TALISMANIC ‘ZICO’

He helped Thailand win the title on the three occasions he played in the region’s top tournament – in 1996, 2000 and 2002.

The two times he missed the competition, in 1998 and 2004, the Thais failed to bring back the trophy.

In the 1996 Asean Football Championship (then known as the Tiger Cup), he was the star of the so-called Thailand “Dream Team” and scored the winner in the final against Malaysia.

After missing the 1998 tournament, he returned with a bang in 2000 on home soil where he was instrumental in leading Thailand to the title and was named ‘Player of the Tournament’.

He did not play in the disastrous 2004 campaign when the ‘Young Bloods’ failed to reach the semis.

The veteran forward is back for the Asean Football Championship after a couple of years in the international wilderness and marked his return to the fold with two goals against Singapore in last month’s King’s Cup, which Thailand went on to win with a 3-1 victory over Vietnam.

The return of the legend, who has scored more than 60 goals for his country, has instilled a sense of belief in the Thai team and their passionate fans.

The game in Thailand hit a low point two years ago when the three-time winners did not qualify for the knockout stages of the Asean Football Championship but their recent displays in the King’s Cup have seen them being installed as favourites for this year’s tournament.

Kiatisuk, who has played club football in Thailand, Singapore, England and Vietnam during a glittering career, believes that Myanmar will be Thailand’s toughest opponents in Group A which also includes Malaysia and the Philippines.

“The strongest opponents are Myanmar as they won the Merdeka Cup (in Malaysia) last year while Malaysia and the Philippines can be managed,” he told The Nation ahead of Thailand’s match against Myanmar on Friday.

The modest 33-year-old added that he did not like to be labelled as the saviour of Thai football.
“When I play in the Asean Football Championship, it doesn’t mean we’ll be successful. That is because football is a team sport not an individual one. If it was an individual sport, I could have won only a few matches,” he commented.

“In fact, what I can do for the team is to use my experience in controlling the play, passing the ball for goal attempts and encouraging the players.”

Thailand team manager Thavatchai Sajakul is in no doubt that Kiatisuk can work his magic once again in the Asean Football Championship.

“He proved in the King’s Cup that he can still play well,” he said.

“He is the best player Thailand has produced in the modern era.”