Stats clash: should they stay or should they go? 2025/26 player ratings and futures

Well this isn't the blog I wanted to write.

I had in mind "The Story of the Great Escape" with a brief recap of each match since Borges took over, ending with effusive praise for the gaffer and some of the players. Unfortunately Sukothai FC misread my script, decided they were the heroes and condemned us to a miserable, bitter final match in T1 2026.

So this reluctant alternative is a (mostly) balanced look at the players I've followed during the season with an honest take on their performance followed by my opinion on whether we should try to keep them on for next season and whether we realistically could do so. With the raw pain of relegation still very fresh at this time, I want to be clear that my scores here are a reflection of how effective I feel the player was able to function through the season when I saw them. It is in no way a judgement of their character, commitment, or attitude unless I specifically say otherwise. Whatever the future holds for any of these players, I wish them nothing but the best.

Finally, I'm only rating players that I feel I observed enough to make an informed opinion on. Fringe players or players I just missed a lot won't be rated.

Goalies

Armin Gremsl 5/10

Gremsl really epitomises the poor transfer decisions of the club. A goalie who never really made a lot of mistakes, but offered nothing a local goalie - probably on much lower wages - couldn't replicate. The fact that he eventually became second choice to Korrakut really shines a light on terrible decisions at the top.

Should we? No     Could we? Maybe

Korrakot Pipatnadda 7/10

One of our own, the home-grown youngster showed commitment and maturity beyond his years as the screw was turned on us this season. While there's no doubt the reinforced defence in front of him played a major role, his awareness and - at times - shot stopping were second to none. I almost marked him down slightly for Sukothai's third goal last Sunday but the whole team had a stinker.

Should we? Definitely     Could we? Unsure, with his advance in the national team, the academy boy may decide it's time to move on and who could blame him? Hopefully he'll give us one more year.

Defenders

Tristan Do 6/10

One of many defenders who improved under Jorges and to be fair, began that improvement under Mario. Tristan didn't really seem to show the leadership I expect of a captain during the mid-season travesty and in the twilight of his career, he is definitely slowing a bit. Under Jorges he looked more composed and offered the team the width I had been screaming for. It wasn't quite enough, however.

Should we? Maybe for one year, his experience will be an asset and his age will matter slightly less in T2. He might be a good transition player.     Could we? Probably yes, as long as he can accept a pay cut.

Stefan Tsonktov 5/10

Not much more to add here from my match reports. Tonktov improved when Kim joined the side, but only against players of a similar physique to himself. In midseason he was caught out of position or ball watching a shocking amount of times. Against more nippy players, he got skinned too easily. He did show commitment, fight and a willingness to go up front when asked.

Should we? Definitely not.     Could we? Probably not

Kim Dong-Su 7/10

One of very few players coming out of the season with credit. If Kim had been with us from game 1 we may not have been relegated. Kim was not exceptional in any way but competent in every way. He read the game well, thrived on intense moments and showed absolutely no fear. His intimidating demeanor and gestures to fans quickly made him a cult hero. Seeing his statement say "I was not good enough" was a choker. He was the best defender we had.

Should we? Absolutely. This guy could become a club legend.     Could we? I doubt it. Rumours of other Thai clubs sniffing around have already emerged.

Michael Kempter 6/10

A familiar tale of a defender who improved towards the end. Kempter's long legs covered ground quickly and his crosses were at least sent with conviction. Suffered from being in and out of the team for a while and was sometimes solid.

Should we? Maybe. I would be happy if he stayed but not worried if he leaves.     Could we? Depends on his salary, probably.

John-Patrick Strauß 6.5/10

Slightly underrated in my opinion. If Kim does indeed leave, this guy is my second choice for most vital defender to keep. Strauss showed commitment and fight even when the back line was in disarray over the winter.

Should we? Yes     Could we? Yet again, what's his salary and will he accept a cut?

Midfielders

Sorawit Panthong 5.5/10

One of a crop of midfield youngsters who showed nothing but full commitment yet always looked slightly out of his depth. In every game he would battle and attempt to do the right things but struggled to do them often enough.

Should we? Tough decision. Sorawit and some other youngsters fall into that "Good at T2 but not quite good enough at T1" bracket riddle that relegated teams often face. I'd happily keep him for now.     Could we? Probably yes.

Anass Ahannach 5.5/10

Scored a nice goal against Chonburi. Very similar to Sorawit: a lot of effort but not always a lot of end product.

Should we? Same answer as Sorawit.     Could we? My guess would be his salary is slightly higher, so maybe not.

Kakana Khamyok 8/10 Player of the season

In a season that has disappointed the club, the staff, the players and the fans, this kid has stood head and shoulders above the rest. During the most hopeless moments of the most hopeless games, he battled his way past bigger, more aggressive and far more experienced players over and over again. His mazy dribbling took him through situations he had no right to get past and is a huge part of the reason we battled to the last day. I once identified a very young Sarach Yooyen as "Thailand's Michael Owen". I am now identifying this kid as "Thailand's Steve McManaman".

Should we? Obviously!     Could we? Not as hopeless as we may fear. He's on a three year contract so we can either charge a whopping fee or loan him out for a year to give us a shot at keeping him.

Forwards

William Popp 7/10

Another "what if" here. If the injury that kept Popp out until Christmas hadn't happened, would we have been so short on goals and would we have purchased Saric in a panic? The team instantly looked more creative going forward when the icon returned. His reputation and confidence, combined with his crafty gamesmanship rubbed off positively on his teammates and produced a notable change in tone. As the grueling schedule took its toll on the recovering thirty-something, he notably became slower and tired as games continued, yet even then his presence alone was enough to make his position in the starting team a lock in. It's sad to think that was probably the last time we'll see him in a Muangthong shirt.

Should we? I'll say yes. Like Tristan, his experience and reputation could make him a worthwhile player during a transition year.     Could we? Let's be honest, he's almost certainly our highest-paid player. He loves the club but love in football has its limits when you have a family to feed.

Melvyn Lorenzen 5/10

In many ways Melvyn reminds me of Joe Aribo at Southampton: a player who always seemed to be about to deliver but never quite does, instead turning in some low-energy performances that just never click. In fairness to the Ugandan international, his season was marred by injuries, lack of fitness and position changes but even then, it just wasn't up to scratch. A poor first touch didn't help. Back heels and tricky touches look great when they work and your team is winning, less so when everything is on the line and they don't work out. Seems like a nice guy and I hope his next adventure goes well.

Should we? No     Could we? No

Marko Šarić 3/10

I want to be fair to Saric. He was a panic buy and a player whose style - an old school European target man - never really fitted the team, especially without a poacher running off his shoulder, which is something we didn't try a single time because...well, we don't have any poachers. He actually got a couple of very simple goals early on but from then, things went downhill. The number of touches and his XG plummeted and as his struggles continued, he became increasingly and very visibly pedestrian in games. As my son noticed, the way he runs is not typical of a pro player and adds to the perception of being disengaged or unfit though neither was probably true. Some fans saw this as laziness but a lanky target man is never designed to run across the opposition's back four and press them as they pass it around. A few poor touches in later games didn't help and even compared to his teammates, he had a shocking game at Sukothai. I strongly suspect we won't see him play for us again. I hope he gets a few early goals at his next club and they play more to his style.

Should we? No     Could we? He hasn't looked happy recently, so no.

So there you have it. How many of these players can we realistically expect to see turn out for us in T2? Probably not as many as the fringe players I left out. Time will tell. Roll on next season.

All photo credits: mtutd.com

Match Report: Muangthong United 1 BG Pathum 1

To the last man.
(all photo credits: Kirin Red Area)

Crunch time. The dull, soggy draw at Chonburi last week means that nothing has really changed at the bottom of T1 but with just two games left, the stakes are now astronomical. Kick off is at 7pm today but crowds start queuing at 2pm. One queue is for tickets and the others is for the awesome Kirins Retro shirt, which is back on sale after a clever limited run two weeks ago. The hunt for those bad boys was frantic; within three hours, every size was stripped from the hangers and the servers alike.

A couple of hours and a failed crossbar challenge attempt by my son later, we go to kickoff. We are of course missing Tristan Do today after his yellow card at Chonburi. His recent form makes that a loss for any fixture but today we are up against two players we know very well in Sarach Yonyen, whom I once described right here as "Thailand's Michael Owen" and Chanathip Songkrasin: two players who can
tear up the flanks of any defence in the Kingdom. Tristan is replaced by Strauss. Our midfield and forward line are business as usual, although Saric starts in place of Tasa, an interesting choice given the opinions of many fans.

As players emerge, both sets of fans stir up a wall of noise. The away end is awash in blue shirts and waving flags. In the ultras stand, a steady drumbeat and open hands clapping in unison accompanies the raising of a massive tifo banner. Fans are still pouring in on every side. This is a good crowd, great turnout and tremendous atmosphere. Up in the press box, Kawin, Hudson and one Robbie Fowler are all looking down on this date with football destiny . Will we give the majority something to cheer today?

The game starts and BG look dangerous. Yoyen is tormenting Strauss and Kempster is being overloaded on the opposite flank. We're doing our best to stay organised and fighting for every last ball. Occasionally we attack through the flanks ourselves but Popp is finally showing some exhaustion after an intense schedule following serious injury. He's still creating, but he's slow. The younger legs of Kakana are our main hope as his weaving, mazy runs deter BG's back line from pushing even further up.

The overload on Kempster forces Kim to move out and support him a couple of times and I think that affected him for the opening goal. BG played yet another diagonal ball to their right back who hits a quick cross to the near post. Kim hesitated—a fatal half-second on the wrong side of Sareepim— and that was all the opening needed for the tap-in. This was not what we wanted: yet another game where we need to fight back. We make a couple of chances, forcing one good save from their keeper, Kempster hitting a cannon against the crossbar and most painfully: a stumble-come-reverse pass from Saric which set sup Kakana with a goal that is at least half open, but the chance was harder than it looked and he blasts it wide.

At half time the consensus is that we are still in the scrap, but a second BG goal would finish us. The noise doesn't let up though, and with BG now defending the Ultras stand, their goalie is meet with a harsh chorus of jeers as he takes up position.

Play resumes, but the problem is that we can't get any kind of control in midfield and we're relying on the wide players. Eventually it
pays off when Strauss slots a short diagonal to Kakana who takes a quick, inch perfect shot under the diving leg of Sandokhze and into the corner. The stadium erupts into joy and relief. It occurs to me that I haven't given Kakana his due this season. This kid has given his all for the entire season and his dribbling and sheer desire have been every bit as crucial to our recent revival as Popp's return and our more organised defence. If I were defender I would dread him running at me. I hope he's on a long, long contract.

BG don't want to settle for a draw and start to take control of the game again. In my podcast chat with Dale today, we explored the psychology of watching a game at the venue compared to  TV, and as a supporter versus watching as a neutral. I mention this now because my take on the next twenty minutes was very different to Dale's. In the hearts and minds of home fans, BG began a period of possession football, waiting for us to over commit and make a mistake. For four agonizing minutes, we chased ghosts. The ball stayed glued to BG boots, and with every pass we didn't intercept, the anxiety in the stands curdled into something sharper. 

It was during this period that the crowd really started to turn on Saric. The big target man had been backtracking and closing down defenders in the first half, but was now reduced to running slowly from side to side in a game where, once again, he had seen very few touches of the ball. I've already discussed why I'm undecided about his level of blame in all this but in a game where everything is on the line, and we literally can't get a touch on the ball right now, the tension was palpable as fans used him as a target for their anxiety. The substitution doesn't come as quickly as I expected but he is eventually replaced by Korawich. It's the loudest cheer I've ever heard for a substitution itself, rather than for the player coming on.

The siege continued for a while as the inevitable tiredness began to sink in. At least, that's how it felt for those on the ground. For Dale at Thai Football Podcast however, BG simply passed the ball around without doing too much with it. Chanataip was replaced - we later found out he took a knock in the first half - and the rest of the game played out. There was one great save by Korracut. one shot that went millimetres wide and an impressive volley on the turn that flew across the net and mercifully out of play before the ref called for full time. The whistle was met with relief.

As is customary for the final game, players came back out to thank supporters and hear the singing of the club anthems before fans came on to the pitch to greet players up close. It's always a good way to keep the strong bond between players and fans, especially with all that we've suffered this year. 

There's a lot to unpack from this one, so let's try to be concise. Firstly, today was an excellent reminder that Muangthong can still be a giant in Thai football. A crowd of 11,400 is impressive by any standard in this country. This, along with the ridiculous frenzy for the fan shirts might just tip the scales in favour of any potential investors waiting in the wings. 

On the other hand, there is the small matter of which tier we'll be playing in next season. The convoluted chaos at the bottom of T1 has continued with Korat defeating Sukothai yesterday. In short, this means that a win next week guarantees safety, a draw would make us dependent on other results and a default would mean certain doom. The club have organised an official away day package for fans and sources suggest there will be a hefty away following, which is great news. On paper, I would say we have a better side than Sukothai but as the old joke goes, football is played on grass, not paper. In our meetings with Port, Chonburi and BG, I think some of the opposition fans became complacent. I somehow doubt Sukothai fans or staff will be making the same mistake. We need to show our quality and our fight just one last time, and to win without an obvious centre forward.

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My son told me to to title this match report "We need to talk about Saric", I won't do that but I will say that If I were Borges, I would remind Saric that if he can make a strong showing against Sukothai, everything else will be forgotten.

Social media was awash with posts from fans on Friday night saying they have been away from the Thunderdome but for whatever reason, they decided to return for this fixture. That we gave them a performance to be proud of and something to cheer makes me hopeful. Hope can be a painful thing sometimes.

Once more unto the Ch̀xng h̄oẁ, dear players. You can do this. Kirins, Chai-yoo.

Muangthong 2 Nakhon Ratchasima 1 Match Report

Soaked in victory

(Credit: MTUTD X account)

The vibe at Muangthong’s Impact Stadium lives and dies by whatever is happening next door at the Impact Centre. It’s a dynamic that has held true since the glory years: when a major car show or a K-pop sensation rolls into town, the walkways transform into a human tide, and you have to be genuinely ruthless just to secure a seat at a swamped Burger King.

Yet, when Songkran arrives, the switch flips. The sprawling exhibition halls fall into a ghostly silence, inhabited only by skeleton crews and security guards on graveyard shifts, wandering through darkened, un-airconditioned corridors. It is always a game of extremes at Muangthong and in many ways, that feels like the only appropriate backdrop for the local football club.

It's another decent turnout for the footie though and the team news is met with interest. The defence is a good choice although I'm always slightly apprehensive when I see Tontov on the team sheet for reasons I've mentioned before: it very much depends on the type of player he's up against. It's good to see Kempster back in full throttle however and even better to see Killer Kim back at CLB. The middle also looks ideal with Annas at deep midfield - I refuse to adopt this modern practice of describing a players role simply with a number like "number six" - and Kakana playing further up.

The forward line picks itself now that Melvin is injured and Saric is our only natural striker. Fans have had a lot to say about Saric since he joined and much of it has been unfair. It's true he is no Erling Haaland and he hasn't always been effective but to my mind part of the problem is that his style of play isn't a natural fit for us. Saric is the old fashioned type of target man who likes to play with his back to goal and bring other players into the attack. That works best with the traditional "big guy small guy" combo where a nippy poacher plays off the shoulder of the bigger man. We don't play that way since we have Popp and Kakana sitting much wider. Besides, Melvin has hardly been setting the league alight either this season, although he did look good when he came on against Chiang Rai and it would be nice to have him as an option. What's done is done though and we need to focus on winning, not excuses.

We kick off and within seconds it's clear that both teams know what's at stake here and the pressure is creating paralysis. Basic passes from the Kirins go astray and are met with groans. A couple of promising attacks break down because the expected run wasn't made. Korat aren't faring any better though, since their early attack consists of a striker - wearing a number five shirt for some unknown reason - who is chasing everything but looks incredibly limited. His tactic of bundling into centre backs has no effect on Tonktov or Kim and that restricts the visitors to optimistic attacks. At one point it looks to me like Korat get a throw in and chuck it straight back out of play, providing some reassurance they are not feeling any more confident than we are.

At half time it's goalless, a score that was perhaps as inevitable and it was unenviable for both sides. I feel confident the second half will be different but I wonder what tactical changes Borges would make. He's already proven enough for fans to have faith in him.

The second half begins with Muangthong shooting towards the ultras in the south stand who are actually having fun shooting water hoses at themselves. Water, powder and jumping everywhere. It's fantastic but I will always wonder how the cheerleaders don't fall off the platforms more often.

Just as festivities are hitting full swing, the script gets torn up as a Korat player turns one defender (Kim I think) and then nutmegs another before blasting a long range shot inside the post. Korrakut immediately shouted at his defence. He's not the type of keeper to do that usually so he clearly felt something went wrong. Watching it back on youtube, I feel like it was a series of small, soft mistakes: a soft tackle, a soft nutmeg, Tonktov not getting quite close enough to block and the goalie seeing it slightly late despite the range. With that said though, it was an excellent finish and the fifty or so away fans are delighted.

One thing I have noticed throughout this season is that our best attacking play seems to come when we are trailing, which is to say we have been showing a lot of our best when we have already made problems for ourselves. It's the case again tonight as Kakana starts breaking down the right wing more and with Popp drawing two defenders towards him every time he gets the ball, it allows the midfield to start of pushing forward more. We are finding more space as a result but time is running out. In my head I'm telling myself that if we lose, at least I can give up the pain of hoping for a miracle.

We win some corners as we push up. As any fan knows, the modern game has somehow become infested with ridiculous amounts of pushing, jostling and general professional wrestling antics in the box for any corner kick. I don't know exactly when this facade began but I'm sure it never used to be anywhere near this bad. Anyway, as the Korat defence try the usual tricks of pushing and barging, Kim strolls up to one defender, stands literally nose to nose with him and stares deep into his soul. I swear lasers are about to shoot out of his eyes. The defender suddenly decides it's best to keep his hands to himself. Sadly the corner came to nothing.

We're generating some good build up play but the final ball is lacking every time and to be fair, Korat are crowding us out in the box. They need these points every bit as desperately as us. About 70 minutes in we swing in a deep cross from the left and the right centre back of Korat jumps and tries to block the cross. His outstretched foot hits the perfect angle - for us - and loops over his own keeper and into the net. It's one of the most spectacular own goals I've ever witnessed live and suddenly it feels like we may have that little bit of luck we needed. The defender is devastated. He stays on the ground in despair for quite some time. His teammates do exactly the right thing and encourage him to get straight back into the fight but in the heat of the moment, the South Stand do what needs to be done and taunt him some more. It's mean, but this is a relegation battle. After the game everyone from both sides can comfort him and let him know it can happen to any player but right now we are in a fight for our lives and any team in our position needs any edge they can get. Your team's fans would do the same.

It's mostly us on attack now with the visitors looking to punish us on the break but for the most part, they just aren't good enough to do that. There's the usual fake injury nonsense and six minutes of added time is announced as a result. We force one excellent save from their keeper who has had a solid game and in the dying moments we have a mighty goalmouth scramble which ends as they somehow clear a header that was millimeters away from going over the line.

Suddenly play stops and a VAR check is announced. Everything happens quickly when you're chasing a vital game in the dying seconds so I'm not really sure what's going on. To add to the confusion, our scoreboard has several black squares on it restricting the view and the replay is very distant from the action anyway. The ref, flanked by staff from both sides, finishes watching the VAR box and points to the spot. A humongous cheer erupts.

At the time I wasn't sure exactly what happened and I don't think many other 

fans were, either. But on seeing replays

Penalty. Deal with it.

there is absolutely zero doubt. Korat's defender makes a blatant two armed shove on Tonktov. As he does so, the ball hits his right arm. The only objections I've seen talk about "intention". Intention has not been the sole factor for over two years. The rules very clearly state if the arms are in a position to make their body larger that isn't required for a normal movement, it's handball. So unless anyone believes it's normal for a player to jump raising and extending two arms at a ninety degree angle in front of him, then it's a penalty. And that was only reason number one. The ball struck his arm at a trajectory when it was clearly moving towards not one but two home players moving in right behind him who had both beaten their marker, a clear goalscoring opportunity. Anyone protesting about bias in this one needs to have a word with themselves, especially the Korat player who might face a fine for his IG post after the game.

There's a few players moving to grab the ball and I'll be honest, I am hoping it won't be Saric. There was only ever one real candidate for this moment of glory or agony though and it is of course William "Ox" Popp who stands at the spot. All kinds of mind games are going on as players from both sides stand around the Brazilian. Fans are praying. Players from both sides are praying. I'm fairly sure my dog was praying.

I like to tell myself I'm an old cynic who's seen it all in football. But I can barely watch. Korat players encourage their goalie with fist bumps and slaps on the back. The ref clears the commotion and blows the whistle. Everything becomes slow motion. You could hear a pin drop.

Popp starts a stutter run. The goalie doesn't take the bait.

He drops a shoulder. The goalie still doesn't take the bait.

I'm thinking this is it, he's not sold the stutter step run or shoulder drop. It's going to be a panenka or a miss. I can stop hoping now. We're done.

Popp slots it to the keeper's right. The keeper was clearly expecting the other side and shifts, but not enough. It's in. 

                                                                                                           

                                                                                  
The eruption was electric. The celebrations on the pitch are intense. My voice is still recovering today.

Play continues for a few moments with each clearance being greeted with loud cheers until the ref blows his whistle. Wow, where to start with this one? We weren't at our best today, especially in the first half, but it was the fight and commitment that created the luck we needed to get the win. I've said all season that commitment was never the problem. What was missing was a bit of quality, experience, physical presence and belief. We've addressed all these problems as best as any team can in mid-season. Kim makes a huge difference at the back. His positioning is the best of any defensive player and the fact that he looks like he would happily rip any opponent's head off at any moment is very notable. Popp brings not only the quality of his first touch and reading of the game but also his presence: a club icon that shows commitment and leadership on the pitch even against the odds was exactly what the doctor ordered. He could easily have instructed another player to take that high-pressure penalty today. As a club legend he had less to gain than to lose in that situation but stepped up anyway. That's a leader. The "ban" against Buriram was the right move. That game was a free hit anyway and a 32 year old coming back from a long injury probably needed the rest.

And for belief, Borges has clearly installed that in his players. In the press conference after the game he rightly said that we might not be at the level of Buriram today but we have some things we do very well. It's this type of realism that has got the players believing.

Is it enough to keep us in T1 or is it too late? I see three possibilities. The first is that we get a somewhat surprise win at Choburi and another against BG while our rivals drop lots of points. The second is that the reverse happens: we throw away all our hard work with a couple of sloppy defeats and Sukhothai get the wins. Both of these are possible but unlikely.

The third possibility is the one I predict: that's where we are go into the last game of the season against Sukothai with the winner staying up. Add this to the fact that it's equally possible Southampton go into the final game of the season needing a win to go up, and in the words of Danny Glover: "I'm too old for this sh*t".

Kirins chai-yoo.

Match Report: Muangthong United 0 Thai Port 0

 

"Everybody acting bad when they up"

LeBron James

It's time to bake in the Bangkok oven again as the scorching summer sun rays crash down on two local sides at opposite ends of the table. In times past, it would be us pushing for the title while Port straggled behind. Things are very different now and we're staring into the precipice of relegation while the Lions sit proudly in second place. Football, like life, has a way of reminding you nothing lasts forever and in good times and bad, you just have to keep going and never give up. All I want tonight is for our boys to make a fight of it.

I've never really understood why some Port fans feel the way they do about Muangthong. They remind me of Pompey in the sense that a few of them seem to dislike their rivals more than they love their own
club. The events of sixteen years ago - sixteen years?! Where has that time gone?! - are ancient history to me.  I still remember making a run for it as Port fans climbed the fence, politely declining to teach English to one young fan who seemed oblivious to the fights breaking out around us and reading a text from Matt Riley saying he and his kids had been chased on to the MRT. No hard feelings from me though, Port fans were friendly to me at the away fixture last year. Bar a tiny number of wannabe hooligans, most people on both sides just want to enjoy the occasion.

To the game and the team news is that the new gaffer - more on that later - has gone for the exact same team selection I would and - as every football fan in history knows - the only correct team selection of any manager is the exact same one that you would choose. For us that means Melvyn and Tonktov stay benched and Saric plays up front with Popp flanking him. Kakana sits behind them and Kempster is  back in the team. In the stands, the "2 for 1" offer has worked quite well again and the turnout is notably healthy by recent standards. Fans of other teams frequently mention our empty stadium, but we still get turnout that puts us in the top half of any fan table. I'm in the south stand tonight so much of the action registers differently with me than it would do for TV viewers and their much clearer perspective.

                           

We kick off and it's clear that Port are starting on the front foot with an early curled shot hitting the side netting. Port have a couple more buildups battled away by the Kirins and then something cool happens: we actually launch a counter-attack. Korrakut makes a quick throw to Kempster and rather than taking a cheap sideways tap like players of Leg 1 would do, Kempster actually surges past the halfway line and looks for a quick cross before Port can regroup. It comes to nothing but the fact that we have a game plan is encouraging.

The game evolves into a scrappy, battling affair but it's not dull. Both sides are giving one hundred and ten percent and although there's no goals, it never feels like the one is far away. About 35 minutes in, Popp - who looks our best threat and most creative outlet - cuts inside not one but two defenders and finds space on the touchline to the left of the Port goal. He has two options: cross or shoot - he goes for the latter and attempts to curl the ball into the goal. The fans behind the goal - myself included - are gifted with a beautiful sight as the ambitious effort swerves past the goalie.......and hits the corner of the upright post. Its painfully close and everyone feels it. Somewhere out there in quantum world is an alternate universe where that shot went in and we survive in Tier 1. Popp continues weaving the dark arts for us and it doesn't feel like the ref is giving us much, but the goalless draw at half time is fair. 

The second half begins in a similar vein but it's clear that the mental fatigue of maintaining this much intensity is starting to wear on our young players. I'm wondering why we haven't utilised the bench but then again, who goes on? Melvyn is slow, unfit and out of form, Strauss is injured and there's no way any of this backline deserves to be taken off.  The reality is the team on the pitch are pretty much all we have. Maybe we can bring on a youngster for a quick energy boost for the last ten minutes or so but as Port attacks become unerring, that feels a long way away right now. To be honest, by the time we are sixty minutes in, I'd bite the hand off anyone offering a point from this one.

mtutd.com

There's some bright points too, though. I can't remember who was marking Port's target man Perera at the reverse fixture in Klong Toei, but I do remember the big man bullied him around for most of the
game. Tonight though he's up against Kim Dong-Su, who's matching him for every test of strength and mettle. Midway through the second half Perera attempts to body-check Kim and pull him off the ball all in one motion but the Korean holds his balance and makes the clearance all the same. When play is held up to check on a downed Port player, Kim turns to the home crown and gestures for them to up the noise. I like this guy.

It's becoming more about Port though as the second half winds on. Our counters are becoming slower and rarer.  Port get a suspicious (to my biased mind) free kick near the edge of our box and once again I get a perfect view as a well-struck effort is tipped over by Korraut. Just like the back line guarding him, he hasn't made a single mistake tonight and he's shown a lot of courage.

As the final minutes approach I'm starting to feel some of the brain fog that the players must be feeling and it really becomes a blur. There's some more dubious decisions in Port's favour around our box and a 90th minute dive by a Port forward clearly deserves an award for the lamest penalty attempt of all time but the ref just ignores it all. We manage to make a late push and win a corner but nothing comes of it and the ref then blows for full time at 97 minutes. The home crowd growl at the ref and the away fans growl at Popp for what they perceive as a fake injury in the dying seconds but I think that's an injustice to all involved. 

mtutd.com

This was the best goalless draw I've seen since we played Buriram at home about 15 years ago. Before tonight's game, I really considered simply not turning up. The pain of giving up time and money to suffer endless misery and disappointment was really starting to take its toll. I'm so glad I did the right thing. Tonight, for the first time in what feels like years (but is actually a few months), I was proud of
the team and I can't fault a single player for anything they did. After months of calling out the squad for a lack of gameplan, counter-attacking movement or fitness they finally produced all three in one night and got a fully deserved point against the team in second place. If I was being hypercritical, I'd say Popp got himself an unnecessary booking for pushing the dark arts too far but it was the result of a leader past his physical prime doing everything he could for his team. It's hard to pick fault with that and if the ref had been more consistent Port would have collected at least one more yellow, too.

Will that draw be enough in the long run? I don't know, but it gives us that dangerous thing called hope, for the performance as much as the point itself.

The manager situation

mtutd.com

The build up to tonight was covered in chaos, too as we parted ways with Mario Ivanovich just over 24 hours before kick off. I initially chastised the club for a bad decision but in hindsight, I was wrong. My fears of Uthai being returned to the hot seat were unfounded as Mario's replacement was announced within hours in the form of Jose Borges. Honestly I don't know much about him beyond his experience
with TTM but this was a heck of a way for him to make a first impression. I like the refreshing honesty of his post match press conference. In particular, he was candid about his personal position: if we stay up he's a hero, if we go down it wasn't his doing anyway. It might not be the most noble response but when he says it, it makes me believe him when he also says that we have a chance to stay up, too.The only thing I disliked about Borges' interview was his slight dig at his predecessor. When Thai Football Podcast asked me to say a few words about Ivankovich's appointment over the Christmas break period, I said the big test for him would be how quickly he could adapt to the upside-down world of Thai football and the different psyche of the country, including its football. That was probably his downfall. I don't think he is a bad manager, he was thrown into a difficult situation and with the beautiful thing called hindsight, we probably should have gone for Borges in the first place.

Man of the match

A case could be made for almost any player on the team tonight. The obvious choice would be Popp for leading the line physically and mentally, providing the inspiration, experience and leadership we have been crying out for. Likewise, young (for a keeper) goalie Korrakut showed real courage and concentration for 97 minutes, never shying away from his responsibilities in a gruelling encounter.

In the end though I have to choose Kim Dong-Su who battled like ....umm....what's the Korean version of a samurai? ......(checks google)..... a Ssaurabi the entire night! Every challenge, every cross, every tussle, he was there in the thick of it, reminding the fans to give the team the energy they needed to keep battling. Love it.

Next up is Prachuap away. A single loss now will probably be the final nail. But we can take pride in the performance tonight and solace in denying Port the outcome they were gagging for.

Kirins chai-yoo.

Tier 2 here we come: Questions for the board at Muangthong

Yesterday's one-all draw at home to Lamphun Warriors means relegation is extremely likely. A team that hasn't been able to keep a clean sheet, let alone hold on to a win for a long, long time is not going to get the points needed for survival up against the likes of Buriram or Thai Port. 

Do miracles happen in football? Yes. I've seen a few great escapes in my time but I've seen plenty of relegation, too. What's the difference between the two? Well quality, obviously, but also an organised and disciplined back line - even if it isn't the most talented - and that intangible ability to show mental resilience and fight. Quality has returned to the side in the form of William Popp but the defence has been highly suspect all season. As for resilience, like I said last time, these youngsters need guidance and support. Hold that thought.

Now is the time the owners and leaders of the club must learn from the past to prepare for the future. Here is a list of tough, painful questions the board needs to ask to bring Muangthong back to the top. 

1) What's the plan for the club and the stadium?

Rumours of a lease expiry have been around for a long time. In fairness, there has been no credible source suggesting the club will be forced out, but the coinciding relegation naturally makes fans fear the worst. So what's the latest news? Do we have a plan B and a plan C if we need it? The rest of these questions are moot if we don't have a club in its current form, anyway.

2) Who will take responsibility for past recruitment?

You will be hard pressed to find a fan that doesn't feel the foreign quota of players has been a total failure this season. Recruitment in general has been bizarre, with some of our best players in positions we lack cover for being allowed to go out on loan. How were these players chosen? How can we be sure this won't happen again?

3) Who takes responsibility for fitness levels?

I highlighted huge concerns over coaching in my last post. When Mario Ivankovich stepped in as head coach in midseason, he immediately highlighted the disturbing lack of fitness in the first team. If he's correct, that is a catastrophic failure. A squad of young players halfway into a season were not up to fitness. How was this allowed to happen? Which coaches were responsible for first team fitness? 

There's a general culture in Thai football that individuals should not be singled out for criticism. In many ways, that's a very admirable mindset. But the downside to that is that problems and mistakes can't be addressed if nobody is held accountable. What if the squad struggles for fitness again next season? Do we still say "mai pen rai" because our coaches smile when the camera is on them?

4) Who will guide the youngsters next season? 

It's no secret that in the post-SCG era, our strategy is to raise talented youngsters with a couple of marquee players to guide them. The problem is that guidance hasn't always been there. We've already covered the lack of fitness and I discussed a lack of game plan and on-pitch guidance last time around. I wish I had been proven wrong.  

Will it be William Popp? I doubt it, unless he already has all the money he needs and is willing to play out of loyalty to the club. Popp has been the model professional on and off the Thunderdome pitch and nobody could blame him if he moved on. Without him, we desperately need a couple of seasoned, top tier veterans willing to stick it out in T2 and lead by example. Who will they be? 

I hope I'm wrong. I hope the glass is half full and somehow we pull off a miraculous escape. I'd be delighted to apologise and acknowledge my pessimism to everyone involved. But if I'm right, the questions above absolutely must be addressed if we are ever to return. It's not about being negative or unkind, it's just being real. It would be perfect if the club responded publicly to fans who've had to endure this season but that's not essential. What is essential is that someone at the top does the right thing and asks themselves.

What is wrong at Muangthong and how to make it right

 

There’s been a few sweet moments over the last few weeks where it felt like the good times were back at Muangthong. The long queue for tickets ahead of the game against Kanchanaburi accompanied by the obligatory speakers just loud enough to vibrate your body without actually crushing it, the escalating crowd noise in home and away fans at Thai Port, and the sea of blue-shirted Chonburi fans disembarking the coaches and posing for photos before El Classico. All fleeting flashbacks of a once great era at the club all had one thing in common: they occurred before a ball was kicked.

The on field trouble with the Kirins is not new in itself. We’ve slipped dangerously close to the relegation trapdoor a few times in recent seasons but this time around feels particularly risky, if only for the fact that “we’ve been here before” is a line being used by the actual head coach himself as a defence, as if playing badly in the past means we don’t need to be alarmed if it carries on. In fact the on pitch results are not a drop in form, they are the natural outcome of several factors that have all taken their toll. So with the defeat in El Classico in recent memory along with dreadful form and performances, it’s time for me to take a look at the main problems behind Muangthong’s demise and offer a few ideas about how they can be fixed before it’s too late.

1) It’s not lack of effort.

kirin red zone

Before we look at the problems, let’s remove one of the easy excuses off of the table. I’ve seen a team of unmotivated players in action before and that is not what we have at Muangthong, at least not for the most part. To the contrary: it’s clear that some of the younger players are giving it their all to the point that when the chips are down, they try to do too much. The physical commitment isn’t lacking either: by Thai standards the players are not afraid to get stuck in. Likewise, I don’t see any signals that backroom staff are complacent or lazy. After the Prachup game there was an altercation between the head coach and some of the crowd when the supporters refused to sing the customary club anthem to players after the game. The message was that the fans didn't want to sing for players not doing their best, to which coach Uthai responded by saying he would not bring the players over to thank the fans next time. I actually supported coach Uthai on this: the worst thing we can do is lay the blame for our troubles at the feet of young players who are clearly striving to perform but not receiving the guidance they need. 

2) Loss of investment

The obvious one. When the Kirins were winning games for fun, they were backed by the might of SCG, a business managed by the Crown Property Group. Top players of the era such as Teerasil and Kawin made their name as part of a title-winning side packed with quality and no doubt commanding a hefty wage bill. Nobody outside the boardroom knows why the sponsorship suddenly got cancelled. It would be easy to suggest that the sponsors simply saw the spike of popularity in Thai football ebbing away, yet other big brands such as True continued to fund Bangkok United even when they drew crowds of under 1,000. It goes without saying that having less money to pay players with will attract a lower calibre of athlete.

3) Poor on and off-field leadership.

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This is one that irks me because it’s surely the easiest to fix. Mario Djuvoski was not a great coach or a great leader but he was competent. We let him go. Milos Joksic constantly overachieved at Rajpracha and Muangthong. He had an insight into tactics and mentality that he somehow transfers to players of different cultures and mindsets. We let him go. Since then I have truly struggled to find anything positive about our head coaches. We look tactically inept when things aren’t going well (more on that later) and substitutions seem random. On the field the club takes pride in having a young squad, but a young squad needs on field guidance and leadership, which our veteran players are simply not providing.

4) Potentially poor coaching and/or poor tactics

Lack of transitional movement, especially in counter-attacks

This one may be harsh as I haven’t observed any training sessions but there have been several moments this season where I rack my brains to think what is going through the minds of players. At Port, during one of our very first counter-attacks (the only type of attack we managed in the entire game and even then, rarely) a few players surged forward in a straight line without a single overlap or single player getting behind their marker. In the Clasico, the only overlaps we managed were hectic and unplanned, caused by players trying to make something happen by themselves. With ten minutes remaining in a vital game, we took position down Chonburi's right flank left with almost every home player on the attack. Not a single player made a run or movement and not one of our foreign quota called for the ball. It was a moment so appalling the anger from the crowd was instant. 

That exposes a bigger problem...

No identity or game plan in adversity

We don’t seem to have any overall identity of cohesion in our game plan. The younger players knock it around quite well in early stages of a game but when things go against us - which is often these days - their heads drop. Unified movement gets forgotten, the foreign players tend to go through the motions and younger players display the most common symptom of destroyed confidence by trying to walk the ball into the net. When Zesh Rehman was our player, I remember him sending signals to his fellow defenders to calm down or switch their position just slightly. Nothing spectacular, just simple reminders. I don't notice our veteran foreign players doing that these days. 

Possible lack of coaching impact in games

Again, maybe I’m being harsh as I don’t have a microphone at the dugout so I can only surmise. Going back to the Chonburi game, it became clear the player’s heads were dropping and the youngsters resorted to trying to create openings so simple they couldn’t miss. This approach may work in some situations for some teams but it's not working for us right now. Like many fans I was yelling at our lads to simply have a crack. Guess what? Our first goal came from Annas clearly thinking “f**k it!” and blasting a long shot into the top left corner of the net.  The second was scored by Melvin hitting a rebound because you know what else? Sometimes if you take a shot against an average team it will go in, get deflected or get cleared poorly.

What worries me though is that none of this basic insight was notably transferred from the coaching team to players during games. If it was, it either didn’t stick under pressure or had no solution to go along with it. None of these outcomes are acceptable. The predictable result was the return to the “walk it in” approach we saw after our second goal last week and the utter drop off in movement and support that came with it. All of the above raises the question: what are Uthai and long-term coaches Dagno and Datsakorn doing and saying to players before, during and after the games? 

Then again, some of their best names on paper aren't delivering....

Poor performance of foreigners

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I will be quick here as I don’t like singling out individual players for harsh criticism. It goes without saying that any team that loses their best player to injury before the season even starts will struggle, and so it turned out for us. The club has recently confirmed Popp will return for the second leg but we’ll analyse that message again in a moment. Looking at our other players: Gremsci has been fine and not to blame for any goals that I recall and I actually think Nelson is effective at this level. The rest of the foreign quota have been putting in performances ranging from average to poor. Melvyn actually looked good in early games but has been frankly dreadful recently. His commitment is not in doubt but he looks slow, clumsy and without ideas. Being played out of position - this guy is not a winger on his best day - doesn't help either. Tristan Do is another player who looks jaded and was very lucky to avoid a second yellow against Choburi with his constant pulling, nudging and generally scrappy style of play. As club captain and one of our oldest and more experienced players, does he not have any encouragement to offer the youngsters when the chips are down? Can he not offer feedback - calm or passionate - to the rest of the backline when it is hopelessly loose at times? Maybe he does but I don't see it.  As for Tonktov, all I will say is that he should not be playing for Muangthong in my opinion. 

It would be unfair to compare these foreign players to some from our past, but I find it very hard to believe that the money they presumably draw for their salaries could not be far, far better spent elsewhere. I would happily let any of them except Popp go if it meant we could get a quality foreign head coach through the door.

Lack of communication with fans

Now in fairness as Dale at Thai Football Podcast will tell you, this isn’t a Muangthong thing so much as a Thai football thing. The local culture is one of posting “happy birthday” messages to players and reminding people to cheer for the team. That’s by no means a bad thing and it suits the approach of many fans who simply want to enjoy the experience of wearing team colours and cheering the team no matter how good or bad the performance. Mind you, it hasn’t always stopped us from posting cheeky speculation, such as the time we announced on our official website that we had offered a contract to none other than Alessandro Del Piero.

But in rough times the lack of clarity can be really frustrating, especially when things don’t always come to fruition and some problems seem glaringly obvious. The head coach is not the right fit for the job: are we looking for anyone? Why is it taking so long? Are we conducting interviews? Do we have a timescale? Any particular type of coach we are after? Who knows? We haven’t been told a single thing.

What about investment? Last season the club hyped up a big new mystery sponsor and finally announced Fuji as a "main photography sponsor" or something similar. I haven't seen a single Fuji logo since then. How did we not get the details and numbers on paper before an announcement like that?

I should point out we have performed much better in some other channels of communication. The club's official X account is fast and responsive with ticket news and score updates as well as responses to questions. Even more importantly, when speculation over the future of the Thunderdome stadium itself resurfaced again, there was a low key but official response from the owner who clearly detailed contingency plans in case the worst happened. Likewise, when speculation about yet another venue change for the Chonburi game spread online, the club made a firm statement denying it. Let's hope the promise of Popp's return and a change of foreign players is also kept. Failure to keep to their word right now could have really long-term consequences for fan relations.

What's the solution?

With the problems laid bare, the obvious question is what’s next? It would be foolish to think an problem as deep as this is one to be fixed easily or quickly. Still, for what it’s worth, here are some fixes that any fan would probably be able to offer up and which the club almost certainly have in mind anyway.

1) Overhaul the coaching staff

'ello Muangthong, made a few fu*kups did we?
(lavenir.net)

Get Milos, Mario or better yet Rene back. Any of those three would be able to quickly forge some basic transitional tactics and team structure. Mario will never be accused of lacking passion, Rene always provides an added bonus of touchline drama and certainly won’t tolerate a lack of commitment and with Milos I sense that he would most likely get the youngsters responding to pressure with more stoicism. For the rest of the coaching staff, I think we need to thank Dago and Datsakorn for their excellent performances and history with the club but inform them now is the time to find new staff to take us forward.

2) Find investment

Easier said than done, I know. But with that said, Muangthong surely still makes an attractive opportunity for a big business or Thai elite to play with. Not so much as a profitable business perhaps - I’d be surprised if any club in Thailand isn’t running at a loss - but as a promotional and profile-raising opportunity. In that sense we still have a lot to offer with a large following on social media, a fierce rivalry with Thailand’s now most successful club up north, a history (not present) of big crowds and hype and a large stadium surrounded by hugely popular event centres and an MRT link. Is there not a single influential figure out there with money to play with that wants to give Newin a run for his money? A big enough investment to bring in three or four key players could change things quite quickly.

3) Bring back the vibes

Remember these days? (kirin red zone)

This might not happen without the other two fixes but if word could get out about the buzz returning to MTUTD, the crowd should follow. It’s not that long ago that the Thunderdome would see helicopters landing in the centre circle, professional singers on the pitch at half time, parties outside the gates starting hours before kick off and players being featured in fashion ads in every shopping mall.
Somehow, some way, a return to that would make investment all the more likely. How do we achieve it? That’s one answer I can’t think of. There must be celebrity fans out there, a sponsor or investor willing to collaborate or people involved with Impact that know the tricks. We are literally right next to the most modern and popular exhibitions centres and event halls in the country. Have we at least asked their advice? Let's get sold out matches again. Any news fans can get to the stadium with my updated guide.

One thing I’ve seen a lot of on social media recently is Kirins fans feeling like they might lose the very existence of their club. For them this isn’t their second team or their “foreign team”, its their team. I don’t think that risk is probable yet, but I do think that it’s possible. And yet things could still be changed around and changed quickly if we can just get some big decisions and backroom manoeuvres in our favour. Will it happen? Time will tell.

Book Review: Thai Football Tales: A Beautiful Madness

 

When this blog was in its zenith many years ago, a lot of information on transfers and behind the scenes news came from one person whom I would often watch games with or bump into at Muangthong matches. That person was Matt Riley and now, long after leaving the Big Mango and returning to Blighty, he’s released a fantastic book looking back on the surreal experience of Thai football or as he more poetically tags it, “a beautiful madness”. 

Let’s be clear: if you’re looking for a match-by-match, stat-by-stat, fluid report of the action from a team sweating it out in the minnow leagues that make up ASEAN, this is not the book for you. Don’t feel bad though, it was an assumption I myself made as I perused the opening chapters of the book. Matt had been good enough to ask me for feedback and I made an early note that his timeline seemed somewhat jumbled in the opening chapters before realizing it wasn’t by error so much as by irrelevance. 

That's because in capturing the “madness”, author Matt has used football as a microcosm of expatriate life in Thailand, primarily through reciting a collection of flashbulb memories of his incredible experiences. He doesn’t implicitly state this however, and I can only recall one moment where he actually stops to explain a specific aspect of the local culture, known as “greng-jai”. Perhaps he feels it’s self-evident or perhaps he wants to let his experiences in football simply speak for themselves.

Fortunately, as we might expect from a head of English at a prestigious international school, Matt is better equipped than the average punter to elucidate a sequence of moments that sometimes read like something out of a David Lynch movie. The experiences themselves are not embellished though, in many cases I can vouch for them first hand. The most striking (in more ways than one) memory recited by Matthew in the book is of the moment that the Charity Shield game between Muangthong and Thai Port FC was abandoned as riots started in the crowd. Like Matt, I had to run out of the stadium and across one of the most touristed areas of Bangkok to escape an ass-kicking. Was that the end of the saga? Far from it. The match was replayed in Bangkok at the peak of the political upheaval and fighting across Bangkok. Days after public transport in the city was suspended, fans had to make their way back to the stadium to see Muangthong and Thai Port play “behind closed doors”. When Thai Port scored, a section of the crowd dressed in neutral colours cheered. I remember saying to Matt “I’m not running again”. Luckily, we didn’t have to and the game passed peacefully. The animosity from those days is the reason why games between these two teams still exclude away fans to this day.

Other memories are even more dreamlike, including tigers in cages, (alleged) assassin referees, team managers calling Matt to ask him when the game starts, Godfathers, astronauts, exploding shoes and more. Matt remains humble - the exploding shoe story will confirm this - and doesn’t try to draw conclusions, moral teachings or anything else more than a truly remarkable set of encounters.

Those who are familiar with Thai football or simply “falang” (foreigners in Thailand) will crack a knowing smile of understanding at many of the cultural concepts - some enjoyable, some less so - that are covered in the pages of “Madness” while those who are not may find them even harder to comprehend, but no less gripping. Although the book is certainly not designed as a guide to Thai culture or sports, it still paints a picture of both.

I should note that there are some experiences I recall differently to Matt. That’s only to be expected. There are also some people, motivations and viewpoints I saw, and continue to see, differently to him but hey, it’s football. It’s people. It’s Thailand. 

In summary, Thai Football Tales is the book I would write if I had a slightly sharper literary knife. It serves as an extended look at Thailand and Thai football from the eyes of one person who has since returned home and can at least try to make sense of it all. It’s a short, entertaining and enjoyable read at an equally enjoyable price.