Identifying the 'heavyweight' pillars of the Thai team
(Baonghean.vn) - Coach Alexandre Polking has breathed new life into the Thai national team and they are the only team to have won all four matches in the AFF Cup group stage. With their reserve team, they also easily beat host Singapore 2-0, leading Group A.
Unlike the Vietnamese team, coach Alexandre Polking did not get to choose his semi-final opponent. Therefore, the match between Thailand and Vietnam is considered an early final of the AFF Cup 2020, and the winner will have a better chance of lifting the Gold Cup.
“Record holder” Teerasil Dangda
Coach Alexandre Polking's most important card is veteran Teerasil Dangda, the player leading the list of top scorers at this year's AFF Cup with 4 goals. The 33-year-old Thai veteran has become the player with the most goals in the history of the tournament with 19 goals. Teerasil Dangda still has a chance to improve his record if the Vietnamese team cannot keep a close watch on this striker.
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Coach Alexandre Polking's most important card is veteran Teerasil Dangda. Photo: FAT |
Number 1 striker ofThailand teamhas the ability to play independently, choose good positions and take powerful shots. Teerasil Dangda plays without flashiness, runs creatively, and is ready to collide to create advantages to shoot the ball when there is space. Playing on Japanese football fields for many years has given him the inherent qualities of a real goalscorer. Que Ngoc Hai will have to work hard to stop Teerasil Dangda if he wants to reach the final.
Coach Alexandre Polking has a balanced squad in all three lines, the two full-back positions of Thailand are very mobile. In particular, left-back Theerathon often has moves into the middle in past matches. The appearance of No. 3, who is playing in J1.League, has helped the attacks of the Golden Temple team become more diverse and unpredictable. He was the one who created the assist for Teerasil Dangda to score the opening goal in the 2-1 win over the Philippines, a classy assist. In addition to his ability to take set-pieces, 31-year-old defender Bunmathan is also very comprehensive in attack and defense, based on his abundant physical strength.
Young Thai talent
If Coach Park discovered Hoang Duc, in a short time, Coach Alexandre Polking discovered Thanawat Suengchitthawo - a star player of Leicester City Club in England who is playing impressively in his first participation in the AFF Cup. Midfielder No. 12 Thanawat Suengchitthawo has played in 3 matches, including 2 appearances in the starting lineup and contributed 1 assist.
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| Thanawat is a shining star of Thailand. Photo: FBNV |
At just 21 years old, Thanawat is becoming an important player for coach Alexandre Polking. Playing on the right wing, he helps the Thai midfield become more solid and control the game better. Thanawat Suengchitthawon has been registered by Leicester City in the first team for the 2021/22 season. He made history in Thai football as the first player to be in the first team of a Premier League club.
Before Thanawat, Thailand only had Witthaya Laohakul playing for a club Hertha BSC (Germany) in the top 5 European leagues. Thai stars such as Suree Sukha, Teerasil Dangda or Kiatprawut Saiwaeo once went to Manchester City, but were not registered to play because they did not meet the paperwork procedures. According to the regulations of the English Football Association (FA), work permits are only granted to foreign players from the top 50 football countries in the world and must have played a certain number of matches for the national team of that country in the last 2 years.
This player born in 2000, who was once considered for the French youth team, is a quality addition to the midfield when Sarach Yooyen or Thitiphan Puangchan are not in their best form. Along with the talents Ekanit Panya, brothers Suphanat Mueanta and Supachok Sarachat, midfielder Thanawat Suengchitthawon has the opportunity to test his skills against the Vietnamese players./.