It's make-or-break time. With the pain of relegation starting to ease — yet still fresh in the mind — Kirins fans are now awaiting the release of the T2 fixtures next week. While excitement for a comeback campaign is building, the activity around the club remains as hectic and confusing as ever. Let's review what has happened in the close season, look at what the rest of pre-season may hold, and try to see through the fog into the future.
Who's Gone?
Perhaps someone at the club read my end-of-season review, or maybe common sense finally prevailed. The players who needed to go are indeed gone. Every foreigner (with one possible exception — keep reading) has departed. The exodus wasn't limited to the farangs: Do, Annas, Strauss and more have all confirmed their exits. Club legend Popp sent a heartfelt goodbye, as did many others.
It's a shame we had to hear about every departure from the players themselves rather than the club. Of all those who left, only Popp and Strauss caused any real disappointment. Tsonktov, Saric, Melvin and co. were not the right fit for Muangthong, and moving them on was best for everyone.
Korawich has resurfaced at Chonburi alongside Tristan Do, which surprised me a little, while Strauss and Popp have joined Bangkok United. At least it wasn't Port or Buriram.
Who's Staying?
Kakana, Korrakut & Michael Kempster remain in the squad. While it's still mid-July and the transfer window stays open, this is encouraging. The only noise around these players has been a cryptic message from Kakana expressing mild annoyance — naturally, fans are reading a lot into it.
Who's In?
A much shorter list, but very much quality over quantity. The big positive early in the close season was the re-signing of Charoen Sak Wongkorn — an excellent, morale-boosting move. The announcement followed the classic Muangthong pattern: weeks of rumours, an early official post that was quickly deleted, then reposted once everyone had already seen it.
All our out-on-loan players have returned, but the big question mark was Kim Dong-Su. After the Sukhothai game he said he wanted to help the club fight back from T2. Most of us saw it as an emotional reaction. Yet he stayed quiet, posted training and family content, then dropped a workout photo in an MTUTD kit. When he later posted his flight ticket to Bangkok (circled in red and black) and arrived at Thunderdome, the excitement was real.
If Kim lines up on day one of T2, he will already be a club legend in record time.
Not much else on the incoming front. A mystery trialist has been unofficially linked to a Scandinavian defender named Soloman. Rumours suggest the club wants to focus on Brazilian foreigners next season — given our recent record with Eastern Europeans, that might not be a bad idea.
Our FIFA registration ban remains in place. Still embarrassing.
The Gaffer
Speculation about the managerial situation was endless, but I was always happy to keep Jorge Borges. That is now confirmed. While the Sukhothai performance was painful, Borges was the main reason we went into the final day with a chance. He knows the league and the players, and he seems to have their respect. Sometimes emergency managers don't become long-term successes, but he deserves a proper shot. Keeping a Brazilian coach also makes a Brazilian foreign quota easier to manage.
The rest of the coaching staff appears unchanged. Fitness was a major issue last season and we still don't appear to have a dedicated fitness coach.
Communication & Rumours
The club's statement the day after relegation was excellent — apologetic, grateful, and determined. Since then, communication has reverted to the usual silence. Almost every outgoing player announced their own departure, and the Charoen Sak announcement was fumbled. There has been no official word on the registration ban.
This vacuum massively amplifies rumours. Some Thai football pages invent stories for clicks, and fans end up sharing them. Takeover rumours ("an old name", "a beverage owner") turned into "major sponsorship" and then an endless flood of AI-generated new kits. The first few were fun — the next thirty were tedious.
Pre-season friendlies? Unpaid players? New kit or season ticket details? Still nothing.
I'm not asking the club to respond to every rumour, but the occasional clear statement would help enormously.
(By the way Pae, if you're reading — I'd love a quick interview. It could do wonders for the fanbase.)
Looking Ahead: Day One Line-up?
Let's keep our feet on the ground. Right now we have the makings of a very strong T2 side: Korrakut, Kempster, Kim, Kakana, Charoen Sak and more. Add one solid Brazilian striker and we should be among the favourites.
Things can change quickly in the window, of course. Kakana may be looking for a move, but the club is entitled to hold out for the right fee. Even if he leaves, a good transfer fee would help strengthen the squad elsewhere.
Overall, if Kim is officially back, it feels like the long-overdue shift in tone we needed. With a core of quality, committed players and hungry youngsters, we have a real chance to make the first step back to T1. Let's not screw it up before kick-off.
No comments:
Post a Comment