The Phoenix got a mention in a Thai-language football magazine this week. In the latest issue of "Football Siam", there is a brief round up of the scores from the first round, (Smeltz gets mentioned as a goalscorer for GCU), although the Newcastle-Phoenix game is omitted. However, there is a brief paragraph on our signing of Jiang Chen.
The signing of Chonburi FC & Thai international defender, Surat Sukha, by the Tards means that the Thai football media now has the A-League on its radar, although the average Thai is barely aware of their own domestic league (let alone the A-League), preferring to follow the EPL. They only become aware of domestic players when the Thai national team plays. wolfman2009-10-09 04:39:52
The signing of Chonburi FC & Thai international defender, Surat Sukha, by the Tards means that the Thai football media now has the A-League on its radar, although the average Thai is barely aware of their own domestic league (let alone the A-League), preferring to follow the EPL. They only become aware of domestic players when the Thai national team plays. wolfman2009-10-09 04:39:52
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Although the average Thai is barely aware of their own domestic league (let alone the A-League), preferring to follow the EPL. They only become aware of domestic players when the Thai national team plays.
Same as New Zealand anyone?
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True, but my point was that the Thai League is a professional league. I don't believe the NZFC is yet.
wolfman2009-10-09 04:41:22
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In the same magazine, this week's issue (Sept 4-10) mentions the transfer of Adrian Caceres to the Nix, and follows with a brief biography. I'll stick a rough translation in the Caceres thread on the main forum. wolfman2009-09-29 02:15:42
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At the risk of merely talking to myself - more from recent issues of Football Siam
The Sept 11-17 and 18-24 issues both mentioned the New Zealand v Bahrain playoff. One issue was written before the Saudi-Bahrain 2nd leg, and the other after. Usually this particular column is fairly easy to understand, but these were a bit beyond my limited Thai. Mrs Wolfman speaks good English, but is hampered by a lack of interest in football and most other sports when translating sporting terms to me.The second article talks about how Bahrain, a country of only700 000 people, is a playoff away from their first World Cup after beating Saudi on away goals. I think it then goes on to question why teams have to playoff against teams from outside their own zones.
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There was nothing last week, but this week's issue (Oct 2-8) the first leg gets a mention as well as a bit on the A-league and Australians.
It names the officials for the first leg in Manama (please excuse spelling as transliterating here)
Viktor Kassai - Referee (Hungary), 34 years old. (I think he's a top European ref and will be at SA 2010)
Referees assistants:
Gabor Eros (Hungary)
Tibor Wamos (Hungary)
4th Official
Peter Mikkelsen (Denmark)
Match Convenor/Overseer (whatever its called)
Barry Binn (Holland)
Gives dates and venues for the two legs. Bahrain are seeking to reach their first WC Finals, and join Australia, Japan, and the two Koreas as Asia's representatives. NZ are seeking to reach their first World Cup since 1982.
A-League:
Surat Sukha started yet another game for Melbourne as the Tards beat GCU 3-2. (I think this writer wasn't sure he'd hold down a spot once Muscat returned from injury).
Melbourne have also signed Sutee Suksomkit as a guest player from Tampines Rovers in Singapore's S-League on a 9-match loan deal. We'll wait to see if Sutee and Surat can help the Tards win the league.
Followed by a round-up of round 8's scores.
Newcastle Jets have have signed 23 year-old Iraq international winger Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi. He has been playing with Marconi Stallions in the NSW League, and may stay on once Shaun Ontong has recovered from injury. (I'll check with the missus)
Michael Beauchamp, Australian international defender, is moving from Aalborg (Denmark) to Al Jazeera (UAE), after a year in the Danish league. He will come under the 4+1 Asian player quota in the UAE league. al Jazeera are defending Champions, and are playing in the 2010 AFC Chamions League. Beauchamp hopes to be at the World Cup next year with the Socceroos.
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True, but my point was that the Thai League is a professional league. I don't believe the NZFC is yet.
Actually, to be fair to the Thais, from all reports this season has been a success for the renamed Thai Premier League. One of the main sponsors is a media organisation, who have a daily sports paper, plus the forementioned Football Siam on a weekly basis. The group also happen to own/be the major backers of Muang Thong Utd, who are leading with 3 games to go, after gaining promotion last season.
Stadiums are usually full, although admittedly small, with seating for around 5000 the norm. I attended a midweek FA Cup match last Weds between the 6th best TPL team and a team from one the 5 regional 2nd division leagues, and the place was packed.
Muang Thong have managed record attendances at their home ground against their two closest rivals in recent months, cramming in 13,000 in July, and 20,000 last week.
This article by the Bangkok Post's football writer raises concerns about how this record was achieved.
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According to last week's FS (30 Oct-6 Nov), Bangkok Glass are interested in signing Ney Fabiano from Melbourne.
His contract ends in March. Fabiano previously played in Thailand for the Thai Tobacco Monopoly (Now TTM-Samut Sakhon, becoming TTM Pichit FC in 2010) and Chonburi FC.
wolfman2010-04-19 00:23:13
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This week's issue (4 -10 Dec) has a photo of Ney shaking hands and holding up the shirt of the Glass Rabbits (Bangkok Glass)
Don't have it with me as I write, but I think it said he transferred as of November 30. A little odd if he's moved already, as the Thai season won't begin until March.
Also a couple of issues back, there was finally a mention of the All Whites v Bahrain match. After no report on the first leg, there was a brief pargraph mentioning that we'd won 1-0, but mostly concentrating on how sad it was for Bahrain to miss out again.
wolfman2009-12-16 03:39:39
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The Dec 11-17 issue has a couple of things that caught my eye - I'll post details in more relevant parts of the forum.
Firstly, there are some crowd stats in the wrap-up of the J-League season (A-League crowds thread), and secondly, an article about the Thai U-15 side winning a tournament featuring NZ (AWs and other NZ sides forum)
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Not really sure where to post this, but decided this is as good a place as any - a couple of articles from Goal.com that might be of interest
Review of the Aussies in China, Korea and Japan leagues this year
and Auckland City are the 5th best player of the Club World Cup
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Funny that the author of the first article omitted Josh Kennedy, who was very useful for Nagoya Grampus.
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Erm. just wondering if you are out of the way of the clashes going on over there WM.
"Phoenix till they lose"
Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.
Genuine opinion: FTFFA
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Erm. just wondering if you are out of the way of the clashes going on over there WM.
So far, so good. I pass over the Red Shirt rent-a-crowd camp in the shopping district on the Skytrain (elevated railway) on my way to and from work, but don't often see them up close. In the mornings, sometimes convoys of them travel along the main road (Sukumvit) near my place on their way back to camp, while I'm waiting for or on the bus to the train station.
I was home the night of the fighting last Saturday, although I'd planned to go over them on the train to watch a TPL match. However, the trains were off, due to planned the military attempt to move them along, which turned violent. My school was closed on Sunday as a result. However, things seemed to settle down, and I decided the peasants weren't going to ruin my weekend, and went to a game at the same stadium on Sunday evening instead.
Went upcountry for 5 days, and lost track of what's been happening in the capital. However, Red shirts had threatened to take Silom Road today (another business district), where I work, but nothing materialised by the time I knocked off at 4pm. We'll see what happens this week as the Yellows are now threatening to take action if the Government doesn't.
Thanks for the concern.
wolfman2010-04-19 00:39:33
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I never knew Thailand had so many ManU and Watford supporters.
"Phoenix till they lose"
Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.
Genuine opinion: FTFFA
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