Monday, July 16, 2012
Thais, Trophies & Jasper Carrot
There was a classic Jasper Carrot sketch many years ago. It was about these middle class wannabes who had a couple of Mercedes in the driveway but sod all in the fridge. Ever since I moved to this part of the world I have been reminded of that almost daily.
Thai football is a case in point. They love their trophies up there. I don't mean actually winning silverware, they seem to have given up on that in recent years, certainly on the international stage where their lack of success has correlated perfectly with their lack of preparation.
The trophies they crave come in the form of aging big names. Like Bryan Robson, Peter Reid or most recently Robbie Fowler. It all smacks of Paris Hilton being snapped carrying her little pooch to the mini mart. It cries out 'look at us, look how much money we have, look who we can hire!' And ultimately fire of course.
It's not just English names. Now Muang Thong United, who last year inexplicably appointed Robbie Fowler as player coach, are reportedly being linked with Alessandro Del Piero. And if he doesn't work out then they have a Plan B. Louis Saha. Yep, that's what I thought. Similar types of players. You can sense Muang Thong, who lead the Thai Premier League, are working to a plan here.
The story line is often the same. The big headlines, the smiles, the 'oh its lovely to be here, the people are great', then the honeymoon ends and life becomes a series of what the fuck moments that pile up. Thing is no one tells the trophy they must leave all logic behind in the west.
They may think they are coming over to play football and of course that, as professionals, is what they have grown accustomed to during their careers.
Unfortunately the football they grew up with and has given them such an exciting career, is not the football environment they are signing up for in Thailand. Indeed, for the people paying the salaries, football may be a long way down the list of priorities.
Australia and the US had their trophy players in the 1970s but they have since moved on as the game and, dare I say it, those who run it, matured.
Thai football is a case in point. They love their trophies up there. I don't mean actually winning silverware, they seem to have given up on that in recent years, certainly on the international stage where their lack of success has correlated perfectly with their lack of preparation.
The trophies they crave come in the form of aging big names. Like Bryan Robson, Peter Reid or most recently Robbie Fowler. It all smacks of Paris Hilton being snapped carrying her little pooch to the mini mart. It cries out 'look at us, look how much money we have, look who we can hire!' And ultimately fire of course.
It's not just English names. Now Muang Thong United, who last year inexplicably appointed Robbie Fowler as player coach, are reportedly being linked with Alessandro Del Piero. And if he doesn't work out then they have a Plan B. Louis Saha. Yep, that's what I thought. Similar types of players. You can sense Muang Thong, who lead the Thai Premier League, are working to a plan here.
The story line is often the same. The big headlines, the smiles, the 'oh its lovely to be here, the people are great', then the honeymoon ends and life becomes a series of what the fuck moments that pile up. Thing is no one tells the trophy they must leave all logic behind in the west.
They may think they are coming over to play football and of course that, as professionals, is what they have grown accustomed to during their careers.
Unfortunately the football they grew up with and has given them such an exciting career, is not the football environment they are signing up for in Thailand. Indeed, for the people paying the salaries, football may be a long way down the list of priorities.
Australia and the US had their trophy players in the 1970s but they have since moved on as the game and, dare I say it, those who run it, matured.
# posted by Me @ 8:14 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
please forgive worawi makudi that he didn't voted for endland to host the world cup. :) i think russia is a better choice than england.
i think TPL will never reach the level of S-league, ISL, IPL, MSL. :)
Post a Comment
i think TPL will never reach the level of S-league, ISL, IPL, MSL. :)
<< Home
