Totchtawan ready to face the axe
Kirins set to sign two big names to stop rot
SCG Muang Thong United coach Totchtawan Sripan faces an uncertain future after the Kirins suffered their fifth consecutive defeat on Tuesday night.
The Thai champions are on the verge of elimination after a 3-1 home loss to Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the last-16 first leg of the AFC Champions League.
The Kirins, who are playing in the knockout stage of t he continental club championship for the first time, will meet Kawasaki in the second leg next Wednesday.
At SCG Stadium, Teerasil Dangda opened the scoring just before half-time only for the Japanese side to hit back with three goals in the second half through Kengo Nakamura (66th minute), Yu Kobayashi (69) and Hiroyuki Abe (87).
After the match, Totchtawan said he was ready to face consequences.
“If the fans and [Muang Thong’s] executive board are not happy with my performance, then they can make a decision,’’ he said.
“I am ready to shoulder responsibility.” He said his players were too tired to play the full 90 minutes and made too many mistakes in defence.
“We played well in the first 60 minutes but after that we looked tired. We have no excuse. I can’t blame anyone because we all have to shoulder responsibility as a team,’’ Totchtawan said.
He said his players had played too many games in a row and that he had few options because several players are injured.
“I have tried but I don’t know how to solve the problem,” the coach said.
Muang Thong’s slump began when they lost to Kashima Antlers in Japan in their last group game of the AFC Champions League.
The match was relatively meaningless as both teams had already booked places in the next round.
Muang Thong have since lost three Thai League 1 matches, letting their seven-point lead evaporate.
They are now joint leaders along with bitter rivals Buriram United.
Meanwhile, Ubon UMT striker Sirod Chatthong underwent a medical at Bangkok Hospital yesterday as he reportedly has agreed a move to Muang Thong.
Suphanburi midfielder Charyl Chappuis is also reportedly close to joining the struggling Kirins.
Muang Thong have signed forward Heberty Fernandes who will be eligible to play in the second half of the season which starts next month.
BBCU FINED AND BANNED
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) yesterday fined BBCU one million baht and banned them from all competitions for two years after they withdrew from Thai League 2.
The team said they could not continue playing because of financial problems.
The FAT’s disciplinary committee said it was against the rules for a team to withdrew from a league after the season has begun.
The panel also said the club could face lawsuits from other teams.
ZICO ‘FRIEND OF UNICEF’
Former Thailand coach Kiatisak ‘Zico’ Senamuang and three other people were yesterday appointed as ‘Friends of Unicef’.
The other three are actresses Davika ‘Mai’ Hoorne and Vanessa ‘Noodee’ Race, and actor and singer Pachara ‘Peach’ Chirathivat.
Kiatisak said he was proud and ready to help children.
He said he had received offers from several foreign clubs but had not yet made a decision.