Chonburi 2 Muangthong United 1 - Kor Royal Cup report

Don't panic! Don't panic!

Erratum first - the season ticket prices I quoted recently are only applicable to the VIP section of the West Stand. The North and South stands will cost 1,500 bt this season. Last season it was 1,200, so after allowing for the two extra games, the increase is paltry. That price includes the gift voucher and club shop discount.

That news came to me during the n-zone meeting before today's game. Most of the time I had so little clue what was going on that the speaker could have been explaining that I was Ian Dowie's love child and I'd just sit there and nod. The only other news I understood was that the n-zone have started a voluntary registration scheme to support group activities and prevent hooliganism. Presumably we're banking on hooligans being dumb enough to register themselves voluntarily.

To the stadium and it must be noted that the turnout was poor. Chonburi's much-vaunted away support was about half of what it was for the FA Cup final and the Thai Port contingent could've been out-sung and outnumbered by UB40. MTU bought about 60-70% of the FA Cup numbers.

Today's line up was - Weera (GK), Pakasit (RB), Panupong (CB), Nattaporn (CB, Capt), Rehman (LB), Datsakorn (MD), Issouafou (LM), Diarra (DM), Dagno (DM/MD), Christian (RM), Teerasil (ST).

Notice the number of high-profile newcomers excluded from the starting line up. However Rehman became the first European player to better Berkant Gotken's grand total playing time of exactly zero hours, zero minutes and zero milliseconds.

The first half was very similar to the cup final. Chonburi looked the better side without doing much of note and we had the occasional weak break but little more. It was a very scrappy affair to be honest. To be fair, I've had more dire evenings this month but then again, they did involve unblocking the toilet in my bathroom.

The only real point of interest - apart from Chonburi hitting the corner upright - was that I've already found this season's replacement for the Jakkaphan Keawprom "Is he a disaster or future master?" award and this year it's Issoufou Boubacar Garba. This guy needs serious time on the training ground to time his runs, know when to lay the ball off and when to go for himself. Right now he's got the athleticism but little else.

At half time a large chant of "Worawi ork bai!" came up from MTU fans.

The second half saw a notable improvement with Teerasil back to his best and Abdoul starting to find his rhythm in front of the back line. Rehman also started venturing out of his half more often. As we pushed forward, the Sharks hit in a rebound effort - at least that's how I saw it from the other end - past Weera.

Incensed, Christian found his fire and Anon came on to join him as the attack became three-pronged. We pushed closer and Chonburi survived two low crosses across the six yard box before the jammy dodgers hit us on the break with a low shot that swept under Weera, who must have been having flashbacks of his time in the defensive black hole that was Bangkok United.

Now really galvanised, MTU entered Jakkphan Pornsai into the fray and we really did look ready to go for it in the 3 minutes of injury time. A high cross just flew over Christian's head but moments later he chased a direct through-ball and got the last touch to score before he grabbed the ball and ran it back. Just moments later, Zesh was lining up a finisher before a last ditch clearance rescued Chonburi. The whistle went shortly after.

It's important not to read too much into this result. Chonburi are a well-drilled side that made few changes in close season. MTU on the other hand brought in several new faces and rested the higher-rated of those players today. Of those that played, it was clear that Weera is fine, Rehman needs time to settle and, surprisingly, looked better going forward than defending and Issoufaou needs more time in training before he gets anywhere near the first team. Apart from playing Dagno so deep, I had no real gripes with the new coach's tactics.

I understand Reene's conclusion to the game was similar to my own - we have a group of skilled individual players who need to gel together as quickly as they can. I really felt that Carlos used today's match as a friendly, hence his leaving Anon, Toth, Pornsai and Kallio out of the starting line. That's forgivable given our (neccesary) very slow pre-season campaign but now the time for experiments is over.

I recall last season's Kor Royal Cup being a similarly scrappy occasion before the ruckus started and I didn't worry too much then, either. In fact I drew no conclusions until the first ACL game a fortnight later. Let's hope it's the same old tale this year.

Man of the Match: Teerasil Dangda. Fantastic footwork from the front man held up the action so many times to bring his team mates into the attack.

2011 squad line-up

The OS has not updated its ticket details or squad list in well over one year, so ahead of the new season, here is an unofficial guide from your humble blogger.

Tickets:
Last season cost 80 baht for North or South Stands, 100 baht for the side stands. Expect that to rise about 20-40 baht each this season. Season ticket details here.

The Squad:
Now, because some people refer to players by first name, some by surname and some by nickname, I use whatever I find easiest to remember. So in this list I'll also state how I will refer to them in my match reports.


28. Witsanusak Kaewruang GK "Witty"
Intended to be the new reserve goalie. Signed from Songhkla in close-season.
Most likely to: Get a sore backside.

1. Weera Koedpudsa GK "Weera"
Bangkok United's player of the year. Signed for us close-season. Intended to be long-term replacement for Kawin.
Most likely to: Get dizzy at being above halfway in the league table.

26. Kawin Thamasatchanan GK "Kawin"
Still with us because of his injury. Thailand's best goalie may well leave for bigger things once he gets fit but the silver lining is we may get a few more games out of him.
Most likely to: Ask the ref to stop the game so he can help an old lady cross the road. Nice chap that he is.

3. Toni Kallio LB "Kallio"
Finnish veteran signed close-season. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the Thai game. Could be a big hit or a quick mistake.
Most likely to: Clatter someone and get a red card. And later, not clatter someone but that someone pretends he did and gets him red-carded again.

4. Panupong Wongsa CB "Panupong"
Highly-rated central defender who won some awards last year.
Most likely to: Get some MOTM awards on this blog.

5. Zesh Rehman CB "Sesh/Zesh"
Highest paid player. A new signing from Bradford. Will the language barrier stop him being the new captain?
Most likely to: Tell me: "Get lost and stop asking me for an interview!".

? Coulibly Abdoul DM/DF "Coulibly"
African deep-midfielder that greatly impressed when he joined midway into last season.
Most likely to: Look like he's about to get broken in half, then win the ball.

6. Nattapron Panarit CB "Nattaporn"
Another MTU veteran defender. Gives 100% every time. Wore the captain's armband after Jetsada got dropped last year.
Most likely to: Do a lot of stuff that goes unnoticed, but is vital.

7. Datsakorn Thonglao MD "Datsakorn"
The master of the long range screamer and a battling mid-fielder. Tremendous to still have him on the books.
Most likely to: Burst the net.

8. Kittipol Paphunga MD "Kittipol"
The very highly-rated Tero player that we bizzarely signed while still injured is supposed to be fit for the new season. Could be a contender for player of the year if he gets back to full fitness.
Most likely to: Have the highest medical insurance bill of the whole squad.

11.Kabfah Boonmatoon MD "Kabbie"
One half of the Osotspa Saraburi signings. Unknown quantity.

14. Issoufou Boubacar Garba MD "No idea"
Nigerian national. Another unknown quantity.
Most likely to: Have me pronounce his name wrong.

15. Ali Diarra DM/MD "Ali"
Ivorian product of the youth team who spent last season at Phuket FC. Name-wise he sounds way too much like Ali Dia for my liking.
Most likely to: Give me nightmare flashbacks of this. Yes, I was there.


16. Jakkraphan Pornsai LW "Jakkaphan"
One of the top signings of the close season. This winger comes highly rated and replaces much-needed pace that we've lost to outgoing players.
Most likely to: Have me raving about "pace".

18. Santi Chaiyaphurk MD "Santa"
Signed from Pattaya United. Not all Pattaya fans were sorry to see him go but he is regarded as having a lot of skill.
Most likely to: Have me grumbling.

19. Pichitphong Choeichiu MD "Pitchipong"
Another veteran mid-fielder that won his place back last season.
Most likely to: Turn up with his hair sprayed some ridiculous colour, with the boots to match.

20. Amorn Thammanarm MD/RW "Ammorn"
Pacy player that was usually on the bench last season.
Most likely to: Come on 15 minutes before the end of the game.

21. Dagno Siaka AM "Dagno/Danny O"
Pronounced "Danny-oh". Needs no introduction. Player of the year.
Most likely to: Take penalties. And score them.

17. Anon Sangsanoi ST "Anon" (until I find another name)
The most exciting close-season arrival. Natural poacher
Most likely to: Score goals! We hope!

10. Teerasil Dangda ST "Teerasil"
Pronounced: "Teera-sin".The target man. You know him.
Most likely to: Change feet then chip the goalie.

9. Miroslav Tóth FW "Toth"
Eastern European player joined from TOT.
Most likely to: Be the easiest player to recognise.

13. Christian Yao Kouakou "Chris/Christian"
Very, very talented player that became a hit last season. It's a pleasant surprise that he will at least be starting the season with us. Could be hugely successful with a little work on his mental approach to the game.
Most likely to: Wind up a player, go down easily, realise he won't get anything, get up, beat two defenders and nutmeg the 'keeper.

Other players that may play a part:
22. DF/MD Naruphol Ar-Romsawa
23. MF Piyapol Bantao
34. MD Paitoon Tiepm
35. LB Weerawut Kayem

Chonburi FC Vs Muangthong United FC - Kor Royal Preview

Firstly, please cast your eyes to the Twitter feed for two new tidbits. Back? OK......

With the disappointment of the FA Cup Final defeat still lingering in the mind, the chance to start the season on a high note with a large helping of revenge and a side order of optimism is ready for the taking when MTU take on 'The Sharks' of Chonburi FC this Sunday at the Supalachasalai Stadium.

You know Chonburi well, I've introduced them and discussed their style of play against us. You also know Dale. So with little left to do, we threw some questions at each other and invited other fans to throw some random musings into the mix.

1) Apart from watching our mighty Ashes victory, how did you spend time in close season?

Dale: What close season?! I've been following the Vision Chonburi League and ensuring that I find enough (hopefully) interesting items of news about Chonburi FC to keep my website regularly updated. However, the extra spare time I've had at the weekends means I've been able to do a lot more reading and make frequent visits to the cinema.

Me - It was easier this year wasn't it? Close season has been much shorter. I've been doing all kinds of things including teaching, studying, following the English game and catching up on a few classic works I've never read like: 'The Iliad' and 'The Turning of the Screw'.


2) What's the biggest news to come out of [your club] in the close season?

Dale: The relocation to the "new" stadium has to be the biggest development. Closely followed by the announcement that we'll more than likely be on the move again shortly.

Me: Obviously the biggest news is the departure of Rene. That was the only real shock. Most of the other comings and goings we knew to expect.

3) Hand on heart, how do you think your club will perform in 2011?

Dale: I predicted that we'd finish forth last pre-season so I'm going to say the same again. I hope we can make a fist of defending the FA Cup and give a good account of ourselves in the AFC competition. Although our group in the latter is quite a tough one. A lot of our fans are convinced we'll sail through the qualifiers but I'm not so sure.

Me: That's difficult to say because the personnel have changed so much. Some good players have left, more will go later on. Yet we've also had some players coming in that, on paper, look just as good. A lot will come down to how those players settle in.

Put it this way: I think 99% of other clubs would happily swap places with us by the time the end of the season comes around.Yet from our own view, we've set such ourselves high standards that it's almost impossible to meet them. We can't keep winning the title year after year and it's only getting harder to defend it. Sooner or later some other team has to win it. What I'm saying is I don't expect us to win the title again, but I expect us to have a very good try and a good run in the ACL or AFC Cup.

4) And who do you think will win the TPL?

Dale: Army United.

Me: Well last season I said it would be a race between us and BG, and I predicted BG to win.

This season I'm saying it's a race between us and Buriram PEA, and I think Buriram will edge it for various reasons. I just hope that all the talking is about the football and not about crowd trouble, terrible scheduling (though that's started already!), missing footballs or bizarre decisions by match officials.


5) Which five people connected to Thai football would you invite to a dinner party? You may also invite one other celebrity guest who has nothing to do with football and/or Thailand.

Me: Rene, just to keep things interesting (and make sure everybody else is behaving well :-) )
Newin - hopefully he'd leave a good tip and I could get to see what he's really thinking.
Zesh Rehman, hopefully as a Muslim he might know how to cook up some delicious Muslim food.
Marak, the Nonthaburi goalkeeper who's always an entertainer.
Worawi, to keep us informed about any changes in the menu.

Dale:Tor Chittinand from the Bangkok Post, Newin Chidchob, Worawi Makudi, Steve Darby, Theerathep Winothai and Danny Baker.


6) The World and his wife are predicting who will win the 2011 TPL title and who will be relegated. Just to be different, who do you think will finish 7th and 13th?

Me: 7th - Police United. They're improving slowly.

13th - Khoen Kean. They should hold their own.

Dale: Thai Port will finish seventh and Khon Kaen thirteenth.


7) If push came to shove, would you rather [your English team] won promotion or [your Thai team] won the TPL?

Me: Any sort of: "Your English club Vs your Thai club" questions are a bit like asking a parent which of their kids they love most :-)

But being objective, I'd say Saints to get promoted because each season we spend in the lower leagues is keeping us underwater and damaging our reputation and potential. MTU can miss out on the TPL and live to fight next year, but Saints not getting promoted is permanent damage.

Dale: After too long in the third division wilderness, I want Oldham to get promoted above all else this, and every other, season.

8) What is the most pointless piece of tat that is available as official merchandise in your club shop?

Me; I can honestly say most merchandise is worthwhile but I think some of the trinkets like paper clips look a bit pointless.

Dale: As with Muang Thong, most of the stuff we sell is very worthwhile. However, I'm not sure I'd want tho be the proud owner of a Chonburi FC watch!

And the random questions.....

Will the combined total of minutes played by Drogba, Terry and Lampard vs Thailand be more or less than the number of TPL fixture changes this season?

Me: An astrophysicist is needed to calculate the probabilities for this question.

What catastrophic effects would occur should Buriram PEA & Buriram FC ever play on the same day?

Me: It's all stated in the Book of Genesis

What do the Wellington Phoenix need more - an creative attacking midfielder who can pass, or a specialist right back?

Me: They need someone to tell me who the heck they are first!

Who will give us more laffs this year: Worawi or Sepp?
Me: Worawi, Sepp actually does real damage to the world game.

How far will MTU and Chonburi go in Asia this season?
Me: I think both teams have the potential to reach the final. 

FC Phuket 2 MTU 3 - Friendly

siamsport.co.th

MTU defeated their nursery side FC Phuket in a friendly yesterday. MTU played a full strength side in the first half- Weera, Kallio, Pakasit, Panupong, Nattaporn, Datsakorn, Diara, Siaka, Christian, Issofou and Teerasil.

The MTU goals came from Teerasil (2) and Dagno. The whole side was changed in the second half. Heavy rain made for a very difficult pitch.

It's a big plus to see Chris and Dagno back in action.

After the game a second match was arranged. See my previous post.

Phuket FC, round 2

'thong have announced as second friendly against feeder club FC Phuket. Coach Carlos wanted another chance to watch, settle-in and fitten the new players in the squad before the season's kick off.

MTU were careful about scheduling a low number of friendly matches to allow players extra recovery time from last season's hellish grind, but the number turned out to be too low. The match will be played on Jan 27th (tomorrow) at Phuket. Admission is free.

Unofficial season ticket prices

Unofficial sources have given details of season ticket prices at MTU for the 2011 season.

The price I've been quoted is 3,000 baht, more than double last season's price. However this year's package includes a replica shirt valued at 690 bt and of course two extra games, so the price increase is actually not so much. The package also includes a birthday gift voucher and a 10% discount on club shop products just like last year.

FAT to launch probe following graft allegation

From The Nation

A Senate committee on sports alleged last week that three highranking officials at the FAT took bribes and unilaterally appointed a referee for a Thailand Premier League match.

Criticism started to pour in from different quarters when the FAT failed to react to the allegation. Worapong, who oversees the organisation's antigraft measures, said the association was serious about fighting corruption, and denied ignoring claims.

"We've always taken things seriously when it comes to stamping out corruption from the game. We sent our officials to inspect as many games as possible, from Division One to the topflight TPL. We keep a close eye on people, and referees in particular."

Worapong insisted that anyone found guilty in relation to the Senate committee's allegations would face severe punishment.

"Board members were quick to discuss the matter after the allegation emerged. We have already started an investigation. If there is concrete evidence on the bribes issue, punishment will follow regardless of the position the miscreant holds."

Sources inside the organisation said the association is likely to suspend the three officials in question pending investigation. The Senate committee claimed the names of the three begin with "P".

My note: The referee in the Buriram PEA Vs Muangthong United match was named Porached Wongkamdee.

Regardless of the outcome here, it's good news that this report is now public. One of the greatest weapons against corruption is public exposure. It makes it far harder to commit the same crime when suspicious eyes are watching.

It's Carlos

www.thaileagueonline.com

As confirmed on TLO, say hello to the new coach of Muangthong United: Carlos Roberto de Carvalho. Carlos will be officially unveiled tomorrow along with two new signings - goalie Weera from Bangkok United and one of the Slovenian forwards from TOT.

Options in attack

Following on from my previous blog, I heard the good news that Dagno and Chris are confirmed back and in training. However, Belgian clubs are still sniffing around both players and we all know that money talks.

So once again, let's be pessimistic and assume both players leave before February. We still have the lethal-looking combination of Teerasil and Sagnosoi, but we now look short on cover and that blistering pace we packed last season.

Where do we find that cover? Of course we do know of a young player with pace and great finishing. His name is Ibrahim Kanoute and for reasons still unknown we sold him to PTT. With Kallio and Rehman arriving and one more foreigner expected in soon, our farang quota is almost full. So we seek out the best Thai players, right? Hmmm...didn't we just sell national team players Leesaw and Rungsiyo to BEC Tero because they didn't quite cut it at MTU?

This seems to leave us in transfer checkmate. I can only see one partial solution - Chainarong Tatong at Chula United. This player took Division 1 by storm last season and slammed home goals for fun in a side that finished mid-table. Surely, he would jump at the chance to play for the champions, would not cost too much and must be worth a punt for the new coach?

Still unless he's also pacey then we still need to find a speed demon somewhere in Thailand.....can anyone help? Come on all you fans of other teams, let us know about your best forwards!

Siam Sport Awards

Yes, yes there is a conflict of interests in MTU's owners giving out awards, but in my humble opinion I can honestly say the only awards I would dispute are two that we didn't win!

Winners -

Best coach - Pattaya United Coach

Best fans - Buriram PEA fans

Best Foreign Player - Dagno Siaka

Best player - Datsakorn Thonglao

Most popular player -   Suchao Nutnum

Best young player  - Kawin Thamasatchanan

Best Club - Muangthong United

A farewell party?

L to R - Dagno, Datsakorn, Kawin, Ronnachai (I think)

 Thanks to the person who took the pictures.

Thai Port territory

Today I visited the HDF Mercy Centre in Klong Toey, Bangkok, the place I plugged in my Christmas blog. The Centre itself was a very interesting and cheerful place and well worth a visit for anyone who can donate time to help out - teaching, entertaining, cooking or child caring, etc. - or  donate cash or goods.

I had never visited the proper Klong Toey district before and I was taken by the character of it. There are slums, real slums with homes basically made out of loose metal parts. There are also

modern and up-market buildings. However the majority of the area is made up of narrow sois in the traditional working-class Thai make up. People go about their way selling goods from a stall, laying bricks or doing whatever else they do all day, every day. Children gaze and call out, smiling cooks serve up cheap and tasty khao pat and so on.

With the exception of the Thai Port Authority docking area, it could be any one of many parts of Bangkok. One thing makes it different though, and that's the number of people wearing shirts of their local team -  the bright stripes of Thai Port's home shirt walked or motored past me every ten minutes.

Clearly the camaraderie and sense of community in Klong Toey has been enhanced by the local football team. This is something we English are familiar with but it's a new
phenomenon in Thailand and let's hope it grows. Of course, in the case of Thai Port we must also hope the community erase the minority of trouble-causers from their ranks, too.

I played a quick game of footie with some locals and called them to take a picture. They were all very happy to do so and pulled some great poses at the the exact time my Blackberry battery decided to die on me. Never mind though, I'll be back soon and I'm sure they'll still be there.

Snapshots - times of change

How many can you name?

The big man gets his award - at least he's going out strong

Note the water spray - the grass is growing rapidly.

Thanks to the person who took the photos and sent them to me.

Fixtures

Last season I spent lots of time transcribing the season's fixtures for Muangthong. I may as well have spent hours fashioning a teapot from chocolate and then pouring hot water in. The fixtures were rearranged more times than Worwai's World Cup vote.

So here's just a few opening 2011 fixtures:

Kor Royal Cup V Chonburi at Supalachasalai - Jan 30th

away to Army FC - Feb 12th

away to BG - Feb 27th

home to Thai Port March 13th

The reason for two away games in a row is to allow time for the new pitch to be installed and stadium work to finish. It will, of course, make our start a tough one.

Are reinforcements on the way?

If the Bangkok Post article is correct - and how could anyone doubt Tor Chittinand? - then we have another good quality player at the Thunderdome in the form of goalie Weera Koedpudsa.

The OS - reporting on yesterday's friendly game with Tero - says Dagno and Christian are back but I haven't yet seen them in any training videos, and since all the English language articles on the OS are translated from the original Thai, sometimes things are lost in translation. It could mean: "they should come back" or something like that.

So let's take a pessimistic view and say that Dagno and Chris are not back, Kone will be gone before the season starts and Ibrahim has indeed left. The starting team would look something like this:

Weera / Kawin

Kallio
Panupong
Rehman
Pakasit

Datsakorn
Boonmatoon
Pitchipong
Pornsai

Teerasil
Sagnosi

On the bench we may have....
Kawin / Weera (but who covers the first choice goalie if Kawin is still injured?)
Abdoul
Ammorn
Nattaporn
?
?
?

The starting eleven look, on paper, as strong as the side that reached the AFC semi-finals last season. With PEA and Chonburi yet to make any real improvements in squad strength and BG yet to make the ground up, this is heartening. But as well as the loss of a top coach, we also look slightly weaker in reserve, particularly in the areas of goalkeeper and striker.

Rob is aware of this and confirmed on the OS that new forwards will be sought after.This makes the mystery Ibrahim transfer even stranger. Of course, it may yet be the case that Dagno and Chris return and we will then look much stronger.

************

This article from an English paper is of interest but has a couple of factual errors. Muangthong are backed by Siam Sport not "Siam" and although they are a wealthy and influential company they are certainly not the "biggest company in Thailand" (in terms of revenue that would be PTT) and last season we reached the semi-finals of the AFC Cup (Asia's UEFA Cup) not the Asian Champions League.

********

Thong will play a warm up game away to feeder club Phuket at the end of the month.

Looks as if the deal is permanent

Zesh's team mate interviewed

Englishman Chris Brandon has joined BEC Tero. Brandon played alongside Zesh Rehman at Bradford City and will face the challenges of Thai football just like his former team mate.
Thai Fussball has an interview with him here.

Finnish international on trial

Kallio takes on Park Ji-Sung (zimbio.com)

Thong are giving a trial to Tony Kallio, an experienced Fin who has 49 caps for Finland and Premier League experience with Fulham FC.

The left back has also played for Sheffield United and HJK Helsinki. He played one game for Viking FC of Norway before being released. He has already joined the Quilins for training.

At 32 years of age, he is nearing the end of his career but by no means is he finished. Scandinavian players typically take good care of themselves and I'm sure Tony will be trying hard to win a full contract.

Rene moves on

www.the-afc.com

It is now public news that Rene Desaeyere is no longer coach of Muangthong United.

As is always the case when a coach ("manager" as he'd be called in the UK) leaves his team, there will be two sides to the story and some of that may or may not become public in future. We don't know. What we do know is that Rene was an excellent coach for the club.

A bit like a coaching version of Roy Keane, it was easy to dislike him if you supported any other team, but great to have on your own side. His super-passionate temperament frequently raised attention as Rene was often spotted on the touchline gesticulating or expressing his opinion at a high volume. One of his usual gestures looked aggressive but was actually simply saying "I" or "Me".  His style came in handy in Thailand where on pitch ruckuses and bullying are normal. My favourite memory of Rene's antics was in a home AFC game where the opposition coach moved to the touchline to shout abuse at a young MTU player. Rene sprang up and walked slowly towards the coach, pointing to his own eyes and then to his ("Say that to my face!") . The opposition coach sat down and didn't repeat his offence again.

After his second touchline ban, Rene calmed down immensely but continued to lead the team through a very difficult period. It was obvious from his interviews that the whole club was strained through an extra two-legged tournament and utterly ludicrous scheduling of domestic and national games. The Belgian clearly felt people didn't have a full gauge of the pressure it placed on the squad and yet they still pulled through to win the league and came so close in other tournaments.

He's also a personable chappie off the pitch, always happy to chat with fans and let them take photos, he twice gave me an interview ( one, two ) and more importantly he was highly proficient in training and spotting talent.

It seems that for now one of the under-coaches will take over the reigns, What happened with Ibrahim's transfer (if it happened, did it create a problem? ) remains a mystery and it also seems unclear if MTU will seek a new head coach or employ permanently from within. No doubt things will clear up in the long term.

It's notable that this news has created shock and some upset amongst the usually very happy-go-lucky Thai fans of the club.

Thank you Rene for all your hard work and the success and growth you brought to Muangthong United.

More transfers to Tero

In a surprise move, Piyachart has joined BEC Tero "on loan". So has fringe player Paitoon Nontadee.

Recent transfers between MTU and BEC now amount to eight, by my count.

Although Piyachart is "on loan", so was Leesaw when he went the same way, so was Wisarut when he left to join Rajpracha. However MTU's head coach said Piyachart is "still in our tactical plans".

Muangthong after Arthit?

This report from Dale at the Chonburi site.

Muang Thong United are believed to be interested in signing Chonburi's left sided midfielder Arthit Sunthornphit. Even though it appears no official approach has been made for the player, rumours abound that the TPL champions would be willing to pay a seven figure fee for the Thailand international.

Arthit was linked to a move to the Thunderdome during the 2009 mid-season break but, at that time, Chonburi issued a statement that "Bas" was not for sale at any price.

Back to training

A video of MTU's first training session
Not much to report: Coulibly, Dagno and Christian all absent as they have been given a little more time to return from their home countries.

Most players profess they stayed home and watched TV, spent time with friends, etc. Kawin said his injury is expected to take another month to heal but he is regularly seeing a specialist.

*************************
'thong have signed a shirt manufacturing deal (I think) with Grand Sport worth more than ten million baht, a record for Thailand.

Goalie gossip

www.bangkokunitedfc.com

TLO reports that MTU are in negotiations with two goalkeepers. One is Weera Koedpudsa from Bangkok United, the other is the goalkeeper from Songkhla.

More than one BKU fan has told me that BKU would've been relegated far earlier last season without Weera, who won their player of the season award. Songkhla's Witsanusak Kaewruang was rated as D1's best goalie last season, though it is understood he would be second choice at MTU until he gets some experience. By the way, his name translates on Google as: "good anal skills Wikipedia Phitsanu Fri Sak glass glow"

Kawin is still with MTU and recovering from injury.

The new look Thunderdome

www.thaileagueonline.com

Thai League Online reports on the state of the pitch renovations at the Thunderdome:

The club have spent more than thirty million baht installing a new turf and drainage system. The under-section of the turf - which is natural grass - includes a new style of under-turf drainage.

Other renovations include installation of seats in some sections and completion of the West Stand upper section.The West Stand will bear the stadium sponsor name (Yamaha).

The installation is currently ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed by mid-February. This is good news as a late finish would mean MTU had to play several early away games in a row.

Interview with Pipat Waramethpipat

I introduced Pipat recently and today he kindly spent some time answering my questions about Muangthong United  and the Thai fans' protest against Thai FA president Worawi Makudi.

How long have you supported MTU?
More than two years now. I was already supporting them when they won Division One and  I wanted to help fans prepare for the first year in the TPL.

And how did you become leader of the fan club?
Actually I'm not the leader, though some fans do call me so. I share ideas with the fans both old and new and I try to act as a communication point.

How did you become leader of the protests against Worawi?
It started in Laos when Thailand played there and had a bad result. At this game, some of us Thai fans were talking and we decided we'd like to share our ideas with the Thai FA. After this we had another poor performance so we decided to go ahead with our plans.


The staff at the Thai FA could be considered Phuu-Yai (big, rich or important people). Did you feel nervous about meeting or protesting against them?

Not really, because I work for an international company and I have experience of the international style of dealing with things that is: if there is a problem, we should talk about the problem to solve it. I want to be very clear that I fully respect the staff  but I want us to talk about problems with the Thai team to make things better.

I also saw a lot of cameras, reporters and microphones in your face. Did you have experience of dealing with that or was it new to you?
That was a new experience. But again I have experience with communication so I think that helped me.

Do you think Worawi should resign?
Actually he can't resign because he is a FIFA member and if he resigns, he automatically loses that spot. What we want is a new direction and approach from the TFA.

Will the protests continue?
Yes. This month we are forming the Thai Football Supporters Association. The plan is to be a 'middle person' with the TFA. We can share ideas, experiences and problems between the TFA and the fans.

The first meeting is tomrrow Deecember 5th at 8pm in the Thai Restaurant next to National Stadium BTS Station.

Finally, who do you think will win the Thai Premier League next season?
For sure, Muangthong! But I think the standard will be higher than ever and competition will be good. I want to be clear that although I am involved with the MTU fanclub and the Thai fans' protest, it doesn't automatically mean I representing all Muangthong fans in the Worwai protests, I'm just expressing my own opinion.

*********************

Thanks to Pipat for his time and permission to use his photos. He has also kindly offered to keep us informed of future developments. Like all the team at MTU, Pipat is always willing to chat and offer support.

***************
As always, this interview has been slightly paraphrased for conciseness. Any errors are wholly my own.

TPL awards

Via, the Chonburi site , here are the TPL 2010 awards:

Coach of the Year : Rene Desaeyere  - Muang Thong Utd
Goalkeeper of the Year : Kawin Thamsatchanan - Muang Thong Utd
Defender of the Year : Nattaporn Panrit - Muang Thong Utd
Midfielder of the Year : Therdsak Chaiman - Chonburi
Forward of the Year : Sarayoot Chaikamdee - Thai Port
TPL Top Scorer : Ludovick Takam - Pattaya Utd
Newcomer of the Year : Purithat Jarigarnon - Chonburi

Rumours that Rene promised to flatten everyone at the TFA if he didn't get the award have been greatly exaggerated!
Congratulations to all winners!

2010 Player review

A look at how MTU players performed this season in the view of your humble blogger.


Goalkeepers

Kawin Thamasatchanan
I've said it already and I'll say it again: Kawin is the best goalkeeper - probably the best player - in Thailand. This young number twenty-six is definitely the top shot-stopper around, but what takes him to that other level is the command, positioning and timing this man has for such a young goalie. On more than one occasion, Kawin has adjusted the defensive wall by a couple of crucial inches, collected a swerving corner kick or reached a long through-ball outside the area just a split-second before his opponent. Throughout the marathon 2010 season his concentration never lagged and throughout the "Man United" hype he has remained friendly and humble with fans.
The saddest thing about his recent injury is that it's probably caused by the excess number of games dumped on Muangthong through the year. Whether that injury changes his future plans remains to be seen. What is certain is Kawin will always be a very popular figure with Quilins fans.
Season rating - 10/10

Thongsak Phanphipat
The experienced head of 'Chai' Phanpipat took some criticism when he stood between the posts during the difficult close period of the season for Muangthong United, but to blame him for some of those poor results is just plain wrong. 'Chai' also played in goal for crushing wins against Thai Port, Bangkok United and Sisaket. When results faltered, he was by no means the only - or most - to blame. Moreover, he put in a very sure and steady performance in the FA Cup final.
Rating - 6.5/10

Defenders:

Jetsada Jitsawad
It was the proverbial game (or season) of two halves for Jetsada. He began the season as club captain and was considered the most reliable centre-back by many fans. It stayed this way for about two-thirds of the season until a string of rather strange performances and other factors caused him to be dropped. He was recalled for some late games but it just wasn't the same. Without having any inside knowledge I'd be surprised if Jetsada was with the club come the start of the 2011 season. (Edit - this article was typed before Jet signed for BEC Tero).
Rating - 7/10

Nattapron Pannarit:
Although initially rated as "the second defender" behind Jetsada or Panupong, Nattaporn has proven himself one of the most consistent and dedicated centre-backs in the TPL. Never afraid to get in where it hurts and never one to complain, 'Oat' proved his worth by taking on the captain's armband whenever he was asked. He may be an inch slower and a little lower in the jump than his defensive partners, but you can always rely on him.
Rating - 7/10


Panupong Wongsawa: 
He started as, arguably, the second-highest rated defender of the squad but throughout the season, Wongsawa grew in confidence and mental stature, ultimately proving himself the most reliable defender of the club, arguably of Thailand. He's sharp in the area, tactically aware and showed no fear when faced with some physically intimidating opponents in the AFC cup. We can only hope this won't be another case of another club reaping rewards from the excellent player produced by a great attitude and MTU coaches.
Rating - 9/10

Pakasit Saensook:
A regular choice in the opening half of the season, Pakasit was most unfortunate to lose his place to Keawprom when he became sidelined with an injury. Although not the fastest or most offensive-minded of right-backs, his positioning and crossing was of a good standard. With the departure of Keawprom, he can perhaps take heart from the return to form of teammate Pitchipong who reclaimed his place in the squad in impressive fashion when his replacement (Sylla) moved on.
Rating - 6/10


Jakkaphon Keawprom:
Jak probably caused me more headaches than any other player last season. His early days as right back exposed some worrying positioning and some gifted passes to opponents, yet for all my bawling I could see there was some hope for the young man from the north, and his determination was never in doubt. Sure enough, over time he became a tough tackler, good passer and a decent offensive asset, if not the paciest or most powerful. It's a shame to see him go but no doubt Rob and Rene have a replacement in mind.
Rating - 8/10

Piyachart Thamaphan: 
Although he rarely stood out as a star player, Piyachart quite possibly featured in more games than any other player in the squad. A good worker and a decent crosser - though he still needs to practise his corners - Piyachart is clearly the left-back of choice and is MTU through and through. I hope he gets some well deserved rest and remains a Muangthong player for next year.
Rating - 7/10


Midfielders 

Pitchipong Choeichiu:
Despite being a regular player in the previous season, Pitchipong found himself frozen out for the earlier part of the 2010 season. A spate of injuries, suspensions and transfers saw him make a return halfway through and he took his chance with relish, even receiving a MOTM on this blog in the epic 2-0 AFC Cup victory.
Rating - 7/10

Piyapol Bhuntao:
A bit-part player who featured mainly in league cup matches or as a substitute. Steady but nothing more.
Rating - 5/10

Amorn Thummanan 
Pacey and skillful player that can play central or wide. However he does seem to drift in and out of games which may be why he is used more often as a sub. Perhaps he'll find consistency next year, then he'll be a real threat.
Rating - 5.5/10 

Coulibly Abdoul:
Sylla's replacement was expected to take his time to settle. He didn't really need it. The young African almost instantly looked comfortable in his role. He resembles Peter Crouch in that his thin, lanky frame always looks fragile yet seems to come out of every fifty-fifty challenge or sliding tackle looking stronger. His ability to cover as a defender and his aerial goal-scoring makes this guy a potential gem in the "next generation" of Africans fans will see next season when we will watch a lot more of him.
Rating 6/10

Dagno Siaka:
Featuring in almost every match of the season, Dagno's contribution can be summarised by his receipt of the "Player of the Year" award he collected after the FA Cup Final. "Danny-O" is fast, powerful, sharp, confident, fit and motivated. The attacking-midfielder's goal tally was boosted by the number of penalties he coolly slotted home, including a pivotal spot-kick at home against Chonburi.
Rating - 10/10

Datsakorn Thonglao:
Datsakorn arrived with some expectation on his shoulders as a high profile Thai player signed for relatively big money. The jury took some time to reach their verdict on "Goh" until he scored a screamer against Thai Port early on in the campaign. From there he never looked back as his mesmerising long-range thunderbolts were usually matched by his work-rate and short passes. Not only were his goals always impressive to watch, but they always seemed to crop up when they were most needed, such as away to Bangkok United, at home in the AFC campaign or, as mentioned, away to Thai Port.
Many of this year's squad have already agreed deals with other clubs. The Quilins' ability to defend their title next season may yet hinge on Datsakorn's decision.
Rating - 10/10

Narongchai Vachiraban:
Signed to big fanfare (and big money) from Police United, Narongchai Vachiraban has really yet to prove himself. Most often featuring as a sub, his vaunted sharpness in front of goal has yet to show itself in MTU colours. It may be partly down to a change of role - the midfielder has played deeper for MTU than Police - and with luck he may discover his form and favoured place on the park next season in a new look line up.
Rating - 5/10

Kavem:
Played a few games - mainly in the Toyota Cup - and impressed a few fans if not yours truly. Perhaps he'll have more of a chance to shine next season.
(Edit: at the time of typing I didn't realise Kavem is only seventeen years old. No doubt he will improve greatly over time.)
Rating 5/10 (not really enough games to for him to impress)

Forwards 

Teerasil Dangda
The spearhead of 'The Quilins' attacking line has been this big, lanky target man in the number 10 shirt. Two-footed and still deadly with his back to goal, his goalscoring record speaks for itself. Yet the number of flick-ons, headers and pressure put on defenders by his smart positioning was the root cause of our purple patch early in the season when many teams got demolished at the Thunderdome. I personally felt the whole team was weaker when he was played on the wing towards the end of the season.
Let's hope like crazy he stays on next season.
Rating - 10/10

Ronnachai Rungsiyo
Regular readers of this blog were probably bored senseless by my calls for this man to be given a run in the first team throughout last season. You can't blame me though - if you saw his excellent first touch and clinical finishing such as the game away to Army FC, you'd say it too. But when the chances did came, he didn't seem mentally right. A few times he seemed to be relying on body-checking defenders off the ball or playing one-touch passes  simply to look good. The transfer to Tero came as no surprise, but if they can succeed in getting his head right, they'll have an excellent striker in their ranks.
Rating - 5/10

Kone Muhammed
A thorn in the side of any defender. Kone's pace, power and deceptive footwork combined brilliantly with his friend and teammate Dagno. The two players proving so similar in style that opposition players were often exhausted by them. A consistent stream of goals proves the case in point. Also covered well in other positions when asked.
Rating - 8.5/10

Christian Yao Koukou
The new boy signed from a Belgian side was a quick hit with fans. Like his fellow Africans he had pace and large stride, but his footwork was slightly more skill-based and his first touch and dribbling was that much more deadly for it. At home on the wing or in a more central role, his youthful enthusiasm kept him consistent throughout an exhausting season. If only he could become more determined and show a little more mental maturity on and off the pitch he could become a respectable top flight player in Europe. That learning curve may be about to start soon.
Rating 9/10 

Theratheep 'Leesaw' Winothai
A high profile winger and forward who lost form early on in the season. The reasons for that loss of form depend on who you ask but before going on 'loan' to BEC Tero, he left us with a glimpse of the player of old by scoring a delightful last-gasp winner at home to Thai Port. Now a permanent Tero player.
Rating - 5.5/10 


Ibrahim Kanoute
Signed alongside Coulibly Abdoul midway through the campaign, Ibrahim had to wait a little longer for his debut but boy did he take the chance when it came! In the few games he played last season the Ivorian showed he is almost as fast as Yaya and almost as tricky as Christian. That's a heck of a combination and he's still young.
Recent transfer furore has confused the situation surrounding this forward. I'll be very disappointed if he is not an MTU player come next season.
Rating - 6/10
*********
All picture credits: www.mtutd.tv 

Transfer gossip omnibus

thaileagueonline.com

The transfer merry-go-round has gone into some sort of 'Dr Who' style hyperdrive as we kick off 2011.

The strangest speculation rests on Ibrahim Kanoute. Thaileagueonline.com reports that Ibrahim has joined D1 side PTT FC. The 'Oil Millionaires' seem confident that the exceptional young forward has become part of their big spending campaign.

Meanwhile, Rajpracha-Nonthaburi sources also state that Ibrahim has been promised to them as part of a loan deal (and with more than one Raj player joining MTU on a permanent deal). None of this has been confirmed by The Quilins.

I've been informed the official word on this can be given next week.

Meanwhile, the club have denied speculation linking them to Cameroonian defender Moisy at Thai Port.

There's more. It seems that there may be yet more business between MTU and Tero to come. If so, it would take the number of recent transfers between the two sides to eight. One of those 'eight' is highly rated midfielder Kittipol Paphunga who was signed for Muangthong despite being injured. Will he be ready for next season?

Finally, whatever happens with all the above speculation, a highly-rated goalkeeper may be the next arrival at the Thunderdome.