Jordan 0 - 0 Thailand - Match Reaction

Well, a draw is what i wanted, so i'm very happy, especially after seeing Iran thump Singapore 6-0.

Hopefully going into the next qualifier against Iran, we might just catch them off guard, hopefully they might be a bit to cocky.

Back to tonights game. And Reid is starting to show that he can be a decent tactician. Never before have i seen him in his career change the formation from an attacking lineup to a more defensive unit primed to attack on the counter. But this is international football, and playing a long way from home in a region we never really feel comfortable in, so Reid gets high marks.

Of course, much of Reid's tinkering to play one up front was more due to the fact that instrumental forward Terratep Winothai was not involved as he has linked up with his new clubside. Options of which Reid only had was young, youthful lads who have not really got any big game experience, and this needed it.

Certainly in the middle of the park, he picked experience in 58 caps Sukomskit and Thonglao joined by mid 30 caps Nutnum and Choeichiu. Only Surat Sukha wasn't in double figures until today, but he has been a regular with Reid. The only downside to his game is that he picks up to many cards (mainly red), which he could just as easily pick up in Jordan.

Big suprise today was TPL leading goalscorer of 2008, Anon Sangsanoi got some game time, this lad, although has a huge future ahead of himself never really made Reid sit up and be noticed and was only included in recent squads due to the lack of firepower, so to see him get some game time was a shock to begin with.

All said and done, the boys did the job that was expected, and in reality, we need Iran to beat our rivals Jordan and Singapore and let us pick up the 3 points at home and sneak them single pointers away.

Roll on Iran!!

Jordan 0 - 0 Thailand

Asian Cup 2011 Qualification

Group E, Matchday One

Jordan 0 - 0 Thailand

Amman International Stadium, Amman

Thailand Squad (Players Used)

THAILAND: Kosin Hathairatanakul, Suree Sukha, Chonlatit Jantakam, Nataporn Phanrit, Natthapong Samana, Pichitphong Choeichiu, Surat Sukha, Datsakorn Thonglao, Teerasil Dangda, Salahudin Arware, Ronnachai Rangsiyo, Suchao Nutnum, Anon Sangsanoi

Coach Peter Reid's record now stands at:

Played: 11
Won: 6
Drawn: 3
Lost: 2
Scored: 19
Conceded: 7

Pleasing draw for Chonburi

In the present climate, although things will change come the beginning of the AFC Cup Group Stages in March, Chonburi should consider themselves as group winners.

They have been drawn into Group G against:

• Hanoi ACB (Vietnam)
• Eastern A( Hong Kong)
• Kedah (Malaysia)

Hanoi, winners of the Vietnamese Cup, are a new name to me. They have paleyd in the Champions League before, but they are not one of the best in Vietnam. they fall behind Binh Dung and Nam Dinh in my book of ranking.

Eastern AA, from HK, i expect to prop the group come the end of the stages. They are currently strugling in the Hong Kong First Division, so my reckoning is, if they can't match it with the best of Hong Kong, then surely they are no match for the TPL's most professional outfit? Surely?

Kedah, in some what of a slump at the moment, losing the a Malaysian Chairty shield and currently only taking 1 point from 3 games in Malaysia. Without there foriegners, we should steam roll them over.

Any how, thats my first thought.

But then, Thailand National team succumbed in Vietnam. Same could happen to Chonburi.

The wheels in this competition could keep turning over, until at least the Quarter-Final stage, where we should meet more difficult opponents from the Middle East. Or they could just fall off straight away with dour games in new cities around East Asia.

Either way, should be an interesting competition. The best AFC Cup yet.

AFC Cup Draw 2009

The draw for the AFC Cup is on Monday 12th.

Chonburi will be paying particular attention.

The sides they could possibly meet in the group stage are:

• Home United (Singapore)
• Binh Duong (Vietnam)
• Hanoi ACB (Vietnam)
• South China (Hong Kong)
• Eastern AA (Hong Kong)
• Club Valencia (Maldives)
• VB Sports (Maldives)
• Kedah (Malaysia)
• Johor (Malaysia)

PEA could also join that list if they are dumped out of the Champions League.

PSMS Medan of Indonesia and SAFFC of Singapore could also be added.

Asian Cup Qualifiers

The campaign starts on Wednesday 14th January away to Jordan.

This will be the 4th time the two countries have come together with Jordan winning one with the other two ending in nil nil draws.

All the games have been played in Thailand. All games have been played this decade and have all been friendlies.

What can we expect away to Jordan in a few days time?

Well, although we should have a bit of confidence after playing quite well recently, it must be said, that we don't quite travel well, especially to the Middle East. Our last journey in that region was in the World Cup qualifiers, where we got dumped by Bahrain and Oman, not forgettign the draw against Yemen in the 1st Round - a team that are not up there with Asia's best, so we still struggled against very lesser oposition.

No doubt the heat and humidity will be against us, and the intimidating atmosphere. So the most i expect, our at least would like to see us get is a draw. A defeat would make it hard for us in future games in the campaign, but a draw should be something to build on.

Although we have never beaten Jordan in our short history against them, i do expect us to get 3 points at home, so a point away, should give us an advantage come the end of the group.

Our squad will be the same that took part in the AFF Suzuki Cup, so it will show if the team are still together, playing as one, or if the final defeat as deflated some players. It will be a cagey game. But hopefully the lads would have learnt from the defeats we have had so far, coming against Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.

This will well and truely be our hardest ever Asian Cup qualifyign campaign. And if we really do have dreams of Brazil 2014, then we must stamp our authority on this qualification group and show the rest of Asia, that whatever happens at the end of the day, Thailand will always be in amongest the crowd ad not jst pretenders.

The demise of Bangkok Bank FC

It would appear that Bangkok Bank have withdrawn from the football scene after being relegated from the Premier League last season. It's not certain if sponsorship from the Bank itself is the demise of the club, or if it is just the reluctance to go more professional, as per AFC requirements.

Bangkok Bank were formed in 1955 making them one of Thailand's first clubs.
They won 11 Khor Royal Cup and 7 Kor Royal Cup titles before the Thailand Premier League rose as we know it today. Bangkok Bank, hence were the first winners of the Premier League title in 1996/97.

They came 3rd in the 1999/2000 Asian Cup Winners Cup tournement.

They are the second club to go 'bust' after the Thai Farmers Bank club in 1997. Although such sides as SET FC have gone 'bust' in recent years but been re-named (BMA, Rattana Bundit) and reformed in the following season to take there places in the same divisons.

As they were relegated to the 1st Division for the 2009 season, there spot will now be filled by one of the 4 teams that was relegated from Division One to Division 2 last year.
2 games will be played in a semi-final match up with the winners playing each other with the right to re-commence the 2009 season in Division One.

Semifinal lineup:

Thai Honda Vs Raj Vithi (stadium in Bangkok)
Phitsanolouk Vs Nakhon Sawan (Pichit stadium)

With regards to Division 2, it looks like it is being re-structured once again, going from 2 leagues into 4 regional leagues, North, North-East, Central and South. But club's and details are still sketchy at this stage

More friendlies added?

Reports suggest Thailand are mulling over a couple more games:

5th Feb: Thailand - Saudi Arabia in China
28th March: Thailand - New Zealand (Bangkok)