Thailand Premier League

[lokomotive]

But then this - Prajinburi, RBAC, Suphanburi and Naratiwat to enter playoffs with 3rd placed Div 2 Champions' League team(s) to decide who goes down.

Surely not.  

I don't get it. The two teams that finish third in each group? Or the team which is third place overall, i.e the best second-place finisher?

"Number one and two from group A and B of the Regional League Play-Offs will gain promotion as planned. But both teams are ranked third in the two play-off groups will have to battle with Prachinburi (Ranked 13) and Rattana Bundit (Ranked 14) from the Division for being number 17 and 18 in the 2011 Division 1. "

...taken from Quo Vadis Thai Premier League on thai-fussball.de

[Vinnie]

Phew! Thanks Loko. The lesson learned is that we should pay more attention to your website.

[wolfman]

But still.... the Champions' League finishes on Christmas Day. Will they still be deciding who gets into Div 1 for 2011 in 2011?

[lokomotive]

Extended League is to come, big press conference tomorrow.

[druryfire]

Extended League is to come, big press conference tomorrow.

I don't think they need a press conference. The whole world knows already what's happening.

Any chance a brave journo (Tor) might ask what the rules will be? Maybe everyone can play each other four times? Just a suggestion.

[SriRachaShark]

Extended League is to come, big press conference tomorrow.

I don't think they need a press conference. The whole world knows already what's happening.

Any chance a brave journo (Tor) might ask what the rules will be? Maybe everyone can play each other four times? Just a suggestion.

If I'd have known in good time, I would have gone along tomorrow. Surely someone on here can make it and ask a couple of questions.

[druryfire]

Extended League is to come, big press conference tomorrow.

I don't think they need a press conference. The whole world knows already what's happening.

Any chance a brave journo (Tor) might ask what the rules will be? Maybe everyone can play each other four times? Just a suggestion.

If I'd have known in good time, I would have gone along tomorrow. Surely someone on here can make it and ask a couple of questions.

I don't think they would entertain the 'farang' asking questions.

It doesn't surprise me that they rush through a press conference, just a pity that all the players that take the game seriously will be in China so they won't know whats happening when they get back.

Hopefully someone will ask serious questions and point out that we have struggled to arrange a 30 game season first, thrown in a few cups which are expected to be played when half the decent talent that actually brings in a crowd will be in China and the other half kind of have a AFF Cup to think about. Never mind, expect Thailand to get knocked out of the AFF Cup early and then wonder why the players are so bloody withdrawn from football, or probably couldn't even tell you what competition they were in mistaking it for a meaningless TLC kick about.

[Vinnie]

Not one but two!! My source within the club says that both Tero and TOT are going to move to Korat!! These two rather pointless clubs are doing the football equivalent of splitting the vote in politics. A lower mid-table TOT would have struggled to attract more than a couple of thousand without the presence of another TPL club in town. Good luck to the pair of them; they're going to need it.

All of which means Nakhon Ratchasima F.C will be booted out of the SEA Games Stadium. Am I bothered? Not at all. We will have to move back to the Army Stadium - an 8,000 capacity ground in the city centre - whilst the two parasitic invaders will use the out-of-town 20,000 seater SEA games Stadium.
With the right promotion, an easily accessible city centre ground and the fact that we will be camped in the top two next season, our attendances will comfortably outstrip those of the two homeless drifters.

[the_englishman]

Tero are moving?! You sure?

[Vinnie]

Tero are moving?! You sure?

I'm not sure they are moving but I'm sure they want to move.

[the_englishman]

I hope they don't. I like Tero and they get decent support in the Big Mango. Why move?

[Vinnie]

I hope they don't. I like Tero and they get decent support in the Big Mango. Why move?

The Tero-to-Korat story isn't new in itself - they were rumoured to be on the move this time last year - the difference this time round is that Suwat 'Newin-lite' Liptapanlop has openly stated (actually it was privately stated but I've decided to make it public) that he wants to move the club to Korat.

[druryfire]

Not one but two!! My source within the club says that both Tero and TOT are going to move to Korat!! These two rather pointless clubs are doing the football equivalent of splitting the vote in politics. A lower mid-table TOT would have struggled to attract more than a couple of thousand without the presence of another TPL club in town. Good luck to the pair of them; they're going to need it.

All of which means Nakhon Ratchasima F.C will be booted out of the SEA Games Stadium. Am I bothered? Not at all. We will have to move back to the Army Stadium - an 8,000 capacity ground in the city centre - whilst the two parasitic invaders will use the out-of-town 20,000 seater SEA games Stadium.
With the right promotion, an easily accessible city centre ground and the fact that we will be camped in the top two next season, our attendances will comfortably outstrip those of the two homeless drifters.

So at this rate there will be more teams playing in Korat than there will be playing in Bangkok!

[lokomotive]

Extended League is to come, big press conference tomorrow.

Any news??

No not yet. I was waitin' the whole day. Maybe they postponed it because Vijit just came back from Malaysia today.

[wolfman]

The end of season management merry-go-round continues:

As mentioned by Glenn in another thread, Pattaya's Tawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul is off to Police Utd, although I'm still not sure it's a done deal.

Police's former coach, Chaiyong Kambiem has moved to Buriram FC, assisting Apapon Busabakom last weekend away to Chiang Mai.
 
TTM Phichit haven't extended Jose Alves Bervis' contract. They have appointed Korean Myeong Ho-Bae.

A brief summary of Myeong's career:

1990-94: Played for Dusseldorf
1991-92: Coached Hilden (Germany)
This doesn't make much sense, but Loko can probably clear things up.

1996-98: Member of a KFA sub-committee
1999-2000: Coached Jeonbuk Hyundae Motors
2001-02: Coached Busan Hyundai??
2000-02: Member of KFA Technical Committee
2003: Pohang Steelers (Coach)
2005: Portsmouth Reserves, England (Coach)
2006: Korea University (Coach)
2007-08: Coach of Ulsan Hyundai

The team from Busan were the Icons in 2001/02, and the Hyundai team in that corner of Korea is Ulsan, so a possible typo there. However, when I turned to wikipedia to check I couldn't find him listed as a former manager at either club. I can't find him at Pohang either. Perhaps he hasn't been a Head Coach/Manager, but simply a part of the coaching staff.     

[wolfman]

Also, Dr Vijit has announced the transfer window will be open from 6 December until 10 February.

Also penalties & fines have been announced for next season:

Each Yellow Card is worth 2 demerit points (no change), and 3 yellows will now result in a 1 match ban and a 4000 baht fine.
6 Yellows = 2 matches and 8000 bt
9 Yellows = 3 matches and 16000 bt

[lokomotive]

..and don't forget outage of floodlight during a match can coast you between 50 and 100k.

[lokomotive]

@ wolf in regards to this Korean guy. Sorry, there is absolutely nothing about him. A friend of mine and I we even checked the Kicker season issues. But nothing about him.

[jakartacasual]

dont remember any korean playing for fortuna dusseldorf early 90s which was my time in germany. obviously cant remember every player from that time but even then asians would have stuck in the memory. after all i recall a korean playing for eintracht frankfurt called bum

[lokomotive]

dont remember any korean playing for fortuna dusseldorf early 90s which was my time in germany. obviously cant remember every player from that time but even then asians would have stuck in the memory. after all i recall a korean playing for eintracht frankfurt called bum

*lol* I guess you are talking about Bum Kun Cha. Coach of Suwon Bluewings nowadys. His son used to play in the Bundesliga as well.

[wolfman]

I can't find anything on the guy. I am taking the Thai version of his name, converting to English and using Google, but the best I can come up with is an MMA fighter.

As for Koreans in Germany, I think Cha Bum-keun also played for Bayer Leverkusen. He stepped down as manager of Suwon midway through this season, and I'm not sure where he is now. His son Cha Du-Ri was at Armenia Bielefeld post-2002 World Cup, and also played at Eintracht Frankfurt. I think he signed for Celtic after this year's World Cup. Cha the younger is interesting as he began his career as a striker, but is now a fullback, and has played World Cups in both positions.

[Tobi]

i just made the draw:

BU
Songkla
Airforce

Sisaket
Army
Nakhon Pathom

[SriRachaShark]

It`s finally official!! 18 teams in TPL 2011.

How to decide the 2 teams who will play in TPL next season:
There will be 2 groups with 3 teams and the winners of the groups will play in TPL 2011.
Sisaket and Bangkok United are seeded and will not play in the same group. The 4 other teams will be drawn randomly. Each team will play the others both home and away.

The draw will be made on November 17th, and the games will be played on weekends in December.

And then the winners of each group will enter a round robin tournament with the the two losing FA Cup semi finalists. The team who finish top of this group will play themselves to determine whether or not they will be in next season's TPL.

Meanwhile, the four other teams will place large amounts of cash in brown envelopes, which they will stash behind the bins outside the TPL offices. The team which leaves the most money will gain automatic promotion to the top division and earn the right to compete in the 2012 AFC Champions League.

[Vinnie]

It`s finally official!! 18 teams in TPL 2011.

How to decide the 2 teams who will play in TPL next season:
There will be 2 groups with 3 teams and the winners of the groups will play in TPL 2011.
Sisaket and Bangkok United are seeded and will not play in the same group. The 4 other teams will be drawn randomly. Each team will play the others both home and away.

The draw will be made on November 17th, and the games will be played on weekends in December.

And then the winners of each group will enter a round robin tournament with the the two losing FA Cup semi finalists. The team who finish top of this group will play themselves to determine whether or not they will be in next season's TPL.

Meanwhile, the four other teams will place large amounts of cash in brown envelopes, which they will stash behind the bins outside the TPL offices. The team which leaves the most money will gain automatic promotion to the top division and earn the right to compete in the 2012 AFC Champions League.

And under-supported TPL clubs that move to provincial cities will be given immunity from relegation.

[druryfire]

Great this expansion lark. We have 6 teams, 3 who weren't good enough to stay in the TPL and 3 that weren't good enough to get promoted to the TPL. So either way, we still have crap teams in the top flight next year.

Wouldn't surprise me if Bangkok 'stay up' and win the league next year.

Also wouldn't surprise me if Songkhla fail to get promotion and relocate, probably to Korat and then buy out the franchise of a team that did get promoted.

[druryfire]

i just made the draw:

BU
Songkla
Airforce

Sisaket
Army
Nakhon Pathom

Is this an official draw or a draw along the lines of what i did when i was 10? Paper in hats?

[wolfman]

]

Wouldn't surprise me if Bangkok 'stay up' and win the league next year.

Yes, and no.
I think we all know who is going to win the the league next year.

How good or bad the 2 teams, who gets the 2 available spots in TPL 2011, will be next season is something nobody knows now.
If they waited one year before the expansion it would still be "3 who weren't good enough to stay in the TPL and 3 that weren't good enough to get promoted to the TPL" in the play-off, or only 1 or 2 directly relegated or 4 or 5 directly promoted, if no play-off.

If they did it properly next year, it might not necessarily be '3 teams not good enough to stay up & 3 teams not good enough to come up'. It could be stated simply at the beginning of the  season that 2 would be relegated and 4 come up, (or 1 & 3). Therefore the 18 teams in 2012 would be made up of clubs good enough to stay up, and good enough to get promoted, although I agree with the sentiment that the overall quality may be diluted somewhat.

[glenn_pattaya]

I think we all know who is going to win the the league next year.

You mean unlike this year and last year??? 

[druryfire]

Why do they need to do a draw for the playoffs?

Couldn't the final league positions of sorted who played who?

[druryfire]

I don't know what i think about this expansion. In my honest opinion, I think the TPL need to reduce the number of teams from 16 back to 12.

Currently we seem to have many leagues in our current 16 team divisions. We have a top two - MYU and CFC - which you may well add PEA and BKK Glass to the list.

We then have a mid table selection - your TP's, Pattaya's, Osotspa for example and then the bottom lot. All TPL are doing is adding another two teams to the bottom lot.

Personally I'd like to see a 12 team league where everyone plays home and away and then split top 6 and bottom 6 into two more groups. My idea comes from Scotland. Do the likes of MTU and Chonburi really need an extra 4 matches to there already overcrowded calendars?

If the TPL does promotion/relegation competitions, then how long will it take them to implement it at the top end of the table? Then again, I guess last years Super Cup was there idea.

[SriRachaShark]

If this was a case of raising standards or trying to improve the domestic game, there is certainly a case for reducing the number of clubs in the TPL. And introducing much tighter regulations on grounds, improved refereeing etc etc. However, I rather fear it's all about snouts in the trough.

[the_englishman]

However, I rather fear it's all about snouts in the trough.

Of course.

[glenn_pattaya]

I quite like the expansion idea - more football and more parts of Thailand seeing Premier League football. The point about diluting the quality of the league doesn't hold up for me - the league is  desperately lopsided anyway - MT had the league wrapped up at half way - how many games have they lost in the last 3 years??

[druryfire]

But thats the point Glenn, the league is lopsided, so why add more teams to make it even mor lopsided.

I think most of us agreed that Div1 was more interesting in the 2nd half of the season so it will be interesting to see what effects it has on this league next year. We are seriously talking that the team that came 6th this year could storm away to the championsip or a team that came 12th now have better odds of going up in the future, probably only to get found out big style the season after

[glenn_pattaya]

That's my point as well. The lopsided league means few teams i.e one this year and maybe two next year have a chance of winning the league - so why not give the rest of us also rans more football to see, in different parts of the country maybe more younger players coming through, create new rivalries.  Why not stretch the squads of the rich teams so so just possibly they cannot win everything year in and year out.

[druryfire]

That's my point as well. The lopsided league means few teams i.e one this year and maybe two next year have a chance of winning the league - so why not give the rest of us also rans more football to see, in different parts of the country maybe more younger players coming through, create new rivalries.  Why not stretch the squads of the rich teams so so just possibly they cannot win everything year in and year out.

I could counter argue that Glenn and say that the squads of the rich teams have been strectched this year. I've never seen a team like MTU for example play on so many fronts, it could be argued playing so many meaningless games in the domestic calendar actually harmed there chances of winning the AFC Cup, so it's Thailand who suffer in the ong run.

As for the expansion, the likelyhood is that all we will get is two teams from Bangkok and one team from probably an hours drive away from Bangkok. As for watching football in the different parts of the country, well, yes, us insane English folk would, but the locals aren't that bothered to up sticks further north or south.

I see were your coming from Glenn, but TPL have to realise that you play TPL on merit, not on open backdoors.

[druryfire]

@ wolf in regards to this Korean guy. Sorry, there is absolutely nothing about him. A friend of mine and I we even checked the Kicker season issues. But nothing about him.

I can't find anything on this guy either, also to add to this, the Jeonbuk coach in 99-00 was a Choi Man-Hee. I think we have an fake in the TPL and it's up to our hero's, BGMan, Buriram Man, Teco, to sound them out.

[SriRachaShark]

I quite like the expansion idea - more football and more parts of Thailand seeing Premier League football. The point about diluting the quality of the league doesn't hold up for me - the league is  desperately lopsided anyway - MT had the league wrapped up at half way - how many games have they lost in the last 3 years??

They've lost nine in the last three years. The same number as Chonburi. However, all our defeats were in the TPL. Three of MT's were in Division One in 2008.

[wolfman]

It`s finally official!! 18 teams in TPL 2011.

How to decide the 2 teams who will play in TPL next season:
There will be 2 groups with 3 teams and the winners of the groups will play in TPL 2011.
Sisaket and Bangkok United are seeded and will not play in the same group. The 4 other teams will be drawn randomly. Each team will play the others both home and away.

The draw will be made on November 17th, and the games will be played on weekends in December.

I'm reading an article now that gives yet another format:

Bangkok Truenited & Connected Si Saket (as highest ranked teams) are seeded in to a 2nd round. In the 1st round, Army (3rd seed) play Air Force (6th), while Songkla (4th) meet Nakon Patom (5th) in a knockout format.
The winners will then be drawn against the top 2 sides, & the winners of these match-ups will play TPL next season.

[wolfman]

A brief history of the league resizing since 1997. (from the same article)

1997 (Thai League 1): 18 teams
1998 - 2002 (Leagues 2-6): 12 teams
2003 - 2005 (Leagues 7-9): 10 teams
2006 (League 10): Back to 12
2007-2010 (Leagues  11-14): 16 teams

On the same topic, Division 1 could be very interesting next season, with possibly 9 of its 18 sides being newly promoted or relegated clubs.

[Tobi]

The 2 Play Odd Groups:

Group A: Sisaket, Airforce, Nakhon Pathom
Group B: Bangkok United, Songkla, Army

[wolfman]

Looks like my source was out-of date. Shame -  I was hoping the different formats would get drawn out in some kind of playoff, before the teams were, just to drag things out even more.

Anyway, here is the schedule:
Sat 27 Nov: Airforce v Si Saket (Dupatemi 1730), Bangkok v Army (Bangkok Uni, Rangsit, 1800)

Sat 4 Dec: Si Saket v Nakon Patom, Army v Songkla

Thur 9th: Songkla v Bangkok

Sat 11th: Nakon Patom v Air Force

Tues 13th: Army v Bangkok  

Sat 18th: Air Force v Nakon Patom, Songkla v Army

Sat 25th: Nakon Patom v Si Saket, Bangkok v Songkla

Friday 31st: Si Saket v Air Force

Fixed (Group A, 11 Dec)

Oh, and it's the two group winners who go/stay up.  

[BKK73]

The Bkk Utd, Songkla and Army group will be a close one to call. From the other group, Si Saket will certainly start as favorites.

I'd like to see the Army and Air Force stay/go up but I predict the group winners will be Si Saket and Songkla.

[SriRachaShark]

It's funny to think with all this going on, that this time last year the new season's fixtures had already been out for three weeks.

[Vinnie]

Someone lend me a million pounds so I can stick it on Sisaket and BU.

[wolfman]

I'm sure I read that the post/pre-season transfer window doesn't open until 6 December, but there seem to be deals going on already. We already know about Anucha going from Pattaya to Chonburi, and I've just read today of a Chonburi player moving out, and Samut Songkram are negotiating with former Brazilian international Ailton. Will the TPL step in and slap clubs on the wrists?
Honestly, I don't really see the point of an opening date. The league is over (and the bits that aren't, won't be until well after the 6th), teams should be able to trade and transfer now until the cut-off date in February.

[Félix]

Yes BEC Tero already get Mika Chunuonsee (Customs FC) and Supachai Phupa (Canthaburi FC).
I heard Anon may leave, Buriram PEA is interest because Pipat return to Indonesia. MTU want to exchange Anon for 3 players (i heard name of Narongchai, Pakasit and Thanongsak). MTU wants Sarayoot if they can't get Anon because Koné is going to Belgium as i heard.

[druryfire]

I'm sure I read that the post/pre-season transfer window doesn't open until 6 December, but there seem to be deals going on already. We already know about Anucha going from Pattaya to Chonburi, and I've just read today of a Chonburi player moving out, and Samut Songkram are negotiating with former Brazilian international Ailton. Will the TPL step in and slap clubs on the wrists?
Honestly, I don't really see the point of an opening date. The league is over (and the bits that aren't, won't be until well after the 6th), teams should be able to trade and transfer now until the cut-off date in February.

You can sign players all year, but unless they are out of contract with their last club, they won`t get permission to play before the transferwindow opens. Every country is like this (FIFA-rules).

Clubs involved in the TPL play-off next month can`t use any new players in those games. They can use all the players they used this season, unless they have been confirmed by the FA as a new player at another club.

What happens for the clubs who loaned players, these players would normally have had there contract terminated at the end of the last league game, so surely they won't be available for the playoffs as they couldn't be re-signed? If any loan players continue to play in the playoffs then we know the rules have been amended or some clubs knew playoffs were coming and extended the loan contracts

[druryfire]

The Bkk Utd, Songkla and Army group will be a close one to call. From the other group, Si Saket will certainly start as favorites.

I'd like to see the Army and Air Force stay/go up but I predict the group winners will be Si Saket and Songkla.

I'd like to see Songkhla go up, but i fear that they will be out of their depth in the TPL. So another year in Div 1 might be better for the team's development as a whole, although saying this, Div 1 could be rather weak due to the number of team changes.

I would like to see Bkk Utd stay up, if only to keep the capital team in there, but if they do then they must get there act together next season, sort out a ground and really try to get a fanbase on the go. I'd also like to see the AF back to the top flight. I think AF could be like the Police and hold there own in there.

[lokomotive]

Samut Songkram are negotiating with former Brazilian international Ailton.

I am not sure about that. And I think I made it clear in my News Flash.