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.

Chonburi memories

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Ahead of Muangthong's next game, Dale at the Chonburi blog has posted some of his (and his fellow supporters') favourite memories of clashes between the Quilins and The Sharks. Naturally for a Chonburi fan site, the selection includes Chonburi wins.

It made me reminisce on of some of my own memories. It's probably telling that one of the most lucid memories is of my sheer disbelief that a group like the TFA could be so incompetent as to reschedule a fixture six times in one half-season. Another non-football memory is of the one and only Rene Desayeye getting red-carded from the touchline at an away game at Chonburi.

But when it comes down to the action, this was my favourite clash with Chonburi, a game I remember as a packed stadium with a great atmosphere and as you'll see, a whole bunch of goals. Let's go back to May 2010...

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The best way to explain the excitement and noise for today's game is to say it matched any local derby in the UK. For the first time, Muangthong opened the upper West Stand of the Thunderdome, allowing a total of 21,000 fans into this game. A sea of red and an oasis of light blue covered the entire Impact Arena area with noise and colour. All fans were searched before entry but the mood was good. This was a special moment for Thai football and we could feel it. Like most fans, I was excited but nervous for my team.

One slightly unusual factor at play was Muangthong's choice of black strip - usually an away strip - making Chonburi use their own third choice of red stripes. Apparently this was due to the advice of a fortune teller.

Muangthong started out with what I consider to be our strongest line up: Kawin (GK) , Pakasit (RB) Piyachart (LB) , Jetsada (Cap, CB) Anupong (CB) , Sylla (DM) , Datsakorn (MD) , Siaka (MD) , Yaya (LW) , Christian (FW), Teeasil (ST)

Notice I put Yaya as a left winger today. A message in a bottle told me Muangthong's coaches believed Chonburi's right back would struggle to contain him. Boy, were they right!

Not that you'd know it from the opening moments, though. Chonburi's opener came as quick as it did in our last meeting. I was still trying to get focused on the game itself amid all the excitement, so all I recall is a striker sliding in from close range to beat Kawin. Damn.
Edit: My view was blocked but apparently this was an own-goal.

Muangthong responded well. Unlike previous games, the crosses came from the touchline and as such, they were delivered with more speed and less curl. But a few chances went amiss until someone - Datsakorn I think - was taken down in the box. At the risk of sounding like Arsene Wenger, I don't want to comment too much as I couldn't see what happened clearly. Chonburi's goalkeeper walked off and his team mates followed him. I never really understand the thinking of players when they do this. Still, there is no need to focus on it today.

The players returned , Dango took the penalty and scored.  1-1. The rest of the first half was balanced. Kawin pulled off some good stops and Muangthong kept up a good supply of crosses from both sides. Jetsada seemed to be playing notably further upfield than usual.

In the second half MTU were shooting towards me in the North Stand. Kone came on to replace Christian and made an immediate impact, getting in on a cross from the right wing that looped over Chonburi's keeper to send us home fans ecstatic. 2-1.

But, as seems customary, we did our best to let Chonburi back in. They began a spell of possession play that saw Byrne put one over and had Kawin tip another one over, several wasted free kicks and a cleared corner. We responded by taking off Datsakorn and bringing on Nattaporn. Jetsada seemed to move up to midfield officially. Then the tide turned.

Yaya had been tormenting the Chonburi back line for much of the game but as we began our own spell of possession play, he began to give the Sharks' back four nightmares that Freddy Krugger would be scared of.  As the coaches had planned, Yaya skimmed his marker over and over again, Kone seemed to find himself space whenever he needed it and Teersail was loving the extra options his teammates were giving him.

A free kick floated in by Piyachart met the head of Yaya to make it 3 - 1 around the seventy minute mark. This really seemed to be the mental clincher for both sides. The forward line continued to take it to the touchline and cut inside the Chonburi penalty area and were rewarded with a neatly set up goal for Teerasil about twelve minutes from time. 4-1. The home fans went delirious and began passing a giant flag around the ground. The away fans looked less chuffed.

During all this, the chances continued to flood in, some of them looked easier to score than to miss. But of course it's easy for a lazy fan like me to say that.

We were screaming for more of course, but the game quietened down. Chonburi did create more chances, hitting the crossbar and side post at least once each. But by then the Sharks knew today was not their day and that feeling must have been compounded when one of their team took what may have been the worst corner ever shortly before full time.

After the whistle, the teams swapped shirts, the players saluted both sets of fans and, needless to say, we hung around to soak it up.

Chonburi played well today. That they lost by this margin was because we, at times, were excellent. After our 'opening' game against VB Sports, I said nobody would be able to stop us if we played like that every game. Today, we played better than that. The title race is not even half way done and there are bound to be twists and turns but if we do retain, then today will surely stick out as one of the crucial moments.

For now we can reflect on a good game of football, some controversy, an amazing atmosphere and - as John Hannibal Smith would say - the love of having a "plan come together".


Some great pictures and video to come soon.


Man of the match:
I know, I know, it's the easy option to give it to Yaya. So many players did a great job today. Kawin, Sylla, Pakasit, Piyachart or Kone could all be in the running, but my overriding memory is the spell in the second half with Chonburi's back line looking like scarecrows thanks to this man. The champagne goes to the Ivorian.
 
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Photo credit: soccermotivators.com 

Chonburi 2 Muangthong United 2 - report

Apologies for not reporting on the big game earlier. Actually perhaps I should say "Super Big Match" as it was billed by the Thai media, who have a knack of creating such lovable yet cringe-makingly naive tags. The Man U Vs Liverpool game is billed in True Visions Magazine as the "Mega Red War" for another example.

Chonburi predictably gave us a tough test and came out of the traps fast but on both occasions when they took the lead, that “winning mentality” was enough to pull us back into the game, courtesy of a close range slot in by Adnan and yet another Teerasil moment.

The perfomances of the last two games are actually less important than the results. Both Buriram and Chonburi honorably stated before their respective clashes with us that they were going for a win. They each desperately needed it not only for the points but the change in psyche it could bring about. Neither side got it.

If Chonburi and Buriram battle to a draw in their upcoming fixture - as we must hope - then we surely have one hand on the TPL title.

MOTM: Piyapol Buntao remained active down the right side throughout and caused more than a couple of headaches for The Sharks.

PS Credit to Ben for pointing out the time-wasting they Chonburi seem to employ so often.

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MTU 1 Chonburi 2 - report

And it was all going so well. OK, so Santa ignored my wishes and didn't drop any of the TTM Pichit cheerleaders in my stocking but then I wasn't very good this year anyway. But a general atmosphere of festive cheer and a bright start by the home side had everything looking rosy. The starting line up of Kawin (GK), Kayem (LB), Panupong (CB), Nattaporn (CB, capt), Ali (RB), Pitchipong (MD), Datsakorn (MD), Buntao (MD), Dagno (AM), Fowler (CF), and Teerasil (ST) looked fresh and produced a fantastic system of attacking through the middle and then lifting weighted high balls to overlapping wingers, or the reverse. Chonburi dealt with it well by keeping a deep and physically strong back line, but it was surely just a matter of time. Sure enough Dagno did the honours and put the topping on the Christmas pudding by running to our corner and celebrating right in front of us. But then something strange happened, something that probably says a lot about our state of mind.

In the not too distant past, taking the lead at home would spur us on to more and more goalscoring chances as the visitors pushed forward and miraculously escaped any of the injuries which had caused them to roll around in "agony" before the goal went in. This time however, we started to sit back and ride our luck by defending a single goal lead. Fowler started to drift out of the game even before the half time whistle which left Teerasil and Dagno to try and force a way through the middle, since the overlapping wide players now decided to stay deep and defend. If Robbie noticed any of this, I didn't see him address it at all.

In the second half Robbie made two touches of the ball that I recall. One was a nice little jink in the Chonburi box to release Dagno, a nice move but nothing that Chistian, Miroslav or even Ahnon couldn't do ten times a game. The other touch was a lazy hacked clearance that immediately gave possession back to the visitors. The goals were inevitable and sure enough Chonburi equalised and then took the lead within minutes.

When Fowler was substituted (for Anon), a cheer actually went up from home fans. I honestly don't know if it was relief he was leaving the field or a knee-jerk clap to the mention of "God's" name. Chasing the game, we actually started to get back on top and force a few desperate clearances from Chonburi. But It was too little, too late and we slumped to our second successive home defeat.

At the press conference Robbie said: "Sometimes it works this way in football. We have to pick ourselves up and see where we go from here." Fair enough, but we don't get to hear any further details from Robbie.
Why has it stopped "working out" for us so suddenly?
Why have we lost more games since he took over than we did through the whole of last season?
Why did we sit back and invite Chonburi to attack a one goal lead?
Why are we conceding so many goals in the second half of each game, the time when fitness and mental character are really tested?
Why did we look so much sharper in attack when Ahnon - who has not had a great season himself - came on and Robbie went off?

After so many managerial changes in the last year, the thought of changing so soon might seem wild but this situation scares me. Robbie has been announced as coach for next season but is this for the best? At the very least, he has got to retire as a player. I fear the only reason he is still playing is due to contractual obligations, but those obligations are costing us dearly. He's not Ryan Giggs and has not got the fitness to last or even impact a game. The second half of today's game may as well have been ten against eleven for large periods of play. Moreover, Fowler didn't even seem interested in formation or tactics. Perhaps he leaves those to Josic but if so, the division of labor needs to be clear and effective.

My worry is that we will, quite rightly, try to give our coach time and allow him to take us into next season, but will then realise the wrong man is in the job. By then, the next coach will not have time to build or prepare the side for a new title challenge and the chaos will repeat itself.

I'd love to be proven wrong, to win this year's FA Cup and to eat my words. Nothing would make a better 2012. To that end, I'll be one hundred percent behind the team during every game, just like the rest of the excellent supporters that cheer the side.

Man of the match: 
Ali Diarra had an unfortunate tumble in the second half and was unlucky to be caught playing Chonburi onside for their first goal, but looked determined and capable all game, as well as providing some crucial sliding tackles. Looks like we have another good defender in our ranks.

Toyota Cup: MTU 0 (2) Chonburi 0 (3)

I was unable to attend due to a family commitment, so reports of the game are here and here.

In an ideal world we'd win it all, in reality the TLC is only of significance because of the prize money on offer. The TPL and FA Cup and especially the AFC are far more important, and we can benefit from the reduced fixture pile up in these competitions.

Action from the 2-3 at Chonburi credit: getida ka

Chonburi Vs MTU - preview, or lack thereof

It's been a  long and hard week for personal reasons and I really haven't had the chance to properly ponder our clash with the closest thing MTU have to an auld enemy in Chonburi. One key player, some staff and a fan club leader have all told me they expect a score draw or an away win in a tight game,

Our history with Chonburi has been well covered in previous previews such as this  (1-1) , this (4-1), this (1-2) and even this. So all that we need to add is that Chonburi have performed to expectations so far this season, whereas we got off to a slow start and are playing catch up.

Nattaporn's calf injury may keep him out of the side once again, meaning Zesh will likely make his third start in a row.

This is a big game for MTU not only for gaining revenge but for closing the gap between the two sides. We must aim to finish second in the table at the very least.

In other news, thai-fussball.de report that Issoafaou will be released from his contract.

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.

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. 

Muangthong United 1 Chonburi FC 2 - FA Cup final report

3.bp.blogspot.com

After extra time yesterday, thousands of red shirts dispersed peacefully from the Supalachasalai Stadium. There are a few rules of the thumb for football and cup games in particular. One is that whichever set of fans disperse from the stadium first are from the losing team.

It could've been worse. Before kick off, a large contingent of Thai Port fans descended on the stadium, purposely drawing attention to themselves and consuming large amounts of alcohol. Although it was surprising to see so many of them and strange that they all managed to get tickets for the Chonburi end, there was no further trouble, save an exchange of insults between them and the police.

News came through to me that Kone was injured and I wondered how it would affect the team-sheet. How accurate would my line-up prediction prove? Pretty good as it happens, though Rungsiyo got the support striker's role instead of Ibrahim,

The starting team was: Phanphipat (GK), Kaewprom (RB), Piyachart (LB), Nattaporn (Capt, CB),  Panupong (CB), Datsakorn (MD), Pitchipong (MD), Nawapol (MD), Siaka (AM), Teerasil (ST), Rungsiyo (ST).

The first half was the weakest performance I have ever seen from the champions. So weak, we barely got out of our own half. Chonburi did not look brilliant either but perhaps someone read Dale's site, or mine, because the Sharks played just like Thai Port (as Nathan Hall suggested) and also used the double marking that worked for them on their own ground (as I mentioned). They were tough, gave us no space and doubled up on Siaka, making his life difficult. We rode our luck with stray passes and a shocking lack of width, the very same width that we used to take us all the way to the TPL title.

When the blue shirts finally did score, it came as no surprise. What was a surprise was the removal of Rungsiyo for a half-fit Kone on thirty minutes. After all my praise, he (Rungsiyo) has looked disinterested for his last few games.

The only silver lining was that the second half couldn't get any worse. Indeed there was some improvement. The width still seemed lacking but some flicks and triangle passes started to come off. Datsakorn leveled things up with a goal from a deflection about midway through the second half that took us to extra time.

Perhaps it was an omen that just before the start of the extra thirty minutes, Chonburi players were tired, but still on their feet. Meanwhile most MTU players were squatting, trying to get one last burst of energy in a career-shortening season of fixtures.

Extra time was very even and it seemed that penalties - and all the agony that comes with them -  was on the cards until Pibop popped up with the winner. MTU had just one chance to equalise with a corner that Phanphipat rightly ran up for, but it wasn't our day. We had lost a cup final to a goal from a guy whose name sounds like he should be a DJ in Compton. After the whistle, our fans all said goodbye to Kone, saluted the players and congratulated Chonburi before leaving. There are absolutely no complaints about the game. Chonburi looked sharper and hungrier and created more chances.

It's actually quite a relief that the season is over and the time of change can begin. The impending large change of personnel is necessary for two reasons. Firstly, Muangthong have now become a big fish in small pond and many of our players are simply too good for the Thai league. That's not an insult to the Thai league, it's a compliment to the Muangthong players. Secondly, the amount of games the players have endured is simply dangerous. Many of them cannot repeat such a schedule without risking serious injury. If anyone thinks I'm making excuses here, consider that the Thai internationals have an eleven hour break between the cup final and national training. Eleven hours.

With such reforms in a developing and dynamic league run by less than competent people,it's very hard to see what the future holds. But whatever happens, MTU have achieved things that most clubs never will and I've been privileged enough to be on board for a big part of that ride.

It almost goes without saying that losing in extra-time was gut-wrenching, but in the same way we often don't appreciate things we have until they're gone, we can't always appreciate what it means to win glory without the occasional heartbreak as a reminder.

As for Chonburi, congratulations are in order. They've been fantastic rivals and fully deserve their AFC spot. We'll pay you back in the Kor Royal Cup next year.

FA Cup final preview part 2 - The Young Ones

With so much change and growth going on in Thai football, it might be easy to lose track of the long term goal for any sensibly run club - securing the supporters of the future.

Two clubs that always keep that healthy policy in mind are Muangthong and Chonburi. Both clubs provide child-friendly mascots (unlike the monstrosity at TOT) , child ticket discounts and fun activities such as face painting for kids. So this FA Cup preview seemed the ideal time to interview a young fan of each team and see what they thought about their team and their football, with a little quiz thrown in.


In the red corner.....

Ton is a student of mine who is a mean little football player himself. He captained his class to victory in the school tournament (must have had a good coach :-) ) and is always happy to talk about his local team, Muangthong United.

What's your nickname and how old are you?
My nickname is Ton and I'm fourteen.

Why do you support Muangthong United?
Muangthong is my local team and I like the atmosphere at matches - the crowds, the colours and the friendly people.

Ton and me

What was your first game?
Muangthong United 3 Sriracha 1 (2009)

Who is your favourite player and why?
Dagno Siaka because he can play any position and score lots of goals, too!


What do you think about Chonburi FC?
They are a good side with good fans.

What do you think the score will be on Sunday?
2-1 Muangthong.

What do you think we can do to develop Thai football for the future?
I think we need to see more investment and bring in good quality players from Europe.


Who would win a fight between the quilins and Megatron?
The quilins!


And Ton's quiz questions (nobody helped him)
Who won the World Cup and by what score?
Spain, one-nil (2 points)


Who won the Thai FA Cup last season?
Thai Port (1 point)

Who won the English FA Cup last season?
Chelsea (1 point)

Which team did they beat in the final?
Portsmouth (1 point)

Who scored?
Drogaba (1 point)


And in the orange and grey corner......

Dale at the Chonburi Website kindly put me in touch with young Titus (no not that Titus, this one can control the ball with less than seven touches!) who was also happy to answer some questions.

What's your name and what teams do you support?
My name is Titus. I'm eleven years old and I support Chonburi, Arsenal and Newcastle.

Titus (credit:http://www.chonburifc.net)

Have you seen Chonburi FC play before?
Yes. About four times.

If so, what do you like about them? Who is your favourite player? Why?
I like the players and the way the team plays. My favourite player is Therdsak because he scores goals and takes good free kicks. I also like the kit. Especially the orange and grey one.

What do you think about MTU?
I'm not really sure.

What do you think the score will be on Sunday?
Maybe 3-2 to us.

If I give food to the shark mascot, will he eat me?
No, but he might chase you!

What is the capital of England?
I have no idea. I'm Welsh. Where's England?

(Titus' quiz answers to follow, can he match Ton's perfect score?)

FA Cup final preview part 1 - Rene Desaeyere

As part of a preview for Sunday's big cup final, I spoke to Muangthong United team manager Rene Desaeyere about player fitness, expectations of the game and transfers. This is what he had to say.....
 

Is everyone fit for Sunday? 

No, Kawin is injured and Christian is suspended...

Because of the red card against Rayong? 
[At this point the telephone reception became bad and I couldn't catch Rene's first words]

I think that for the future of Thai football we need to give referees a higher salary and more training. I heard that their payments are very, very low. I'm not suggesting anything specific but think about the obvious problems this can produce. So not for Muangthong but for Thai football, we need to give officials higher salaries, more training and greater independence.

Have the players had a chance to rest after such a long and hard season?
No. Several players went to China for the games. The players have become exhausted and you can see it hit them sixty minutes into a game.....

Even the young players?
Yes. It's not about age, it's as much mental as it is physical. I've been a coach for many years and never have I or my players been through what we've been through in the last three months. It makes our achievements even more remarkable.

Do you expect this match to be similar to the league matches with Chonburi?
Well, I like playing Chonburi. I like their fans and I like the way they play. After us, they are best footballing team in the league. I think they may play a counter-attacking style which will make a very challenging game for us.

The match can go to penalties of course, do the players practise penalties?
Not yet!

Can you confirm Kone has signed for KV Mechelen?
Yes. It's not my decision but of course we wish him very well and I think he will be successful. It's good for players to join Belgian sides because although it's one of the weakest leagues in Europe, it's still a very good stepping stone.

Will there be new players signing after Sunday?
Oh yes! We will have some players from Ivory Coast and also a Brazilian. I think the fans will love him.


Big thanks to Rene for his time and also to the person who arranged the interview. Whatever they say about MTU, the fans, staff and players all support each other.

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

Please note this interview was slightly paraphrased for conciseness. Any errors are entirely my own.

Photo credits:
www.the-afc.com
www.mtutd.tv

Chonburi 0 Muangthong United 0 - Report

Rene

Not Rene

July is a deeply religious month in Thailand. At the end of the month young men enter a Buddhist temple. To inform everyone of this step towards peacefulness and enlightenment, families spend big money on terrible speakers and blast 'music' across entire neighbourhoods from dusk till dawn. So with a wake up call at 0430 for days in a row, I arrived at the Chonburi stadium looking almost as Chinese as my wife.

I met with Dale, the webmaster at the Chonburi site and we had time for us to put the football world (or Thai footie at least) to rights and say a quick "hello" to Michael Byrne before taking up position for the big game. My position was not ideal as it was behind and angled at forty five degrees from the goal.

Muangthong lined up with what I consider almost our best fit eleven: Kawin(GK), Kaewprom (RB), Jetsada (Capt, CB), Anupong (CB), Piyachart (LB), Datsakorn (MD), Pitchipong (MD), Siaka (MD), Yaya (LW), Kone (ST), Teerasil (ST). Nobody seemed to be playing deep midfield today. We were going for the proverbial jugular.

Muangthong had the better of the first half. Though Yaya seemed to be tightly marked and crowded off the ball for most of the game, he and his teammates still managed to get enough service to Teerasil and Kone to create trouble. Kone in particular seemed to be waiting for the tiniest bit of luck as the massive African forced two saves and a crack against the goalpost in the first forty five minutes. Chonburi appeared content to attack on the break but lacked pace or width so they stuck to high or direct service to their front men. Jetsada and Anupong ate most of it up.

The second half was - in football terms - of very little import. Strangely, Kone was replaced by Christian - I can only assume the former player was hurt - but the returning Christian didn't look fully recovered from his injury. The game soon descended into a midfield scrap. Chonburi's main openings appeared exactly where I had predicted they would: against Kaewprom at right back. I had told a fellow fan before the game that I really thought Kone should have been chosen for that role, as Kaewprom looked OK against weaker sides but might be exposed against the Sharks. And so it was as he gave the ball away in a dangerous spot at least three times.

I know I'm being harsh on Kaewprom, though. He is playing out of position and is doing his best. I must also mention one occasion where he was hit with a hard tackle and got straight back to his feet. If only more players did that.

The last highlight of the game did not occur on the grass. An incident erupted at the 'dugouts' that apparently involved Rene making gestures to the Chonburi staff. A member of said staff approached Rene - perhaps offering to 'discuss' the problem outside the ground - and before long a whole crew of cops, staff and others were facing off. The ref sent both staff members to the stands but guess what? Yep, Rene was having none of it. Police with shields approached the Belgian coach who still wanted to yell and square up to officials. Eventually he was taken away but the commotion appeared to continue for some time.

Back on the pitch, Chonburi enjoyed plenty of possession towards the end but rarely looked like even getting shot in. So it came to be - no goals and no advantage to either side.

In all, this was  a good day out at a very likable club with a very likable set of fans and a very Thai style venue. However, the 'dugout' incident symbolised another problem the TFA need to stamp out: every time there is an altercation during a game, a whole bunch of wannabees and minor staff come rushing out to pose and act like they want to fight as long as they know police will be there to make sure it can't happen. It reminds me of the cocky kids at school who were always ready to fight as long as they knew teacher was not far away. This kind of juvenile behaviour could provoke genuine crowd trouble one day. It needs to stop.

But from a footballing angle today was a better result for us than Chonburi, as we now have the head-to-head win and the points gap to cover us. There is still the trip to Buriram and the visit of BG Man for us to overcome, but then Chonburi still have to defeat the superhero on his own turf. The title race is not over.

Man of the match:
Our two centre backs may of had little to do in the first half but they kept the marking tight as a duck's bottom to prevent Chonburi achieving anything with the high balls. In the second half they worked well to snuff out the attacks in the dying moments. Since I denied him the honour last time, I'll give today's MOM to Anupong Wongsa. (His full name apparently is "Panupong' but I never hear the 'P' sound pronounced.)

Chonburi Vs Muangthong United - Preview

Last time it was first against second, this time the second placed team are at home.  Chonburi and Muanthong meet once again in a match that could be even more vital than last time.


The team:
Chonburi have already been introduced. After their heavy defeat in the last meeting, they bounced back with an excellent run of form. However, like Muangthong, they've since stumbled. MTU dropped two points at Army and lost to Police. Chonburi beat Police but lost at in-form Buriram and then lost again at Army last week. That defeat, alongside our demolition of Sisaket, leaves us three points ahead of the 'Sharks'  and of course, with a big head-to-head advantage. That gap makes it all the more imperative for Chonburi to win this one.


Who to watch:
No prizes for guessing the personnel I need to mention here. Michael Byrne was the subject of transfer speculation that seems to have died down. If he didn't appear in this fixture it would be most telling. If he does appear, what are the odds we will suffer for it? On the opposite side, arguably the best player in Thailand, Yaya, will play what's almost certainly his final game for the Quilins. Last time he almost solely tore Chonburi's defence to shreds. The Sharks will likely have a new game plan this time, but will it be enough?

Can Yaya do it for MTU one last time?

What to watch:
As well as the battle mentioned above, there's sure to be another big match atmosphere for this game. Away fans have been allocated a sector normally given to home fans. We're grateful for that and it should add to the noisy excitement.

I call:
It all depends on how Chonburi respond to the pressure of the occasion. The home side know a defeat would, in effect, create an unbridgeable seven point gap at the top. A motivated and confident Chonburi side would likely force a draw and that's what I'll go with, a two-all draw.

The Chonburi fan site has a good interview with Steve Darby who gives his thoughts on Sunday's big game.

MTU 4 Chonburi 1 - Photos and video

Credit: users on mtufc.net as stated on photo. Photos of myself taken by Tung.

MTU 4 Chonburi 1 - Report

Yaya sends his welcome to the Chonburi defence

The best way to explain the excitement and noise for today's game is to say it matched any local derby in the UK. For the first time, Muangthong opened the upper West Stand of the Thunderdome, allowing a total of 21,000 fans into this game. A sea of red and an oasis of light blue covered the entire Impact Arena area with noise and colour. All fans were searched before entry but the mood was good. This was a special moment for Thai football and we could feel it. Like most fans, I was excited but nervous for my team.

One slightly unusual factor at play was Muangthong's choice of black strip - usually an away strip - making Chonburi use their own third choice of red stripes. Apparently this was due to the advice of a fortune teller.

Muangthong started out with what I consider to be our strongest line up: Kawin (GK) , Pakasit (RB) Piyachart (LB) , Jetsada (Cap, CB) Anupong (CB) , Sylla (DM) , Datsakorn (MD) , Siaka (MD) , Yaya (LW) , Christian (FW), Teeasil (ST)

Notice I put Yaya as a left winger today. A message in a bottle told me Muangthong's coaches believed Chonburi's right back would struggle to contain him. Boy, were they right!

Not that you'd know it from the opening moments, though. Chonburi's opener came as quick as it did in our last meeting. I was still trying to get focused on the game itself amid all the excitement, so all I recall is a striker sliding in from close range to beat Kawin. Damn.
Edit: My view was blocked but apparently this was an own-goal.

Muangthong responded well. Unlike previous games, the crosses came from the touchline and as such, they were delivered with more speed and less curl. But a few chances went amiss until someone - Datsakorn I think - was taken down in the box. At the risk of sounding like Arsene Wenger, I don't want to comment too much as I couldn't see what happened clearly. Chonburi's goalkeeper walked off and his team mates followed him. I never really understand the thinking of players when they do this. Still, there is no need to focus on it today.

The players returned , Dango took the penalty and scored.  1-1. The rest of the first half was balanced. Kawin pulled off some good stops and Muangthong kept up a good supply of crosses from both sides. Jetsada seemed to be playing notably further upfield than usual.

In the second half MTU were shooting towards me in the North Stand. Kone came on to replace Christian and made an immediate impact, getting in on a cross from the right wing that looped over Chonburi's keeper to send us home fans ecstatic. 2-1.

But, as seems customary, we did our best to let Chonburi back in. They began a spell of possession play that saw Byrne put one over and had Kawin tip another one over, several wasted free kicks and a cleared corner. We responded by taking off Datsakorn and bringing on Nattaporn. Jetsada seemed to move up to midfield officially. Then the tide turned.

Yaya had been tormenting the Chonburi back line for much of the game but as we began our own spell of possession play, he began to give the Sharks' back four nightmares that Freddy Krugger would be scared of.  As the coaches had planned, Yaya skimmed his marker over and over again, Kone seemed to find himself space whenever he needed it and Teersail was loving the extra options his teammates were giving him.

A free kick floated in by Piyachart met the head of Yaya to make it 3 - 1 around the seventy minute mark. This really seemed to be the mental clincher for both sides. The forward line continued to take it to the touchline and cut inside the Chonburi penalty area and were rewarded with a neatly set up goal for Teerasil about twelve minutes from time. 4-1. The home fans went delirious and began passing a giant flag around the ground. The away fans looked less chuffed.

During all this, the chances continued to flood in, some of them looked easier to score than to miss. But of course it's easy for a lazy fan like me to say that.

We were screaming for more of course, but the game quietened down. Chonburi did create more chances, hitting the crossbar and side post at least once each. But by then the Sharks knew today was not their day and that feeling must have been compounded when one of their team took what may have been the worst corner ever shortly before full time.

After the whistle, the teams swapped shirts, the players saluted both sets of fans and, needless to say, we hung around to soak it up.

Chonburi played well today. That they lost by this margin was because we, at times, were excellent. After our 'opening' game against VB Sports, I said nobody would be able to stop us if we played like that every game. Today, we played better than that. The title race is not even half way done and there are bound to be twists and turns but if we do retain, then today will surely stick out as one of the crucial moments.

For now we can reflect on a good game of football, some controversy, an amazing atmosphere and - as John Hannibal Smith would say - the love of having a "plan come together".


Some great pictures and video to come soon.


Man of the match:
I know, I know, it's the easy option to give it to Yaya. So many players did a great job today. Kawin, Sylla, Pakasit, Piyachart or Kone could all be in the running, but my overriding memory is the spell in the second half with Chonburi's back line looking like scarecrows thanks to this man. The champagne goes to the Ivorian.
 
***************
Photo credit: soccermotivators.com 

Muangthong United Vs Chonburi - Special preview

It will be second against first at the Yamaha Thunderdome Stadium on Friday.

If Muangthong United are "The Manchester United of Thailand" as some seem to call us, then Chonburi FC are probably its Arsenal.

The Sharks - once officially named 'Chonburi Code Red' (no kidding) - are respected throughout the league for their attacking style of play and their widespread ground of loyal supporters. By no means short of funds, the club have progressed through cautious advance, team spirit and effective management. When they don't win trophies, you can be sure they came close. Their first and so far only TPL title came in 2007.


Chonburi were one of the first Thai clubs to market themselves and it shows. Walk into any school in the Kingdom of Thailand and talk to the kids, you'll find at least one Chonburi fan. Walk through any city in the country and you'll see at least one Chonburi shirt. Even areas that should be Muangthong or Bangkok Glass territory have Chonburi fans.

The seeds of  rivalry between Chonburi and Muangthong were sown last season. It wasn't just the two horse race for the TPL title that was eventually won by United, on top of this, there is the predictable culture clash between the old, long term heavyweight of the football league and the nouveau-riche who have stepped in as challengers.

But if all this sounds negative, it has, so far, brought out the best of both teams. Chonburi have blazed through the league so far this season and the Quilins are equally determined to retain. Both sets of fans have behaved in exemplary fashion, too.


Predictably, I caught up with Dale, from the Chonburi website for a bit of pre-match banter for Friday's crucial clash. Less predictably perhaps, I was also lucky enough to ask some questions of coach Rene' Desaeyere. Thanks to my source at Harrow for the Rene interview.


Rene' Desaeyere

1) How do you rate your own performances so far this season?N/A



2) There's been some great results and just one or two disappointments so far. How is the spirit in the dressing room?Very good – because in the group there are no problem between African players as the African players speak Thai



3)  From a fan's view, the squad have looked a little tired in some recent games. Is that due to the large number of games we are playing?Sure – we have played double the games the other teams have played already


4) Chonburi have been on fire so far this season. Do you see them as our main title challengers?We must count more than only Chonburi.  Of course Chonburi are number one now but there are other teams who can be champions.


5) Are there any players in the Chonburi side you think are especially dangerous?Number 10  is very strong.

6) The Ultras will be as loud as they can on Friday. Does the large home crowd make any difference to the team?Without the crowd it will be even more difficult for Muang Thong to get to the top


7) Finally, what do you think the score will be on Friday?I never predict the score before a game.




Dale ( Chonburi FC website )

1) You've got a remarkably detailed and updated website on Chonburi FC. What drives you to keep it up over such a long span of time?
 A) Thank you for the kind words. I think the main driving force for me is the fact that I genuinely enjoy doing it. Many, many years ago I used to edit music, and then football, fanzines, which was great fun, and websites seem to be the modern equivalent. So it's a natural progression from that. I do try to limit the amount of time I spend working on the site, especially as computers are by and large are a mystery to me and my typing skills would embarrass a five year old.


2) You were quite possibly the first ever farang to get involved with Thai football. Apart from crowd sizes, how has it changed? A) I could write a book about the number of changes that I've seen during the past 13+ years of watching Thai football (now there's an idea!). However, the biggest change has to be the amount of information that is available. I've gone on record as saying that following the domestic game used to be like belonging to a secret underground movement but that is largely true. Word of mouth seemed to be the preferred method of communication. When I first started going to watch Chonburi on a regular basis I had to call one of the players to get all the information about kick off times and fixtures.

Other improvements include a more professional approach by clubs, FAT, SAT etc ; the availability of merchandise; television coverage has increased dramatically; the rise of the provincial clubs; all ticket games etc etc. We used to joke about all this being a reality when we were sitting in crowds of less than 200 not that long ago. I could go on but you'll have to wait for my book to come out. :)


3) I try to get some of my fellow foreigners into the local footie, but often they don't give it a chance. Have you managed to convert any farangs to Thai football?
 A) I have. With varying degrees of success. One of my best mates, Ian - a Southampton fan - used to come to all the Chonburi Pro League matches with me, until he moved to Vietnam. My parents, both life long Oldham supporters, go to all the games they can whenever they come to visit. I've also dragged many of my work colleagues along over the years, and one or two are pretty regular attendees these days. However, the biggest convert of all is Thai. My wife. She used to hate football and would look forward to Sunday afternoons when I would be out from under her feet. She started coming towards the end of the 2004 season - I can't remember why - and has hardly missed a game since.


4) OK, so to the big game build up...... Chonburi look to be on fire this season. What's the secret?A) I believe that there are a few reasons why we've enjoyed such a good start to the campaign. Therdsak has made a big difference. You can tell that the other players respect him and his intelligent approach certainly rubs off on those around him. The return of Jadet Meelarp is also a key factor. He, along with the rest of the coaching staff, has instilled a lot of confidence and belief into the players, and this is evident when you watch them on matchdays.


5)  Has any player stood out so far?
 A) Therdsak, obviously, but for me Puritat Jarigarnon has been our most outstanding player. This lad has a bright future and I expect that he'll be a fixture in the Thailand national team, and, hopefully, Chonburi team, for many years to come. However, I'd be happy to let him go to one of the big European clubs.


6) We think we've spotted at least one weakness in your team. Do you think you've spotted any with MTU? Don't worry you don't need to be specific!
 A) You are strong in all departments and have equal strength in cover, so finding a weakness on the field is very difficult. As I've said before, Muang Thong have been the best side in the country for me over the past two years. However, as far as I'm concerned, your Achilles' heel is your coach and his assistant. They do tend to come across as being rather arrogant and are not afraid to make their feelings known. It's quite possible that this approach could backfire on them, and your club. As long as you keep winning, it might not be a problem but if a couple of decisions go against you, and they start to criticise, it will be interesting to see how that goes down in certain quarters.



7) Is it too early to call this a title decider?A) Yes. In spite of last Sunday's result, Bangkok Glass will still have a big part to play in this season's title race.


8) Finally, what do you think will be the score on Friday?
 A) 1-1. The same as last October.


9) Anything you want to add?A) I'm really looking forward to my trip to the Thunderdome/Yamaha Stadium. When I came up for the TOT match a couple of weeks ago I was mightily impressed with all the improvements you've made since my last visit. As you know, I had a few issues with certain things last year, when the ground clearly wasn't ready to stage such a big game, but I don't envisage any problems on Friday. It'll be a fine sight when it's full and I hope that the game lives up to its billing and everybody enjoys the occasion.





Thanks to Rene and Dale for their answers. Let's hope everyone at the Thunderdome enjoys a good game of football.


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Photo credits: mtufc.tv , www.clubwebsite.co.uk/chonburifc/ via http://bangkokglassfc.webs.com