Season Review

[glenn_pattaya]

TPL End of Season is almost upon us so let's have a fanatics review of our feelings on the season that was 2010. >

1. Which TPL team do you support?
2. How did they do in 2010?
3. What was the best match you attended?
4. What was the worst game?
5. Who was your best player in 2010?
6. Who is the TPL's best player?
7. Who was your team's unsung hero?
8. Does your team have a star of the future?
9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most?
10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium?
11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season?
12. How has the TPL improved this year?
13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve.
14. What is your dream for 2011?

[SriRachaShark]

You might also like to read what we wrote last season.

http://www.thaifootball.com/webboard/index.php?PHPSESSID=c7c5a80b1a35a8e8d4efc52520ef7774&topic=537.0

[glenn_pattaya]

1. Which TPL team do you support? Pattaya United
2. How did they do in 2010? Better than expected but had a torrid 2nd half of the season.
3. What was the best match you attended? Pattaya 2 Muang Thong 2 - great atmosphere and a great dolphins performance
4. What was the worst game? Pattaya 1 Bangkok Utd 2 utterly dreadful - no effort whatsoever
5. Who was your best player in 2010? Ludovick - TPL top scorer a guy who never gives up
6. Who is the TPL's best player? Ajayi from Bangkok Glass - unplayable on his day
7. Who was your team's unsung hero? Narit our goalkeeper
8. Does your team have a star of the future? Anucha - getting better with every game, brilliant left foot but hardly any right foot
9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most? Navy Rayong - bottles always fly when they start losing
10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium? Thai Port - by far the best - great day out too.
11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season? 24-ish with one to come  on Sunday
12. How has the TPL improved this year? TV coverage and number of supporters going to games
13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve. Refereeing (still a shambles), scheduling of games (amateurish) and coaching which is still poor at most clubs and definitely at Pattaya
14. What is your dream for 2011? Get a good overseas coach with proper coaching badges in and start developing the younger players

[glenn_pattaya]

You might also like to read what we wrote last season.

http://www.thaifootball.com/webboard/index.php?PHPSESSID=c7c5a80b1a35a8e8d4efc52520ef7774&topic=537.0

Great thread last year - if anyone wants to add/edit any questions please feel free. I thought I might get this done and then approach the Bangkok Post or Nation - maybe an interesting angle the thoughts of farangs who follow the TPL.

[druryfire]

The memories of my last season's low points.

Still waiting for goalpostgate to come to a conclusion. This was back when BEC seemed to run things and cancelled an away game declaring the goals were to small, but all happened when the majorty of players were either injured or in the national team setup (around Olympics qualifiers me thinks).

[the_englishman]

I'll do this, and some reflections of my own once the FA Cup is done.

[BKK73]

As I live in Bangkok, I've got so many choices of games every weekend so I tend to ground-hop. I'll watch anything from TPL down to the 2nd division.
I'll answer the questions that are applicable.


3. What was the best match you attended? The most impressive team performance would be BG 0-3 Buriram.
4. What was the worst game? Wasn't TPL but it would have to be Thai Port 0 - 0 Al Quadsia
6. Who is the TPL's best player? Datsakorn (MTU)
9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most? Police, simply because they represent the police
10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium? Thai Port, PAT Stadium
11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season? 20
12. How has the TPL improved this year? It continues to attract more and more fans
13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve. More protection for referees from the FAT, feigning of injuries needs to be stamped out and the last minute changes of schedules is irritating
14. What is your dream for 2011? To hope that there is no crowd trouble at games. The last thing we need is the Thai authorities to enforce rules such as bringing our passports to games to buy tickets or even worse banning the sale of alcohol. Ahhhh!!

[the_englishman]

Glenn how about opening this to fans of Thai teams from any division? :-)

[wolfman]

My season finally came to an end yesterday, so I thought time to answer Glenn's questions.

1. Which TPL team do you support? & 2. How did they do in 2010?
Like BKK73, I haven't found a team to support, but ground-hopped. I'm still waiting for Kamphaeng Phet and Nakhon Rachasima to get promoted, so I can go and watch them. If anything, I'll be getting behind Khon Kaen when they're in town next season, and possibly Bangkok FC as well.
3. What was the best match you attended? For atmosphere, MTU 1-0 Al Ittihad, and the FA Cup Final. For general excitement, Airforce 1-2 Khon Kaen & Samut Prakan 2-4 Chai Nat. The MTU-Al Ittihad match was the best level of football I saw.
4. What was the worst game? Thai Port 1-1 TOT. Absolutely dire.
5. Who was your best player in 2010? I love watching Chonburi's Pipop On-mo play. Not necessarily the best player, but has a massive heart squeezed into that tiny body. Despite his lack of size, plays the lone striker role very well and runs all day. Always plays with a smile on his face too, you can tell he just loves being out there.
6. Who is the TPL's best player? In terms of being superior to others in his position, and potential to go on to bigger things, Kawin Thammasatchanan
9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most? Not TPL, but Chula Utd. Two of the worst games I've seen have been at their home ground.
10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium? TPL: PAT Stadium/Yamaha Stadium. Other: Lat Krabang 54 (Customs FC).  I like purpose-built football stadia and enjoy Port's tight, tall banked Northern sideline stand. AfterI made the trek to Yamaha, and realised it wasn't so difficult, I went 3 times in 3 weeks. Once it stops looking like a construction site, it will be even better. Despite the effort required to get there, I like Lat Krabang's setting with the temple, khlong and rice paddies surrounding it. It has a nice lower-division feel, and is a reminder that football isn't necessarily that serious after all. Added extra: Worst stadium goes to Tepsahadin (BEC Tero), uncovered side. No leg room, no back rest and very uncomfortable plastic seats. Fortunately they usually don't get many along to watch, but when it's full (v PEA & Port), it's awful.
11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season? 22 matches total - 8 TPL, 4 Div 1, 3 Div 2, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, and 4 AFC Cup.  Oh, and Thailand v Jordan way back at the beginning of January.
12. How has the TPL improved this year?Didn't see alot last year, but I think the level is improved this year
13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve.Refereeing standards, respect for the referees, and punishment of unruly fans. As As Bkk73 (here) and Greg (in his blog) mention, there is usually a relaxed atmosphere between rival fans, and most fans are well-behaved. However, a minority are ruining this. Instead of fining the clubs or imposing measures on the majority because of the actions of a few, eject and/or prosecute pitch invaders and bottle throwers as a deterrent.
14. What is your dream for 2011?
Better organisation/coordination of competitions, and fewer political overtones being mixed in with the football, please.
[/quote]

[BKK73]

14. What is your dream for 2011?
Better organisation/coordination of competitions, and fewer political overtones being mixed in with the football, please.

Another thing that has irked me lately and something I'd like to see less of, is the groups of supporters wearing their own team colours at games when their team isn't involved. ie Thai Port/Chonburi. It's fair enough if fans of other sides want to go to the game, but it would be nice if they could wear the colour of the team involved or wear neutral colours.

9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most? Not TPL, but Chula Utd. Two of the worst games I've seen have been at their home ground.

I've been to Chula a couple of times and I'm not too fond of them either. I can't pinpoint why, but there is just something that I don't like about them.

[SriRachaShark]

1. Which TPL team do you support?
Chonburi

2. How did they do in 2010?
Finished third in the TPL, after being in contention for most of the season, and won the FA Cup. I’m happy with that.

3. What was the best match you attended?
The 5-1 win against TTM early in the season was quite enjoyable. And, of course, the FA Cup final.

4. What was the worst game?
The 0-0 draw with Osotspa and the 0-1 reverse against the Army were equally dire.

5. Who was your best player in 2010?
It is a toss up between Therdsak Chaiman and Ekkaphan Inthasen

6. Who is the TPL's best player?
Kawin at Muang Thong and Therdsak Chaiman can still show the youngsters a trick or two.

7. Who was your team's unsung hero?
We don’t really have any unsung heroes. Most Chonburi fans appreciate every one of our players and the effort they put in each week.

8. Does your team have a star of the future?
Yes. Purithat Jarigarnon. He has the ability and drive to go a long way in the game.

9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most?
Being a rather old fashioned Englishman, and someone who has witnessed first-hand the hard earned rise of my own club, I don’t have much time, or respect, for those clubs who have either bought themselves a place in the TPL or move around from province to province at the drop of a hat (or is it a bulging suitcase?).

10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium?
Whichever one Chonburi are playing in.

11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season?
I saw 28 Chonburi games in the TPL this season. I also went to all the FA Cup ties, the home League Cup matches and a fair few 1st division fixtures, other cup ties and saw the national team on numerous occasions.

12. How has the TPL improved this year?
I don’t think that it has. Things around the TPL have improved, such as communication, TV coverage, clubs marketing themselves well etc, but in a lot of respects, I think the TPL itself has gone backwards. This is mainly down to the inability of those who run it to be able to build on the remarkable rise in interest we saw in 2009.

13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve.
There are a lot more than three!! However, I agree with most of what other posters have already said. And I'd like to see the "huddle" outlawed. It's become even more annoying than all that stretcher nonsense!!

14. What is your dream for 2011?
To be chasing trophies on four fronts – TPL, FA Cup, League Cup and AFC Cup. It’s a tall order but I expect we’ll have a lot of fun trying.

[BangkokGlassBunny]

1. Which TPL team do you support?

Bangkok Glass and to a lesser extent Chiang Rai United


2. How did they do in 2010?

BG - Terrible. Performed well below what was expected in the TPL. Got knocked out by Navy in both domestic cups. Was the first foreign team to win the Singapore Cup which was a slight saving grace.

CRUTD - Fantastic. After a slow start coming to terms with life in D1 in leg 1, had a fantastic leg 2 to steal in at the death and clinch the 3rd auto promo spot.


3. What was the best match you attended?

BG : Chonburi 0 - 2 BGFC in the Toyota. Played well and had a load of fun.

CRUTD : The promotion match away to Customs was great for atmosphere but the match away to Air Force with about 6 games to go was a huge shot in the arm. A loss would have made it impossible and even a win still made the dream only a little bit more realistic. Went 1-0 down in 4 mins, but turned it around to win 3-1 and continued to win for the rest of the season.


4. What was the worst game?

Many BG games. Away to Osot was an appalling display and result, but the atmosphere was good and the Osot fans are great. 0-0 away to Pitchit was one of the worst game sever seen.

CRUTD - Only saw 2 in person so there wasn't one.


5. Who was your best player in 2010?

BGFC - Peerapong will get player of the season, I'm sure and yes he was much improved and had a decent season, but my in my view it's Takisawa.

CRUTD - Anusorn or Wasan.


6. Who is the TPL's best player?

Suchao Nutnum. Whatever anyone thinks of him, I think he is outstanding. Kawin as well.


7. Who was your team's unsung hero?

BGFC - Takisawa. Goes unnoticed in most games, but never does anything wrong. Our only consistent player of the season.

CRUTD - Teco the head coach. Not really unsung, but the players get most of the credit, yet he was behind the complete turnaround of CRUTD.


8. Does your team have a star of the future?

BG - Lots. The ones most likely to make a name soon are Wichiya and Surachet.

CRUTD - I don't know they squad that well but I'm hoping some of the Chiangrai Hills players make a name for themselves at CRUTD in the future.


9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most?

I don't dislike one team outright. I dislike certain elements of some teams such as teams with troublesome fans, diving teams. In my opinion there is one team that has a chip on it's shoulder and seems to think the world owes them, which gets on my wick... Just my opinion.


10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium?

Thai Port's PAT Stadium.


11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season?

28 in TPL, 4 TLC games, 2 CRUTD games and a couple of Air Force and Rose Asia games.


12. How has the TPL improved this year?

I suppose after the complete farce of the season, the crowds and interest still seem to be on the up as a whole.


13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve.

Lay out your rules and guidelines for the whole season and STICK TO THEM for all teams regardless of who they are. That's the first and most important one. There's no point saying anything else until they can get this basic one sorted.


14. What is your dream for 2011?

FAT gets it's house in order (laughable, I know).
BG make a decent attempt at the title.
CRUTD stay up and I get to see as many of their games as I humanly can.
BG Man retains the Mascot Running Challenge Trophy

[wolfman]

14. What is your dream for 2011?

CRUTD stay up and I get to see as many of their games as I humanly can.

I will lose all faith in superheroes if BG Man is unable to get the TPL to make last minute scheduling changes throughout the season that enable you to watch BG on Saturday, and CRU on Sunday every week

[jakartacasual]

only managed a pissy five tpl games all season but the commute is a bastard. oh plus saffc v mtu in play off, saffc v bg in singapore cup and three thai games at aff cup so 10 in total

1. Which TPL team do you support? - dont have one but used to live a short bus ride from thai port

2. How did they do in 2010?

3. What was the best match you attended? bg away to saffc in singapore cup. classic thai football with counter attcking football riping the hosts to shreds...

4. What was the worst game? if i was a thai fan i would say against lao and malaysia

5. Who was your best player in 2010?

6. Who is the TPL's best player?

7. Who was your team's unsung hero?

8. Does your team have a star of the future?

9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most? chula united - pink is so wrong. also police and army...time to move on guys.

10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium? pat stadium

11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season?

12. How has the TPL improved this year? not sure it has. the pre season was way too long, adding the league cup half way and adding the play offs at the last minute to help certain people arent the sign of an improving league, rather too many snouts at the trough

13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve. - serious? i dont want it to improve! following a football league organised by inspector clouseau and mr bean is way too entertaining. if i want serious i'd go back to england

14. What is your dream for 2011?

[thai in notts]

1. Which TPL team do you support? -  Pattaya Utd ( Bang Phra)

2. How did they do in 2010?  A respectable 6th

3. What was the best match you attended?  Chonburi away, a well earned draw

4. What was the worst game?  Pattaya v Bangkok United, dull uninspiring game

5. Who was your best player in 2010?  It is Ludovik

6. Who is the TPL's best player?  Kawin - MUFC

7. Who was your team's unsung hero? Anucha

8. Does your team have a star of the future? Anucha

9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most?   None in particular

10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium?  Nong Prue

11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season?  10

12. How has the TPL improved this year?  No improvement

13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve. - No

14. What is your dream for 2011? The same as 2010 - Watching entertaining football in a friendly enviroment

 
 
 
 

[lokomotive]

1. Which TPL team do you support? my second hometown

2. How did they do in 2010? pretty good.

3. What was the best match you attended? CFC v BGFC (TPL)

4. What was the worst game? none (I enjoyed every match for several reasons)

5. Who was your best player in 2010? it's still Michael

6. Who is the TPL's best player?  Kawin - Goal, Therdsak - Midfield, Kegne - Striker

7. Who was your team's unsung hero? n/a

8. Does your team have a star of the future? maybe, time will tell

9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most? n/a

10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium? PAT Stadium

11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season? 6

12. How has the TPL improved this year? improved a lot but stuck as well

13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve. three is not enough

14. What is your dream for 2011? my second home town team wins the TPL, I would fly over for that. 

[wolfman]

Looks like PAT is waaay out in front for favourite stadium. I'm surprised the new LEO and Yamaha, possibly even I-Mobile aren't getting a look in.

I haven't been to LEO, but it looks nice on telly, and Yamaha's interior is nice, and seems to have more cover if it rains than PAT. Perhaps it's the location factor?

I've read about the experiences at I-Mobile here, but what about the stadium itself?

[the_englishman]

Looks like PAT is waaay out in front for favourite stadium. I'm surprised the new LEO and Yamaha, possibly even I-Mobile aren't getting a look in.

I haven't been to LEO, but it looks nice on telly, and Yamaha's interior is nice, and seems to have more cover if it rains than PAT. Perhaps it's the location factor?

I've read about the experiences at I-Mobile here, but what about the stadium itself?

No rain cover and the away end is very far from the pitch.

[BKK73]

Looks like PAT is waaay out in front for favourite stadium. I'm surprised the new LEO and Yamaha, possibly even I-Mobile aren't getting a look in.

I haven't been to LEO, but it looks nice on telly, and Yamaha's interior is nice, and seems to have more cover if it rains than PAT. Perhaps it's the location factor?

I do enjoy going to the LEO when the ground isn't full to capacity. The last 3 times I've been  there, BG were hosting Chonburi, PEA and Thai Port. On each occasion the stadium was full and there seemed to be a lack of organisation in and around the stadium to deal with the large crowd. 

Yamaha is a nice stadium and the security have things well organised up there.

I haven't been to the I-mobile yet but I'd like to visit it someday.

[Vinnie]

Go on then...

1. Which RL team do you support? -  Nakhon Ratchasima FC

2. How did they do in 2010?  4th

3. What was the best match you attended?  Chaiyaphum away. A derby, large away support and the right result.

4. What was the worst game?  Yasothon (h), Buriram (h & a), Surin (h), Phuket (fa cup 1st round, a), Samut Songkhram (league cup, a). I could go on!

5. Who was your best player in 2010?  David le Bras and striker Thanawat–a real prospect.

6. Who is the TPL's best player?  Right now: Therdsak. In theory: Teerasil.

7. Who was your team's unsung hero? Left-back Sant Pimpaksorn. Received recognition of sorts for a very consistent season by playing for the 'RL All-Stars' in a match against Laos.

8. Does your team have a star of the future? Thanawat Sombatwirot

9. Which other RL team do you dislike the most? Phuket rub me up the wrong way, and Chaiyaphum after their walk-off.

10. Which is your favourite RL stadium?  Thammasat (Pathum Thani use it, I think.)

11. Approx how many RL games did you see this season? About 20, I think.

12. How has the RL improved this year? There are more teams–which is an improvement of sorts. More play-off places.

13. Name 3 areas where the RL still needs to improve. Ban walk-offs. Look at developing the Royal Cup into a fourth tier. Introduce RL-only League Cup.

14. What is your dream for 2011? The same as every year: Promotion

[the_englishman]

1. Which TPL team do you support?
Muangthong United

2. How did they do in 2010?
We won the league. Naturally, this is a great achievement but after being in the running for four trophies, winning just one - albeit the major domestic one - actually feels like a let down, even though it isn't.


3. What was the best match you attended?
The 4-1 win against Chonburi. That's when I knew for sure we were the best team in Thailand. The 2-0 home win in the AFC Cup comes a close second.


4. What was the worst game?
Several contenders here. The home games against Rayong and Pattaya were both dreadful in terms of the negative football on show from the opposition (no offence to fans of those two teams) Games against Chonburi (FA Cup final) and Buriram PEA away were sickeners, but each for different reasons.

5. Who was your best player in 2010?
So many names come close but I'd have to give it to Kawin. He's just too good for this league.

6. Who is the TPL's best player?
As per question 5.

7. Who was your team's unsung hero?
I'd say Panupong Wongsawa. Although he is hardly "unsung", a lot of his work goes unnoticed because a defender's job is less glamorous than that of midfielders and attackers.
 
8. Does your team have a star of the future?
Several. Ibrahim and Abdoul to name but two.

9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most?
Take a wild guess :-)

10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium?
I actually like the Police United Stadium a lot as well as our own.

11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season?
Every home game and most away games. I didn't keep count.

12. How has the TPL improved this year?
The organisation at the stadiums has improved marginally but otherwise, I'm not really sure. Awareness of Thai football has increased which is great.

13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve.
Discipline of players and respect for the ref. Organisation of fixtures and a reality check of the buffoons at the TFA.

14. What is your dream for 2011?
For absolutely no fan violence and everyone to enjoy their football.

[66svein]

1. Which TPL team do you support?  Bangkok United

2. How did they do in 2010?  Relegated

3. What was the best match you attended?  vs Thai Port at Bangkok University (1-1)

4. What was the worst game?  vs TTM at Thai Japanese (0-3)

9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most?  Pattaya after how they behaved on the pitch at Thai Japanese (0-1), and Buriram PEA because of how the owner uses money (buying support etc)
 
10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium?  Thai Japanese

11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season?  8 (5 games at home, 3 games away)

13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve.  A lot...

14. What is your dream for 2011?  Promotion toTPL

[binnsy]

TPL End of Season is almost upon us so let's have a fanatics review of our feelings on the season that was 2010. >

1. Which TPL team do you support? BURIRAM PEA
2. How did they do in 2010? FAIRLY WELL
3. What was the best match you attended? BANGKOK GLASS AWAY
4. What was the worst game? BANGKOK UNITED
5. Who was your best player in 2010? SUCHAO
6. Who is the TPL's best player? SUCHAO
7. Who was your team's unsung hero? SEDAYOU
8. Does your team have a star of the future? THEERATHON
9. Which other TPL team do you dislike the most? THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!!!! MUANG THONG
10. Which is your favourite TPL stadium? THAI PORT/BANGKOK GLASS.
11. Approx how many TPL games did you see this season? 20+
12. How has the TPL improved this year?
13. Name 3 areas where the TPL still needs to improve.BETTER REFS,MORE RESPECT FOR THE REFS FROM PLAYERS AND MANAGERS AND BETTER GROUNDS
14. What is your dream for 2011? Newin to buy MUANG THONG AND CLOSE EM DOWN.