Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Thailand Host WCQ In Boonies
The Bangkok Post is saying that Thailand will host the winner of the preliminary qualifier between Afghanistan and Palestine in Buriram.
Really? Isn't there some FIFA rule that stipulates a stadium used for FIFA sanctioned events needs to be pretty bloody close to an international airport? And Thai FA head, Worawi Mukadi, as a member of various frequent flyer programmes and FIFA committees should know this.
Hosting the game in Buriram, or even considering hosting the game there is yet another sop to the owner of Buriram PEA, a politician, who also owns Buriram FC and is on course to see one team win the Thai Premier League and the other Division One.
On the football side of things the games against either Afghanistan or Palestine will be new coach Winifred Scaefer's first game in charge of the Thai national team since replacing Vryan Robson who quit earlier in the month.
To help him prepare for the game the Thai Premier League have thoughtfully cancelled all games until the end of July. Which means the coach won't have a scooby who he will be selecting and will have to rely on his assitants. But he will still be the fall guy.
A cynical soul, which of course I ain't, might suggest that the Thai football authorities are doing their best to sabotage the national team. After all, recent humiliations at the SEA Games (2009), AFF Cup (2010) and the Olympics combined with the lack of preparation for the World Cup do point to such cynicism, don't they?
# posted by Me @ 6:07 AM 
