ON THE BALL / Reid has enjoyed a creditable beginning
Written by Writer on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
ON THE BALL / Reid has enjoyed a creditable beginning
TOR CHITTINAND
Englishman Peter Reid got off to a good start as Thailand coach when his men beat North Korea 1-0 in the T&T Cup in Hanoi two weeks ago.
The three-team tournament may be meaningless but a rare win over North Korea, who fielded their World Cup side, in any match is considered good for the kingdom.
Thailand will face hosts Vietnam in the championship decider on Sunday with Reid’s men needing a draw to win the tournament.
The match was originally scheduled for November 1 but was postponed due to torrential rain.
Reid suffered his first loss as Thailand’s coach on Saturday when his men were defeated 1-0 by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh in a friendly which was more significant for diplomatic than footballing reasons.
Reid used a 4-4-4-1 formation with Teerathep Winothai as a lone striker. Goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool started while former number one Kittisak Rawangpa was re-called to the national side for the first time since last year’s Asean Cup.
Naif Hazazi scored the match’s only goal after 65 minutes, while Thailand defender Surat Sukha was sent off after receiving his second yellow card with 20 minutes to go.
Reid said after the game he was pleased with his men’s overall performance despite the defeat.
“I am pleased with the players’ performance. I would give them a seven out of a maximum 10,” said the former England midfielder.
Losing to Saudi Arabia, who are chasing their fifth consecutive World Cup appearance, was not shameful for Thailand.
However, the Thais have to work harder if they are to move to another level instead of being just a powerhouse in South East Asia.
Reid has repeatedly said Thai players lack fitness and stamina and need to improve their physical strength to be able to run for the entire game.
The former England midfielder, who was a hard tackling player, said he has to strengthen the team’s defence and improve their attack.
He should also look at the mental side of the game as the Thai players seem to think negatively when they face Asian powerhouses like Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
The players must think positively or they will never secure a ticket to the World Cup.
In the meantime, Thailand’s Under-19 side failed to get past the first round of the AFC Championship in Saudi Arabia.
In their last preliminary-round match, Thailand needed a win to reach the quarter-finals but ended up losing 1-0 to Uzbekistan.
Worse was that Thailand’s Sutjarit Jantakol was dismissed for an unsportsmanlike conduct. He intentionally kicked the ball at an Uzbek player.
With 20 minutes left, Thailand might have been able to stage a comeback. But with 10 men, Thailand’s hopes were dashed.
Sutjarit should learn a lesson from failing to control his temper as it could cost the team dearly.
Understandably, young players could have problems controlling their tempers. So the coaches should also train them to keep cool while under pressure.
The Under-19 side are the country’s future team and the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) should pay more attention to them and give them more support.
Many of them played well in the AFC Under-19 Championship and some should be key members of the Under-23 team for next year’s SEA Games in Laos.
Thailand’s most outstanding player in the Under-19 tournament was striker Kroekrit Thawikan who is playing for Sri Racha in the Thailand Premier League.
He has interested Saudi Arabia’s first division side Al Raed, who have reportedly offered him 100,000 baht a month for his services.
But Kroekrit is still young and should carefully consider his options. While the reported wage is very high by Thai standards for a teenager, he may face problems in that country including food, weather and culture.
Staying at home and honing his skills for a couple of more years may be a better choice for such a young player.
Tor Chittinand is the Bangkok Post’s football writer.
Email: torc@bangkokpost.co.th
Bangkok Post
Wednesday November 12, 2008
