National team to prepare in UK

Thai team to train with Man City

TOR CHITTINAND - bangkokpost.com

Thailand will train with Manchester City for two weeks as part of their preparations for the World Cup qualification. Worawi Makudi, president of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), said 29 players had been named to the World Cup squad who would have to report to the training camp next Monday.

The team will go to train with Manchester City for two weeks, likely to be from January 10-25. While in Manchester, Thailand will be supervised by City coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, Worawi said.

''The training will be like that for professionals and Eriksson will help look after the team,'' he said.

Thailand are grouped with Japan, Bahrain and Oman in the first group stage, or last 20 teams, of Asia's qualification for the 2010 World Cup.

The Thais will begin their campaign against Japan in Tokyo on February 6. The top two teams in each of the five groups advance to the final qualifying stage, or the last 10 teams.
Thailand coach Chanvit Phalajivin will fly to Japan from Manchester to watch Japan play against Chile and Bosnia in the Kirin Cup later this month.