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KUALA LUMPUR: AFC’s Vision Asia delegation visited Thailand’s Chonburi province recently to assess the current status of football and to identify appropriate goals for football development.

Detailed discussions with the officials from Chonburi, including officials from the Thailand League champions Chonburi Football Club, were held during the assessment visit.

Vision Asia aims to develop football at all levels in the province, beginning with improving the organisational structure, reorganising competitions, developing coaches and referees and initiating structured grassroots and youth programmes. One of the initial objectives will be to establish a football association in Chonburi.

Thanasak Suraprasert, general secretary of Chonburi Football Club, expressed his commitment to the project. “We recognised that new structures need to be implemented to oversee all aspects and levels of football here in Chonburi. With the guidance and assistance of AFC, we look forward to fulfilling this objective.”

A tailor-made strategic plan for football development in Chonburi will be designed and agreed with the football officials in the province followed by immediate implementation.

Quote:BANGKOK – Thailand head coach Chanvit Polchovin is pragmatic over the appointment of former national team manager Peter Withe in the role of opposition scout.

The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) have engaged Withe to assess and analyse Thailand’s 2010 World Cup qualification opponents and Chanvit sees no conflict of interest between himself and the former England international, who led the Thais to the 2000 and 2002 Tiger Cups.

''There is no problem at all because I am handling the coaching and Peter is doing the scouting to check out our opponents so there is no reason for any conflict,'' Chanvit told local media.

Thailand entertains Oman in their next 2010 World Cup qualifier on March 26 and will warm-up for the match with the Gulf Sultanate with a friendly against China in Kunming on March 15.

Quote:WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI

A few weeks before the December general election, Suree Sukha, Kiatprawut Saiwaew and Teerasil Dangda signed with English Premiership club Manchester City at a Bangkok hotel.

It was a big event which attracted hundreds of Thais and journalists although some of them were apparently more interested in political issues rather than the sporting matter.

City coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was assigned by club chairman Thaksin Shinawatra to sign the three Thailand internationals.

They became the first Thai players on the books of a Premiership side. Their future looked bright but it has become uncertain since the People Power party (PPP) won the election.

It seems that nobody cares to look after them after the "mission" was complete with the PPP, which backs Thaksin, now leading a coalition government.

Since returning to Thailand after a 17-month self-imposed exile last month, Thaksin has been so busy fighting corruption charges that he has had no time to talk to the trio or assign his aides to take care of them.

Mr Frank,as Thaksin is affectionately called by City fans, has had several things to do in Thailand including visiting temples to do merits.

As president of the Professional Golf Association of Thailand, he seems more interested in golf than football at the moment. He has played a couple of rounds of golf since his homecoming.

When the Big Boss,as Thaksin is dubbed by the Thai press, has no time for football, it does not only affect the three players but also his club.

City, a contender for a Champions League spot early in the season, have been suffering one of their worst spells of this term since Thaksin returned to Thailand.

The Blues have gone three matches without a win including a 2-0 defeat at relegation strugglers Reading on Saturday and could miss out on a Uefa Cup berth.

In perhaps an attempt to limit damage, Thaksin plans to return to England to watch his team play League Cup champions Spurs at the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday.

The presence of their chairman should be a boost for City players who may be able to stop the rot with win over Tottenham and put the club back on track for a Uefa Cup spot.

As for Suree, Kiatprawut and Teerasil, they soon found that the road to Manchester was not rosy shortly after their signings.

They were not paid by City until recently after the anti-Thaksin newspapers reported the matter.

Initially, right-back Suree was expected to receive a work permit from Britain's Home Office. But at it turned out, their applications were all rejected for the obvious reason they are not good enough.

Their plight did not end there. At first they only got tourist visas to Switzerland before Suree and Teerasil received work permits and flew to Switzerland at the weekend.

Kiatprawut s future is uncertain. It is reported that the Zurich side do not want him because he has a health problem which means that he can't train too hard.

The centreback has not yet received a work permit and may have to go to Belgium's Club Brugge instead.

The future of Suree and Teerasil does not look any brighter. Playing for Grasshopper Zurich is not too bad for Thai players.

But it is unclear whether they are there as registered players or players on trial.

In fact, everything about the three players has been unclear since the PPP won the election and formed a government.

There is a Thai saying that goes After ploughing the rice field, you kill your buffaoes. After a war, you kill your commanders meaning that you kill people who work for you after they have finished the job for you.


Good luck, Suree, Teerasil and Kiatprawut. Looking on the bright side, they each still get 2,000 a month from Man City even if they do not play and do nothing.

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TOR CHITTINAND

J-League champions Kashima Antlers humiliated Thailand League runner-ups Krung Thai Bank 9-1 in their AFC Champions League opener at Chulalongkorn stadium yesterday. But Thailand League champions Chonburi saved the face of Thai football when they secured a 1-1 draw at Japanese FA Cup winners Gamba Osaka.


In Group F, the Antlers finished off the home side with a hat-trick by Brazilain Marquinhos, two apiece from Yuzu Tashiro and Takuya Nozawa and one each from Daiki Iwamasa and Ryuta Sasaki. Krung Thai pulled one back from Ivory Coast's Kone Kassim.


Krung Thai Bank got off to a lively start and had a couple of scoring chances in the opening stages.


However, it was the Antlers who drew first blood after 15 minutes when Tashiro fired home after Krung Thai players stopped playing as they thought Tashiro was off-side.


Iwamasa added a second for the visitors after 20 minutes and Nazawa gave the Japanese a comfortable 3-0 lead after 34 minutes.


It was Marquinhos show in the second half as the Brazilian striker found the net in the 46th, 68th and 71st minutes. Kassim got a consolation for Krung Thai in the 63rd minute.


Krung Thai coach Attaphol Puspakom said he had aimed for three points but his defenders, particularly the full-backs, let him down as they allowed the visitors to score almost at will.


''It is now difficult for us to qualify for the next round,'' he said. ''The heavy defeat could affect our form in the Thailand League. Our defenders and goal-keeper are losing confidence.''


Despite the comfortable win, Antlers coach Oswaldo de Oliveira still compained about the afternoon kick-off and the artificial turf at Chulalongkorn stadium.




In the other Group F match, Vietnam's Nam Dinh lost 3-1 to Chinese side Beijing Guoan.


In Group G, Arthit Suntornphit looked to have given Chonburi all three points when he slotted home from close range in the 58th minute after an impressive run by Brazilian striker Ney Fabiano had torn the home defence apart.


Brazilian striker Lucas scored a last-gasp equaliser for the home side as Gamba eked out a 1-1 draw with the Sharks.


In the other Group G game, Melbourne Victory of Australia beat South Korea's Chunnam Dragons 2-0.


Two teams from each group progress to the knock-out phrase.