Thai squad ready for England training
The Thai national football team has begun their training for the 2010 World Cup qualification and is looking forward to training in England with Manchester City before their opener against Japan in Tokyo in February.
The team has been preparing at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok and is looking forward to training with Manchester City Football Club, which is currently owned by the former Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.
The trip is the brainchild of Mr Thaksin which will be sponsored by his firm, Thaicom Foundation.
The president of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), Worawi Makudi, has agreed that the training in England will help the squad prepare better for their group phase of Asia's qualification.
‘We hope the training in Manchester will be useful’ says Worawi. He goes on to say ‘playing Japan first is tough so we must be well-prepared.’
Thailand coach, Chanvit Phalajivin, is also upbeat with the training in England and would like his players see how professional players go about their daily training. The winter climate in the UK will also help the Thai squad to acclimatize to the cool Japanese weather.
The top two teams of all five groups will reach the World Cup Finals. As part of Asian qualifying, Thailand are grouped with Japan, Oman and Bahrain.
The game against Japan will be in Tokyo on February 6 and Worawi and Chanvit believe their men are good enough to come away with a point.
Three of the Thai national football side already have contracts with Manchester City - Suree Sukha, Teerasil Dangda and Kiatprawut Saiwaew's - which began on January 1.