FA Cup Final
Chonburi 2-1 Muang Thong Utd
Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok
28th November, 2010
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Chonburi v Muang Thong Utd - FA Cup Final Ticket: 2010
FA Cup Final
Chonburi 2-1 Muang Thong Utd
Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok
28th November, 2010
Queueing For FA Cup Final Tickets: 2010
Chonburi fans queueing for FA Cup final tickets in Central Plaza, November, 2010.
Karuna Chidchob - Aiming For The Ultimate Goals: 2010
Aiming For The Ultimate Goals
By Nitcha Jaowattana
The Nation on Sunday
Published on November 7, 2010
Karuna Chidchob, wife of Bhum Jai Thai Party de facto leader Newin, talks about her work in developing Buri Ram's two football teams.
If there were any venue in the Thailand Premier League where the atmosphere bears a resemblance to European football, then it would certainly be Buri Ram PEA's home ground, the I-Mobile stadium, where fans fervently support their team throughout every home game.
On match day, a sea of blue, the club's colour, washes over the stands as far as the eye can see. The noise can be heard from several kilometres away. In front of the home fans stands a seemingly tireless middle-aged woman leading the cheers for the North Eastern side, who finished runners-up in the recent season.
She's a familiar face to Buri Ram fans, who greatly appreciate enthusiastic dancing, but those who don't follow the game may be surprised to learn that she's the wife of the club's president, Newin Chidchob. Karuna could, of course, watch the matches from the comfort of a VIP box but says she's merely doing what she loves.
In fact, what few people realise is that Karuna has a dual cheering role, as she's also a cheerleader for Buri Ram FC, a team which plays in the country's regional league and which she manages.
"Khun Newin and I are alike in one way. We put our hearts into what we believe in. In terms of business, making a profit from a football club is not an easy job. Most people would think it is better to do something else.
"However, we're different. We see it purely in sporting terms. Without a strong will, it's impossible to do because it's hard to control players who come from different backgrounds and have big egos," said Karuna, who is nicknamed Tai.
There's no doubt that fans play an important role in Buri Ram's league campaign. The team's home record proves it: this season, they've won 11 out of 15 matches at the stadium dubbed the "Thunder Castle", propelling them to second spot just four points adrift of champions Muang Thong United.
With Buri Ram gaining credence in the TPL thanks to a level of support more commonly seen in the European leagues, Karuna is understandably happy with the work she's been putting into encouraging fans.
"I just want to lead by example. When you come to support the team, you need to give it your all. That way, you really enjoy it," she says.
"In the early days, most supporters were villagers who turned up for matches in old T-shirts and shorts, rather as they would for a sports day at primary school. I said to myself "It can't be that way for my team.
"So, I came up with a plan to change it. I told my husband that I would oversee the repairs to the bathroom at home and invited some hardcore fans over to discuss what we could do. We watched a video of Chon Buri FC fans, which we hoped would give us some idea on how to organise the cheering.
"It began with a change to the way fans dressed. No more slippers and shorts. Then, we practised cheering for three days, starting with clapping to a rhythm to make it more powerful.
"I don't know what people think about us. I just want them to know that Khun Newin is the kind of person who gives it his all. Whether as a politician or the head of the family, he does it with his heart.
"I can say that if Khun Newin becomes prime minister, I would divorce him. I think our family has had enough of politics. We're very happy to work with fans. Nowhere is better than the place where you live with people who give their hearts to you."
That's not to say Buri Ram supporters are popular with everyone. Some consider the fans a "set up", an accusation that Karuna strongly denies.
"Some people have tried to paint us as mercenaries. That's not true: It's simply a reciprocal business. We have to accept the fact that there is nothing free in this world. When we receive support from sponsors, we need to do something in return. It's nothing more than that.
"I just want to ask our critics whether they'd like to see the same at their team games or not. If they say 'yes', then we have our answer. But even if they say 'no', they don't have the right to criticise other people.
"I want to make it clear that our fans don't get payment. They come of their own will to support the team. Most are vendors or farmers so they have their own income. They just sacrifice their time to cheer the team.
"I've asked Khun Newin as to whether we can allocate an budget to support the fans in terms of transportation and ticket fees. But we only give these expenses on the condition that they really come to support the team."
Asked about the shirt emblazoned with a slogan "Whatever I did was wrong" on the back, Karuna says she just wanted to make a mockery of her experience.
"I'm not a cyber world fan. I don't often surf the Internet to find what people are saying on web boards. I was taken aback by the amount of criticism we received. Our critics wanted to know why we had to do everything in unison.
"I felt very low psychologically at the attacks. I told Khun Newin last month that I wanted to quit not football but my role on the stands. But how I can give up when I'm always telling the fans that they need to show a fighting spirit in supporting the team."
By Nitcha Jaowattana
The Nation on Sunday
Published on November 7, 2010
Karuna Chidchob, wife of Bhum Jai Thai Party de facto leader Newin, talks about her work in developing Buri Ram's two football teams.
If there were any venue in the Thailand Premier League where the atmosphere bears a resemblance to European football, then it would certainly be Buri Ram PEA's home ground, the I-Mobile stadium, where fans fervently support their team throughout every home game.
On match day, a sea of blue, the club's colour, washes over the stands as far as the eye can see. The noise can be heard from several kilometres away. In front of the home fans stands a seemingly tireless middle-aged woman leading the cheers for the North Eastern side, who finished runners-up in the recent season.
She's a familiar face to Buri Ram fans, who greatly appreciate enthusiastic dancing, but those who don't follow the game may be surprised to learn that she's the wife of the club's president, Newin Chidchob. Karuna could, of course, watch the matches from the comfort of a VIP box but says she's merely doing what she loves.
In fact, what few people realise is that Karuna has a dual cheering role, as she's also a cheerleader for Buri Ram FC, a team which plays in the country's regional league and which she manages.
"Khun Newin and I are alike in one way. We put our hearts into what we believe in. In terms of business, making a profit from a football club is not an easy job. Most people would think it is better to do something else.
"However, we're different. We see it purely in sporting terms. Without a strong will, it's impossible to do because it's hard to control players who come from different backgrounds and have big egos," said Karuna, who is nicknamed Tai.
There's no doubt that fans play an important role in Buri Ram's league campaign. The team's home record proves it: this season, they've won 11 out of 15 matches at the stadium dubbed the "Thunder Castle", propelling them to second spot just four points adrift of champions Muang Thong United.
With Buri Ram gaining credence in the TPL thanks to a level of support more commonly seen in the European leagues, Karuna is understandably happy with the work she's been putting into encouraging fans.
"I just want to lead by example. When you come to support the team, you need to give it your all. That way, you really enjoy it," she says.
"In the early days, most supporters were villagers who turned up for matches in old T-shirts and shorts, rather as they would for a sports day at primary school. I said to myself "It can't be that way for my team.
"So, I came up with a plan to change it. I told my husband that I would oversee the repairs to the bathroom at home and invited some hardcore fans over to discuss what we could do. We watched a video of Chon Buri FC fans, which we hoped would give us some idea on how to organise the cheering.
"It began with a change to the way fans dressed. No more slippers and shorts. Then, we practised cheering for three days, starting with clapping to a rhythm to make it more powerful.
"I don't know what people think about us. I just want them to know that Khun Newin is the kind of person who gives it his all. Whether as a politician or the head of the family, he does it with his heart.
"I can say that if Khun Newin becomes prime minister, I would divorce him. I think our family has had enough of politics. We're very happy to work with fans. Nowhere is better than the place where you live with people who give their hearts to you."
That's not to say Buri Ram supporters are popular with everyone. Some consider the fans a "set up", an accusation that Karuna strongly denies.
"Some people have tried to paint us as mercenaries. That's not true: It's simply a reciprocal business. We have to accept the fact that there is nothing free in this world. When we receive support from sponsors, we need to do something in return. It's nothing more than that.
"I just want to ask our critics whether they'd like to see the same at their team games or not. If they say 'yes', then we have our answer. But even if they say 'no', they don't have the right to criticise other people.
"I want to make it clear that our fans don't get payment. They come of their own will to support the team. Most are vendors or farmers so they have their own income. They just sacrifice their time to cheer the team.
"I've asked Khun Newin as to whether we can allocate an budget to support the fans in terms of transportation and ticket fees. But we only give these expenses on the condition that they really come to support the team."
Asked about the shirt emblazoned with a slogan "Whatever I did was wrong" on the back, Karuna says she just wanted to make a mockery of her experience.
"I'm not a cyber world fan. I don't often surf the Internet to find what people are saying on web boards. I was taken aback by the amount of criticism we received. Our critics wanted to know why we had to do everything in unison.
"I felt very low psychologically at the attacks. I told Khun Newin last month that I wanted to quit not football but my role on the stands. But how I can give up when I'm always telling the fans that they need to show a fighting spirit in supporting the team."
Sunday, 27 October 2019
Watching Football In Thailand by Jonathan Fairfield: 2012
Jonathan Fairfield's article from August, 2012
Watching Football In Thailand
by Jonathan Fairfield
Thais certainly love their football. Or at least, they love the English Premier League, which is great news, for many expat football supporters who have chosen to settle in the Land of Smiles.
The truth is that few places offer a better opportunity to watch English football on TV than Thailand.
Here you can expect to find more EPL games on the box than you ever would in England. Whether it be via a cable TV subscription or by visiting just about any bar on a Saturday or Sunday evening (taking into account the time difference), the chances are you will be able to watch more than one Premier League game.
And I’m not just talking about bars in the big cities or areas popular with tourists. Even the smallest bars in the most far flung of places will regularly show games. Stories of tourists or expats, getting lost, finding themselves way off the beaten track, only to stumble across some bar in the middle of nowhere showing one game or another are not uncommon.
Domestic Football in Thailand
Now, watching all this English football on TV is great, but for many nothing beats actually being at a game, taking in the atmosphere of a match day and watching some decent football in the flesh.
The good news is that the domestic game in Thailand is arguably as popular now as it has ever been. And should you be in need of getting your dose of live football then a Thai Premier League game is the place to do just that.
Often overlooked, particularly amongst the expat community in Thailand, Thai football is very much on the up.
Many consider Thai league football to be very much in its infancy, but the truth is that league and cup football has been played here in one form or another since the 1960’s. However, it wasn’t until 2006 and containing only 12 teams, that the ‘Thailand Premier League’ was formed, which helped to lay the foundations for Thailand’s premier division as it is known today.
By 2009 Thai football underwent major rebranding and reorganization and it was from this point that Thailand’s top division was to be officially known as ‘Thai Premier League’, or TPL. This latest set of rebranding also saw the formation of the TPL Division 1 (Thai football’s second tier), as well as 5 regional divisions, containing between 8 and 12 teams.
Today, the TPL can boast rising attendances and revenues, ever improving stadia and of course, wildly passionate fans (more on these later!) Combine this with some good homegrown players and a small, but significant influx of foreigners then you have the makings of a pretty decent league. Comparatively speaking, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that in terms of the standard, the TPL is somewhat similar to England’s League 2 or Blue Square Premier League.
Attending a Thai Football Match
Where there might be a distinct lack of meat and potato pies and warm Bovril, what Thai football has in abundance is passionate fans, fanatical support and a fantastic match day atmosphere. It’s not unusual for supporters from both teams to turn up at the stadium several hours before kickoff, where they will start to sing and chant right up until the final whistle.
It’s fair to say that you don’t always find this kind of atmosphere at an English Premier League game, where ever increasing ticket prices have slowly but surely meant that the average man in the street can no longer afford to go an watch his team week in, week out.
This isn’t the case in Thailand, and as you can probably imagine, ticket prices for a TPL game cost just a fraction of what you can pay in England. And this isn’t in comparison to an EPL game either. Ticket prices in the lower leagues in England, relatively speaking, can be just as expensive as in the Premier League, where paying between GBP15 and GBP22 to watch a fourth or fifth division game is the norm. In Thailand you can expect to pay between 100 and 200 Baht (roughly between £2 and £4)
In England, particularly in the Premier League, the average fan has been replaced by a new breed, one where prawn sandwiches, corporate boxes and even a pre match champagne reception is all part of the ‘match day experience’.
One thing you haven’t got to worry about at a TPL game is bumping into anyone from the prawn sandwich brigade!
Let’s face it, it’s the fans that make football tick (or at least it should be) and what the TPL might lack in skill or ability on the pitch, the majority of Thai football fans are just as passionate any you will find in England, Germany, Spain or anywhere else for that matter.
Aside from a good atmosphere and cheap ticket prices, another reason to attend a football game in Thailand is the novelty (for fans for the UK at least) of being allowed to enjoy a nice cold beer in the stands during the game. It’s great, particularly in the warm weather and beats drinking Bovril any day of the week!
With beer (and sometimes whisky) being readily available in stadiums, you might expect this to lead to all kinds of problems amongst supporters, and being honest, occasionally it does. Recent weeks have seen a couple of incidents of bottle throwing and near rioting amongst sets of rival fans. However, don’t let this put you off; it’s far removed from anything ‘hooligan’ related that has been common place throughout most major leagues in Europe and incidents of this nature in Thailand are few and far between.
As with most places in Thailand foreigners are normally made to feel welcome and inside a football stadium is no different. Some clubs actually have quite large numbers of ‘farang’ supporters, especially around the areas of Thailand that has large expat communities.
Sounds Too Good To Be True?
So, Thai football is all about reasonably priced tickets, great atmosphere, ever improving stadia and drinking in the stands? It sounds too good to be true, right? Well, almost. There are some downsides to the Thai game and these can be found both on and off the pitch.
On the pitch, players can often to ground far too easily. Diving, cheating, simulation or whatever else you want to call it, unfortunately, is all too common in the TPL. This can then lead to a break in play, especially by the time a stretcher has been brought onto the pitch only for the player to jump back up to his feet moments later.
In the worst cases the whole flow of the game can be interrupted by players trying to gain an advantage through simulation. This whole problem is one that has sparked many a debate amongst expat fans and commentators from a number of different teams on Twitter, most notably between @swatcat_fc , @chonburi_fc and @BKKFootballBlog.
Another problem with the game in Thailand is the standard of refereeing. Now, what football fan doesn’t complain about the ref, its par for the course! But, it has to be said, the standard of refereeing at all levels of the Thai game is pretty poor. This combined with players diving all the time can sometimes ruin the game as a spectacle.
Off the pitch, it’s fair to say that things could be a little more organized. It’s not uncommon for a team to change the day of a game with very little in the way of prior notice. For example, a game might be changed from a Sunday to Saturday (or vice versa), with fans only being given as little as 24 hour notice, sometimes even less. It’s hardly ideal! As long as you don’t plan more than a week ahead, then you shouldn’t get caught out by some random fixture change!
Having said all that, the plus points to watching a live TPL game far outweigh the negatives and if you are a football fan living in Thailand who hasn’t been to a football game then you are missing out on a great, if not an altogether different, football experience.
If your town or province has a team then you should really make the effort to go and watch them play. Thai football is definitely on the up and watching a game live certainly beats watching a game on TV played in a league over 5000 miles away!
Watching Football In Thailand
by Jonathan Fairfield
Thais certainly love their football. Or at least, they love the English Premier League, which is great news, for many expat football supporters who have chosen to settle in the Land of Smiles.
The truth is that few places offer a better opportunity to watch English football on TV than Thailand.
Here you can expect to find more EPL games on the box than you ever would in England. Whether it be via a cable TV subscription or by visiting just about any bar on a Saturday or Sunday evening (taking into account the time difference), the chances are you will be able to watch more than one Premier League game.
And I’m not just talking about bars in the big cities or areas popular with tourists. Even the smallest bars in the most far flung of places will regularly show games. Stories of tourists or expats, getting lost, finding themselves way off the beaten track, only to stumble across some bar in the middle of nowhere showing one game or another are not uncommon.
Domestic Football in Thailand
Now, watching all this English football on TV is great, but for many nothing beats actually being at a game, taking in the atmosphere of a match day and watching some decent football in the flesh.
The good news is that the domestic game in Thailand is arguably as popular now as it has ever been. And should you be in need of getting your dose of live football then a Thai Premier League game is the place to do just that.
Often overlooked, particularly amongst the expat community in Thailand, Thai football is very much on the up.
Many consider Thai league football to be very much in its infancy, but the truth is that league and cup football has been played here in one form or another since the 1960’s. However, it wasn’t until 2006 and containing only 12 teams, that the ‘Thailand Premier League’ was formed, which helped to lay the foundations for Thailand’s premier division as it is known today.
By 2009 Thai football underwent major rebranding and reorganization and it was from this point that Thailand’s top division was to be officially known as ‘Thai Premier League’, or TPL. This latest set of rebranding also saw the formation of the TPL Division 1 (Thai football’s second tier), as well as 5 regional divisions, containing between 8 and 12 teams.
Today, the TPL can boast rising attendances and revenues, ever improving stadia and of course, wildly passionate fans (more on these later!) Combine this with some good homegrown players and a small, but significant influx of foreigners then you have the makings of a pretty decent league. Comparatively speaking, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that in terms of the standard, the TPL is somewhat similar to England’s League 2 or Blue Square Premier League.
Attending a Thai Football Match
Where there might be a distinct lack of meat and potato pies and warm Bovril, what Thai football has in abundance is passionate fans, fanatical support and a fantastic match day atmosphere. It’s not unusual for supporters from both teams to turn up at the stadium several hours before kickoff, where they will start to sing and chant right up until the final whistle.
It’s fair to say that you don’t always find this kind of atmosphere at an English Premier League game, where ever increasing ticket prices have slowly but surely meant that the average man in the street can no longer afford to go an watch his team week in, week out.
This isn’t the case in Thailand, and as you can probably imagine, ticket prices for a TPL game cost just a fraction of what you can pay in England. And this isn’t in comparison to an EPL game either. Ticket prices in the lower leagues in England, relatively speaking, can be just as expensive as in the Premier League, where paying between GBP15 and GBP22 to watch a fourth or fifth division game is the norm. In Thailand you can expect to pay between 100 and 200 Baht (roughly between £2 and £4)
In England, particularly in the Premier League, the average fan has been replaced by a new breed, one where prawn sandwiches, corporate boxes and even a pre match champagne reception is all part of the ‘match day experience’.
One thing you haven’t got to worry about at a TPL game is bumping into anyone from the prawn sandwich brigade!
Let’s face it, it’s the fans that make football tick (or at least it should be) and what the TPL might lack in skill or ability on the pitch, the majority of Thai football fans are just as passionate any you will find in England, Germany, Spain or anywhere else for that matter.
Aside from a good atmosphere and cheap ticket prices, another reason to attend a football game in Thailand is the novelty (for fans for the UK at least) of being allowed to enjoy a nice cold beer in the stands during the game. It’s great, particularly in the warm weather and beats drinking Bovril any day of the week!
With beer (and sometimes whisky) being readily available in stadiums, you might expect this to lead to all kinds of problems amongst supporters, and being honest, occasionally it does. Recent weeks have seen a couple of incidents of bottle throwing and near rioting amongst sets of rival fans. However, don’t let this put you off; it’s far removed from anything ‘hooligan’ related that has been common place throughout most major leagues in Europe and incidents of this nature in Thailand are few and far between.
As with most places in Thailand foreigners are normally made to feel welcome and inside a football stadium is no different. Some clubs actually have quite large numbers of ‘farang’ supporters, especially around the areas of Thailand that has large expat communities.
Sounds Too Good To Be True?
So, Thai football is all about reasonably priced tickets, great atmosphere, ever improving stadia and drinking in the stands? It sounds too good to be true, right? Well, almost. There are some downsides to the Thai game and these can be found both on and off the pitch.
On the pitch, players can often to ground far too easily. Diving, cheating, simulation or whatever else you want to call it, unfortunately, is all too common in the TPL. This can then lead to a break in play, especially by the time a stretcher has been brought onto the pitch only for the player to jump back up to his feet moments later.
In the worst cases the whole flow of the game can be interrupted by players trying to gain an advantage through simulation. This whole problem is one that has sparked many a debate amongst expat fans and commentators from a number of different teams on Twitter, most notably between @swatcat_fc , @chonburi_fc and @BKKFootballBlog.
Another problem with the game in Thailand is the standard of refereeing. Now, what football fan doesn’t complain about the ref, its par for the course! But, it has to be said, the standard of refereeing at all levels of the Thai game is pretty poor. This combined with players diving all the time can sometimes ruin the game as a spectacle.
Off the pitch, it’s fair to say that things could be a little more organized. It’s not uncommon for a team to change the day of a game with very little in the way of prior notice. For example, a game might be changed from a Sunday to Saturday (or vice versa), with fans only being given as little as 24 hour notice, sometimes even less. It’s hardly ideal! As long as you don’t plan more than a week ahead, then you shouldn’t get caught out by some random fixture change!
Having said all that, the plus points to watching a live TPL game far outweigh the negatives and if you are a football fan living in Thailand who hasn’t been to a football game then you are missing out on a great, if not an altogether different, football experience.
If your town or province has a team then you should really make the effort to go and watch them play. Thai football is definitely on the up and watching a game live certainly beats watching a game on TV played in a league over 5000 miles away!
Saturday, 26 October 2019
Interview With Yuki Suzuki: 2013
My interview with Chiang Rai Utd Business Development Manager, Yuki Suzuki, from June, 2013.
Q - Please can you introduce yourself
A - My name is Yuki Suzuki. I am 28 years old and I am the Business Development Manager of Chiang Rai United.
Q - How long have you worked at Chiang Rai United?
A - I have worked at Chiang Rai United for 3 months so far.
Q - How did you get the job at Chiang Rai Utd?
A - I was searching for a new club to work for anywhere around the world. Then I applied to a couple of football clubs. Shortly after that, I had a chance to talk to our president Miti via Skype. After my conversation with him, he offered me a job, and here I am.
Q - What do you enjoy most about your job?
A - I enjoy everything about my job. But what I enjoy the most is to getting to know new things about Thai football. There is definitely a big difference in sports business in Thailand compared to other countries. There is always some surprise that I can learn a lot from in a good way. That is why I enjoy learning new things the most.
Q - What were the expectations before the two matches against Chonburi?
A - My expectations of the two matches were that they would be difficult games for us. We all knew that it wouldn’t be easy.
Q - How do you think Chiang Rai Utd performed in the two matches?
A - I honestly think that we weren’t bad, compared to other matches that we have had this season. But where we are always missing is in our finishing. I think it was the case this time as well.
Q - How do you think Chonburi performed in the two matches?
A - Chonburi performed better than us. That’s why you guys got the results. But I don’t think Chonburi performance at their best in the last two matches against us.
Q - How were the Chiang Rai staff and players feeling after the two defeats?
A - Of course, we were not feeling good after losing the games. However, we are all positive and ready for the next match.
Q - Which Chonburi players were you most wary of of before the games?
A - I was afraid of No.8 Therdsak Chaiman and No.10 Pipob On-Mo the most. They are the key players who can control the game.
Q - Which Chonburi players impressed you in the two games?
A - I’d say Therdsak was the most impressive player, technically and physically. He is 39 years old and he is still able to play in the top league. He is also one of the best players in Thailand. He is the one that I am impressed by the most in the TPL.
Q - He seemed to get a bit of stick from the home crowd in both games, why do you think this was?
A - I think it is because he scored in the first game. Then, the home fans booed him all the time.
Q - Overall, how do you rate Chonburi?
A - It is hard to say because they are not performing well at this moment. But Chonburi is in the list of A class clubs after the Big 2 teams. There is no argument, they are one of the top TPL teams.
Q - What, if anything, do you think Chonburi can win this season?
A - Any team in the top 4 or 5 has the possibility to win anything this season. Chonburi is definitely a team who can win something this season.
Q - As someone who works for another club, what do you admire about the way Chonburi FC is run?
A - I admire the way Chonburi FC organise and manage the club. The club is well-organised.
I can also say this about the youth academy as well. It is planned and thought about as a long term project. This is what I admire about the club and management team.
Q - Do you think there is anything we can do better as a club?
A - There are many things that every club can do better. Part of my job is to think about this for Chiang Rai United. Let’s look at European clubs or Asian clubs, it does not matter whether they are big or small clubs, there is always a way to make things better, in my opinion.
Q - Which has been the best team you have seen this season?
A - Buriram Utd is the best so far. They showed quality both individually and as a team.
Q - How do you think Chiang Rai Utd will do in the rest of the season?
A - I think we will do better over the rest of the season. We’ve only got 8 points so far. We surely can’t get worse than that! We will find solutions to make the club better. We will try to play the best and get to where we want to be.
Q - Who would you like to see as your new coach?
A - We want to change our situation so I would like to see a new coach who can bring in a change for this club. For me it doesn’t matter who he is, I just want to see a new coach who has a strong desire to change this situation.
Q - Anything else you'd like to add?
A - Thank you, Dale, for interviewing me.
Q - Please can you introduce yourself
A - My name is Yuki Suzuki. I am 28 years old and I am the Business Development Manager of Chiang Rai United.
Q - How long have you worked at Chiang Rai United?
A - I have worked at Chiang Rai United for 3 months so far.
Q - How did you get the job at Chiang Rai Utd?
A - I was searching for a new club to work for anywhere around the world. Then I applied to a couple of football clubs. Shortly after that, I had a chance to talk to our president Miti via Skype. After my conversation with him, he offered me a job, and here I am.
Q - What do you enjoy most about your job?
A - I enjoy everything about my job. But what I enjoy the most is to getting to know new things about Thai football. There is definitely a big difference in sports business in Thailand compared to other countries. There is always some surprise that I can learn a lot from in a good way. That is why I enjoy learning new things the most.
Q - What were the expectations before the two matches against Chonburi?
A - My expectations of the two matches were that they would be difficult games for us. We all knew that it wouldn’t be easy.
Q - How do you think Chiang Rai Utd performed in the two matches?
A - I honestly think that we weren’t bad, compared to other matches that we have had this season. But where we are always missing is in our finishing. I think it was the case this time as well.
Q - How do you think Chonburi performed in the two matches?
A - Chonburi performed better than us. That’s why you guys got the results. But I don’t think Chonburi performance at their best in the last two matches against us.
Q - How were the Chiang Rai staff and players feeling after the two defeats?
A - Of course, we were not feeling good after losing the games. However, we are all positive and ready for the next match.
Q - Which Chonburi players were you most wary of of before the games?
A - I was afraid of No.8 Therdsak Chaiman and No.10 Pipob On-Mo the most. They are the key players who can control the game.
Q - Which Chonburi players impressed you in the two games?
A - I’d say Therdsak was the most impressive player, technically and physically. He is 39 years old and he is still able to play in the top league. He is also one of the best players in Thailand. He is the one that I am impressed by the most in the TPL.
Q - He seemed to get a bit of stick from the home crowd in both games, why do you think this was?
A - I think it is because he scored in the first game. Then, the home fans booed him all the time.
Q - Overall, how do you rate Chonburi?
A - It is hard to say because they are not performing well at this moment. But Chonburi is in the list of A class clubs after the Big 2 teams. There is no argument, they are one of the top TPL teams.
Q - What, if anything, do you think Chonburi can win this season?
A - Any team in the top 4 or 5 has the possibility to win anything this season. Chonburi is definitely a team who can win something this season.
Q - As someone who works for another club, what do you admire about the way Chonburi FC is run?
A - I admire the way Chonburi FC organise and manage the club. The club is well-organised.
I can also say this about the youth academy as well. It is planned and thought about as a long term project. This is what I admire about the club and management team.
Q - Do you think there is anything we can do better as a club?
A - There are many things that every club can do better. Part of my job is to think about this for Chiang Rai United. Let’s look at European clubs or Asian clubs, it does not matter whether they are big or small clubs, there is always a way to make things better, in my opinion.
Q - Which has been the best team you have seen this season?
A - Buriram Utd is the best so far. They showed quality both individually and as a team.
Q - How do you think Chiang Rai Utd will do in the rest of the season?
A - I think we will do better over the rest of the season. We’ve only got 8 points so far. We surely can’t get worse than that! We will find solutions to make the club better. We will try to play the best and get to where we want to be.
Q - Who would you like to see as your new coach?
A - We want to change our situation so I would like to see a new coach who can bring in a change for this club. For me it doesn’t matter who he is, I just want to see a new coach who has a strong desire to change this situation.
Q - Anything else you'd like to add?
A - Thank you, Dale, for interviewing me.
Bangkok Bank 1-2 Chonburi - Highlights: 2008
Highlights from the final match of the 2008 season. Chonburi had to win and hope that Bang Phra could beat PEA at home, in order for us to retain the league title. In the end, we kept our part of the bargain, but our local rivals couldn't do us a favour and lost 4-1.
Thai Football Webboard - Chonburi FC Thread (Part Two): 2008
Before Twitter, a few foreign fans of Thai football used to discuss the local game on the now sadly defunct Thai Football Webboard. Here's part two of the Chonburi FC thread from July, 2008.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Thai Football Webboard - Chonburi FC Thread (Part One): 2008
Before Twitter, a few foreign fans of Thai football used to discuss the local game on the now sadly defunct Thai Football Webboard. Here's part one of the Chonburi FC thread from July, 2008.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
FC Tokyo 9-0 Chonburi - Match Report: 2016
AFC Champions League qualifier
9th February, 2016
FC Tokyo 9-0 Chonburi
Match report by Brian Enever
But just about every decision we made was wrong. We started with poor team selection and went downhill from there. We needed a tight defensive set up that, without defending too deep, effectively puts plenty of bodies behind the ball with very little space for the opposition to exploit.
We had to get our team selection right. We could expect to have long periods without the ball so needed a central midfield that would protect the back four, close people down quickly and deny them any space. Our wide midfield players needed to be competent defensively and capable of protecting our fullbacks (allowing them to tuck in and deny any space at the back) and putting their their wide players under constant pressure.
So what do we do? We play Nurul on the right side of midfield with Leandro on the left.
Now Nurul is technically quite good with the ball at his feet, his strengths being his ability to run at, and beating, defenders in the last third of the pitch. In this type of game, he's an impact player that can come on for the last twenty minutes if we're chasing a game. The word 'defend' is quite simply a foreign word to him. Both positionally and technically he is totally incapable of doing a defensive job to minimise the space to protect his fullback.
And on the left we need someone equally competent. But instead we play a striker. Now he might have a lot of pace but a defensive (wide) midfielder he most definitely is not. Leandro wants to attack, he simply can't defend effectively. The gaps down the left hand side are there for everyone to see in every game when Leandro plays wide left and in front of Korakot. Kreokrit would have been more competent and reliable on either in those positions but we choose to play him in central midfield instead, leaving Prakit Deeprom on the bench.
I don't know whether it's due to tactics or ability but fullback is probably our weakest position in the team yet we chose to leave both of them totally exposed from the start.
With last year's first choice no longer available, central midfield is going to take time to gel anyway which is why, tactically, they must sure of their jobs. But, positionally, they were all over the place. At times there were so many gaps between midfield and the back four I thought we were playing with about eight players.
Once again it was impossible to see what formation we were trying to use defensively. Instead of a compact back four our fullbacks were so out of position there were massive gaps appearing at the back. And with a midfield that protected nobody we didn't have a cat in hell's chance of containing what was a technically superior side.
And so after our 0-9 thrashing, what can we hope for and what can we expect?
We can hope that both management and players have had a long, hard and honest look at what went wrong.
We can hope that a quality defensive coach has been brought in to organise us from the back and find a system that works.
We can hope that somebody has instilled some discipline into the players in order that will keep our shape and balance all over the pitch and play as a unit, not a bunch of individuals.
We can hope that our team selection and formation is chosen to play to our strengths and not chosen because of favouritism.
We can hope the players show some desire, commitment and fight, something sadly lacking in Japan.
We can hope we find a leader on the pitch to organise, encourage and even bollock players when necessary. We used to complain at Thiago's petulance at times but he was always on hand to gee players up ... and give them grief if he thought they deserved it. And not just the players. If the crowd went quiet he even had time to encourage them to cheer again. That's what we need now!
WE CAN HOPE THE HUMILIATION OF THAT 0-9 THRASHING IS EMBEDDED INTO BOTH THE PLAYERS AND COACHES MEMORIES PERMANENTLY AND NEVER EVER FORGOTTEN.
We can expect excuses to vary from 'the cold', 'long distance travel, 'tiredness', 'a big change in playing personnel'. In fact any excuse they can think of instead of blaming the real culprits.
We can expect Anop to conveniently forget his quote that Therdsak was chosen as head coach because he was the best person to prepare the team for the AFC matches and what was our biggest ever thrashing.
We can expect to have a disjointed defence that's still full of holes.
We can expect Chonlatit to do his usual jaunts up the right wing and slow walks back to his defensive position, leaving our back 'three' to struggle again.
We can expect our central midfield three (with something to prove) to work hard, be creative and show us there is hope for this season.
We can expect Rodrigo to work his socks off trying to create space and hopefully open his account with a much deserved goal.
We can expect our loyal fans to turn up in numbers to support the team. They'll put Japan down to a 'one off' and be full of optimism for the coming campaign.
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