Newin Chidchob is not only one of Thailand’s best known politicians, he is now also one of the most famous and successful operators in Thai football.
He took over Thai Premier League side Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) in 2010 and moved the club’s base from Ayutthaya to his home province of Buri Ram – renaming the club Buriram PEA along the way.
His initial aim was to lead the Thunder Castle to all available domestic titles and later the continental crown. And last season, in just their second term, Buriram PEA won the TPL title, FA Cup and League Cup.
Now the AFC Champions League (ACL) trophy is not just an impossible dream as Buriram look set to advance to the knockout stages of the continent’s premier club competition following two impressive wins in their first two games in the ‘Group of Death.’
Buriram edged Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol 3-2 at home and shocked big-spending Guangzhou Evergrande 2-1 in China on Wednesday.
The Chinese champions were seen as heavy favourites but Newin’s men outplayed them and neutralised an attack led by Argentine midfielder Dario Conca, the highest paid footballer in China, who reportedly receives an annual salary of USD 10.4 million.
“Anything can happen after we progress past the group phrase,” said Newin after the match. “We played with confidence and the players were effective and stuck to our tactics.
“The two wins were no fluke. We have played against two of Asia’s leading sides and our players now have more confidence. We can now play against any team with confidence.”
Man-of-the-Match Frank Acheampong tormented Guangzhou’s defenders throughout the encounter. The 18-year-old won a penalty which was converted by Suchao Nutnum for Buriram’s opening goal at Tianhe stadium and he also scored the winner after the Chinese side had equalised.
Dubbed ‘Ghana’s Messi’ in his home country, Newin confirmed that Buriram had received an offer from Bundesliga side Borussia Moenchengladbach last year.
“The offered fee was less than USD 1 million,” Newin said. “Acheampong is worth more than that. Guangzhou’s three foreign players are valued at more than THB 1 billion (USD33 million) so his price tag should be higher than that.”
Following his dazzling performance, he is now known in Guangzhou as the ‘No.30 player.’ Like most ambitious and skilful players, the Ghanaian’s dream is to play in Europe and Newin said he would not stand in Acheampong’s way if a European club came in and offered the right fee.
Acheampong and Cameroon junior international Franck Ohandza have formed a lethal front line at Buriram and are dubbed the ‘Two Franks.’ Acheampong joined Buriram as a 16-year-old two years ago and he now calls Newin ‘dad’ and his wife Karuna ‘mom’.
Newin also praised defender Prathum Chuthong whom he rates as one of Thailand’s top three centre backs.
“The national side should change their player selection criteria,” said Newin. “But it is good for us that Prathum is not a regular in the national team.”
However, the defender could soon be in Thailand’s starting line-up as his fine performance was witnessed by national coach Winfried Schaefer who was at the stadium.
Buriram’s secret behind the win in Guangzhou was ‘six seconds’ – the players were told to win back the ball within six seconds after losing possession.
The Thunder Castle’s next ACL match is at home to South Korea’s Joenbuk Hyundai Motors, last season’s ACL runners-up, at their New I-Mobile stadium on 4 Apri. Joenbuk have had an embarrassing start in the ACL this season with a 4-1 home defeat against Guangzhou and a 5-1 loss to Kashiwa Reysol.
And Newin has sent a warning to the Koreans.
“They will visit us in April. With their current form and the hot weather, I’m afraid that they could be thrashed 6-0,” said Newin.
Backed by funds from Newin’s associates, Buriram are one of the richest clubs in Thailand. They are also one of the best-supported teams led by arguably the country’s No.1 cheerleader, Newin’s wife Karuna, who also helps her husband run the club and look after the players.
Some 100 supporters travelled to Guangzhou with the team, who charged them THB 19,000 (USD 618) per person for a four-day stay. They had to take a bus shortly before midnight to catch a morning flight to China from Suvarnabhumi airport.
Buriram are favourites to retain the TPL title this season although they have to cope with the league’s new 3+1 rule (three non-Asians and one Asian on the pitch at the same time) which is in line with the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) regulations.
The TPL’s previous rule allowed each side to have five foreign players on the pitch at the same time and it was feared that Buriram could be affected by the 3+1 rule as they often fielded five foreign players.
Buriram have since sold a couple of their overseas players and their three starting foreigners are now Acheampong, Ohandza and defender Herman Ekwalla of Cameroon plus they have also brought in midfielder Askar Jadigerov of Uzbekistan who can play as an Asian player.
Newin said the 3+1 rule did not affect his team as he also has several good Thai players in the squad. The former Cabinet minister, who will finish a five-year political suspension next month, has reiterated that his foreign players are ‘real deals’.
While Jadigerov has had a creditable run since joining Buriram recently, Newin said he needed at least another two months to regain peak fitness.
Asked about his aim this season, Newin said: “We aim to retain all the titles we won last season. As for the Champions League, anything can happen.”
And when he asked which side he fears the most, Newin promptly replied: “Buriram. We have to fight ourselves.”
Buriram’s academy is also a success and several players from the academy are training at English Championship side Leicester. Newin believes other TPL clubs cannot just wait to find ‘white elephants’ by chance but have to create their own players like Buriram are doing.
He said some of his young players would be good enough to play in Japan or South Korea in three to five years and his ultimate ambition is to create an all-conquering ‘Dream Team’.
“Our opponents should know what we are doing if they are to fight us. You have to act and not just sit and dream,” he said. “I want everyone to follow us. I will be happy to see all stadiums packed. I want the TPL to be here to stay and not be like a flower that wilts very quickly.”
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
