REID SAGA CONTINUES

Stoke City’s Tony Pulis had admitted earlier this week of his interest in signing Reid to be his new No. 2 following the departure of David Kemp to move to South America as part of the club’s scouting network.

But Worawi, who is currently in England as guest of the English FA, admitted that he had talked to the former Sunderland and Leeds manager and the latter had confirmed that he will return to Thailand.

“I spoke to him on the phone and he says he wants to continue as Thailand’s coach,” said Dato Worawi.

“Once everything was sorted out with the Thai FA, which was important because I did have three years left on a deal there and I did not want to upset anyone there, I was delighted to say yes and be part of it (Stoke),” Reid was quoted to BBC Radio Stoke on Wednesday.

“I enjoyed it there. The players are technically very, very good. It’s a great place to live in terms of the culture and the climate. But the Premier League is the greatest league in the world and I’m English through and through. Even though it was very difficult to leave, it was always my ambition to come back here and work.”

Worawi said that he will meet with in person to get a clear-cut answer from him.

“I will ask him to make it clear. It will be an end to the confusing matter if he says he wants to continue coaching Thailand,” added Worawi.

“But if he wants to terminate the contract (he signed last September), then I can’t do anything.”

In Bangkok, FAT secretary-general Ong-art Kosinkha said that Reid’s assistant Steve Darby would be the front-runner to replace Reid if he decide to leave.