon. 

Right now, as has already been said, all we can do is wait and hope the situation doesn’t worsen.

Reply #5: 8th January, 2021

Name: Alec Peeples

Team supported: Chiang Rai Utd

Twitter: @abroadwithalec

My first reaction was total disappointment. After so long without Chiang Rai football I was excited for January - especially the kickoff with Port. We had matches regularly lined up, we had our new signing who looked sharp, and couldn't have been more optimistic... then the news came.

It's just complete nonsense!

This 'new wave' was always going to happen, how did they have no contingency plan in place? I understand the points made by everyone else, and agree that an immediate break of ~2 weeks was needed, but why a month? Test the players and staff and carry on. If the English Premier League can carry on with 50,000+ covid cases per day, why can't we find a way to carry on with ~500? For me, a closed-door match is far better than a postponement. I've been without Chiang Rai football for so long (due to the post-ACL quarantine) I was ready to watch them play in a hermetically sealed bubble in the mountains of Bueng Kan if necessary.

Players and staff can be held to a professional standard of self-quarantining as much as possible. This leaves travel as the only question mark. How can teams move from province to province? Private flights are out of the question, but with some creative scheduling, I believe you can have teams limit their travel and play 'clusters' of teams together. I.e. Chiang Rai travels to Bangkok and plays all the Bangkok-area squads over the course of a couple of weeks.  I think Russ hit the nail on the head - there are a few seemingly easy answers and solutions that allow the league to continue but the planning required for this seems to be a big ask of the FAT.

I'll also echo Russ' sentiment of worry over the wellbeing of the clubs (and the league as a whole). With the big broadcast change just happening, plus several clubs losing sponsors during the first shutdown, I wonder what state the clubs and owners are in at the end of a transfer window with this sudden and unexpected loss. Furthermore, it is going to be tough to gauge how much interest will remain after yet another shutdown. I am sure many of the diehards will still be there. The drumbeaters and the drinkers. But what about the fairweather fans? How fast will they return after yet another extended break? Maybe there won't be much of a change in enthusiasm, but I am always one for pessimism.

I'm glad Gian mentioned the impact on youth and development. Shutting down T3 so abruptly was painful. My brother-in-law had just won over the starting keeper spot at a T3 club by taking them from the bottom of the middle to a few straight wins and steadily climbing. He, and many other young players, were gutted to have their season taken away like this. How will the T3 clubs that didn't get into the promotion spots carry on? What of the players that are expecting salaries? These clubs already existed in fairly precarious positions, and I hope the best for all of them.

Reply #6: 9th January, 2021

Name: Jamie Pinder

Team supported: Buriram Utd

Twitter: @nangronginfo

As you and I know the start and stop nature of the league is nothing new. But in this case it was something that could and should have been planned for. A long time ago when I was studying for business we did a project on crisis management and how any good company prepares for a crisis. Last year we had the start of the pandemic and we saw how the Thai football Association handled it. Then,it was inevitable that games would stop and once we re-started with no fans, a few fans, getting back to half capacity, action should have been taken to prepare in the case of a new wave coming. It’s absolutely appalling nothing nothing was done, as far as we know, and nobody thought about a possible future scenario.

I fully understand that health comes first and player a safety should be part of the plan but if other countries can do it why can’t we?

You all know where my loyalties stand and I’ve stated it a few times that a club such as ours could quite easily host a month of the season in the same way that the NBA moved to Orlando at the end of last year. We have plenty of hotels, plenty of training pictures, and two Premier league standard football pictures where games could be played out on a daily basis and we wouldn’t get behind the schedule. Players could share hotels maybe two teams per hotel and could be transferred to the pitches for practice and for games. I’m sure the hotels would love to make up for lost business from last year.

Most of us love watching on football here, we love the ups and downs of the game and we love being able to go out and meet other people and have some banter similar to being back home. It’s not my whole life but it’s a big part of my life here and I miss it very much. It’s especially bad for one or two teams who were on a roll and looking to push further up the table but we all give up something when we come to live here and in this case it’s the ability of the powers that be to have half a brain.

The best we can hope for is that it’s not a long delay and we’re back on the way as soon as possible meaning that the season finishes just a little bit late. It’s now time for the Thai FA to get their thinking hats on and start putting a marketing plan together to get fans interested again in the game once we restart and get them coming back through the turnstiles. Go full on advertising, shared by all the teams and generate some excitement for when we finally do restart.

The Final Word: 10th January, 2021

Name: Phil Williams

Team supported: Samut Prakan City

Twitter: @Ajarncom

Reading the excellent contributions from the other expat fans, one of the biggest concerns seems to be how will clubs survive financially if the break becomes too long. Frankly, I don't know how half the clubs manage to survive anyway, so I have no real opinion on this. I just keep fingers crossed that all the league clubs make it through these hard times. 

On a more positive note, I'm getting more and more confident that we will see a league restart before let's say, the end of February (hopefully sooner) Although the covid numbers aren't coming down that much, they're not surging alarmingly either. I could go on about this and ask why for example, Trat is a red zone and has had just one local transmission in three days, but I won't go there.  

Once we are up and running again, I echo Jamie's thoughts that we'll see even more fairweather fans drift away from the game. They are going to be very hard to coax back. Thai football's in a dark place at the moment but then what aspect of the world isn't?

Name: Benjamin Tan

Position: TPL Deputy CEO and Director of Club Licensing

Twitter: @footballbentan

Hi Dale, thanks for the invite and it’s interesting to hear different views.

I won’t be able to comment on an official stance but can share we are already working on scenario planning including those ideas that have been mentioned by your participants including the the clustering, bubbles etc.

This planning has to be worked in tandem with the government agencies, with the latest covid situation in order to resume the games. Safety is definitely our paramount priority.

NEW!! Ollie Robinson on Junior Eldstal: 2021

My interview with Met Police FC captain, Ollie Robinson, who shares his views on our new signing, Junior Eldstal.

Please can you start by introducing yourself

Oliver Robinson. Metropolitan Police FC Club Captain 

What were your impressions of Junior when he first arrived at the club?

First impressions of Junior were good, he’s a great lad and got straight involved with everyone in the club. He joined just before we were finishing the season and going into the play offs.

What are his strengths?

Junior communicates very well on and off the pitch. He loves a tackle, even the odd late one! He also reads the game well.

And weaknesses?

He picked up slight injuries as the fixtures were pilling up. He isn’t the fastest of players but his reading of the game gets him out of trouble.

What is he like to play alongside? 

I enjoyed playing alongside Junior, we formed a good bond on and off the pitch and it showed when we played together. We have very similar characteristics when playing football. We are leaders and will do anything for the team to win a match of football.

What is his attitude like to training?

He’s got a great attitude to training. Always keeping himself in the best shape possible. He became a leader within the team and started to help take certain aspects of training like the stretching.

What kind of character is he in the dressing room?

A funny guy in the dressing room. If he isn’t making fun of players, then they are all making fun of him. A nice guy to be around and his football experiences helped bring a professionalism to our team.

What is he like off the field away from football?

I got on well with Junior and he came to mine and my family members birthdays. He’s a top guy and I wish him all the best at Chonburi FC.  Its also a shame a friend has moved to the other side of the world.

What advice would you give him on his move and for the future?

Keep being you my friend and success will find you. Your positivity is infectious and your new team will reap the benefits soon.

Are there any funny stories you can tell us about him?

I have a list of funny stories, but they will stay in my personal book for years to come.

Zulfahmi Arifin by Deepan Raj: 2017

Singaporean football fan, Deepan Raj, with the lowdown on Zulfahmi Arifin, Chonburi's new signing in December, 2017.

Q - Please can you introduce yourself

I’m Deepan Raj. I’m 19 and I come from Singapore.

 

Q - How long have you been following Zulfahmi's career?

I have been following his career since 2013, when he was playing for LionsXII, a Singaporean team playing in the Malaysian League.

 

Q - What do you think his strengths are?

His strengths are his skills and his passing, especially through balls. He’s also good at tackling and taking free kicks

 

Q - And his weaknesses?

He doesn’t mistakes if you play him his natural position in midfield. He can play in defence, but he will make some mistakes there.

 

Q - How is he perceived in Singapore and by fans of the clubs he's played for?

During his time at LionsXII many fans praised him. In 2014, he started making a lot of mistakes and fans started to curse and jeer him time all time. In 2015, he played  most of the games in defence and he did quite well. Then fans started to praise him once again. The following year,  he joined Hougang United and that is where he improvde himself and proved many people wrong.

 

Q - How do you think he'll get on in the Thai Premier League?

I think it’s a new environment for him playing in another national league. I hope he will adapt fast and improve himself.

 

Q - How closely do the Singaporeans follow the Thai league?

Many Singaporean have followed the Thai league since our goalkeeper, Hassan Sunny started playing for Army United.

 

Q - Do you think more will take an interest because of this move?

Yes indeed. More Singaporean fans  will be interested in Thai football and more players will want to play in such a high quality league.

 

Q - In his interview for my site (below), Zulfahmi asked the fans to think of a nickname for him. Could you suggest one?

If I were to give him a nickname, I would call him ‘The Midfield General’.

 

Q - Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you for inviting my to answer these question. It has been my pleasure to do it.

Season Preview by Phil Larkin: 2011

2011 SEASON PREVIEW

by Phil Larkin

Hey there fellow Chalarmchons, Phil is here to preview the upcoming season.

 

It looks as though the club has been rather prudent with our signings this year and it appears that we, just like the rest of the world, are suffering from the Global Recession. It was very disappointing to see that we didn't sign the two former Real Madrid youth players but we do appear to have signed the man who ate Ney Fabiano. Don't worry, they have given him the same number!

 

I cannot wait to see the new Stadium and have heard a number of tremendous reports about it. It also looks as though we are embarking on a season that will never end. This will be great for the owners and sponsors, but what of the average fan who continually has to shell out to follow their team? Rumour has it that there will be a close season of around 10 days next January so get ready to see most of the TPL teams end up shattered, like Muangthong Utd did during the Cup Final.

 

On the subject of Muang Thong, they are kidding themselves if they think they are going to be as strong as they were last season, purely on the basis that they have lost Rene. No longer can they be inspired by a man who is a cross between a bird's nest and Compo from Last of the Summer Wine!

 

Elsewhere, PEA FC appears to be on the up and up and their fans are fanatical, as long as they are paid! (allegedly - ed) On a serious note, they do appear to have made some decent signings and they are a horrible team to play against, with everyone behind the ball.

 

I could write about each of the 18 teams in the TPL forever, but I will not bore you, because there is going to be only one winner. That's right fellow Sharks, your humble scribe is predicting Pipob lifting three more trophies this year. And Bryan Robson will finally decide that our Mo is the only man to spear-head Thailand's attack. How he has been over-looked so many times is beyond me!

 

So there it is. One team, one goal, one vision, one heart, one soul, just one solution. I love Queen, me! Remember, a shark is for life, not just for Christmas.

TPL Awards: 2010

Coach of the Year: Rene Desaeyere (Muang Thong Utd)

Goalkeeper of the Year: Kawin Thamsatchanan (Muang Thong Utd)

Defender of the Year: Nattaporn Panrit (Muang Thong Utd)

Midfielder of the Year: THERDSAK CHAIMAN (CHONBURI)

Forward of the Year: Sarayoot Chaikamdee (Thai Port)

TPL Top Scorer: Ludovick Takam (Pattaya Utd)

Newcomer of the Year: PURITHAT JARIGARNON (CHONBURI)

NEW!! Unofficial Chonburi FC Face Mask: 2021