Wiriya ninth coach to lose job
Only eight games into the 2018 season and already nearly half of the coaches in Thai League 1 have either been sacked or have resigned.
Wiriya Phaophan yesterday became the ninth club boss to be dismissed since February after overseeing Navy FC’s 4-0 defeat at the hands of Ratchaburi on Sunday.
A day after German Goran Barjaktarevic quit as Chonburi coach citing personal reasons, Wiriya was fired after Navy’s third league loss of the season left them just a point above the relegation zone.
Navy are currently 13th with nine points in the 18-team league and with five teams set to be relegated at the end of the season, the club’s executive board was forced to make changes to save their season.
Wiriya’s assistant Chamnan Phaekhuntod has been named as caretaker coach and his first game in charge is a trip to SCG Muang Thong United on Sunday.
Ratthee Vachirasirisant, Navy’s team manager, said the club had no other option after they managed just one win in their last five games.
“The executive board made the move to improve the team’s situation. We don’t have any problems with coach Wiriya, who will now look after the club’s academy. Chamnan Phaekhuntod will be caretaker coach for the time being,” said Ratthee.
“Right now we have nine points from eight matches. Our board wants at least another 11 points for the team to finish with 20 in the first half of the season. We want 20 more points in the second leg to get to 40, which is the target for our team to avoid the drop.
“We are still confident that we will remain in Thai League 1 next year.”
The other eight coaches who have either been axed or stepped down this season are Drago Mamic (Chainat), Christian Ziege and Rene Desaeyere (Ratchaburi), Totchtawan Sripan (Muang Thong), Joseph Ferre (Bangkok Glass), Scott Cooper (Police Tero), Sasom Pobprasert (Air Force) and Barjaktarevic (Chonburi).