BURIRAM UNITED.

[binnsy]

It turns out that the Muang Thong keeper has left hospital but he has had a dodgy heartbeat for 3 to 4 years so I am amazed that he was even on a football pitch.Hope they have the sense to sort his heartbeat out before he makes a return.

[CO-CO]

Missed last nights game as well.

Fucked if I was going to walk nearly 2km to the ground in the rain AND put up with the traffic fiasco after the game.

Never mind Ray,if you were as fit as me 2km is chicken feed!

Yes Nookie, remind me to come over and get some tips from you 

You go past the bottom of the road often enough..........Spare 5 minutes for Nookies 'free' tuiton!!

The times I go past the end of your road you are either in Pattaya, Nang Rong or dipping somewhere off-piste !!

[candy]

 



Cooper: Buriram want to win it all

The AFC Champions League is normally headlined by clubs from a handful of nations, but this year has seen a change to the status quo. Under Englishman Scott Cooper, Thai Premier League giants Buriram United have enjoyed a series of breakthrough results.

Following his appointment as head coach in May, Cooper immediately got his tenure off to a perfect start with back-to-back victories against the likes of Samut Songkhram and Osotspa in the Thai league. However, it was their performances on the Asian scene that raised eyebrows across the continent.

Having assisted former mentor Attaphol Buspakom through this year's AFC Champions League group campaign, the 41-year-old stole the show as his side stunned two-time semi-finalists Bunyodkor 2-1 in the Round of 16 at home.

They went on to complete what should be the biggest upset of this year's campaign by holding the Uzbek giants to a goalless draw in the return in Tashkent, a result which saw Cooper's unfancied side reach the last eight in unexpected fashion.

It was a great achievement, not only for our club but also for Thai football in general.


"I think it was a great achievement, not only for our club but also for Thai football in general," the former Leicester City youth coach told FIFA.com, citing the fact that Buriram became the first Thai side to reach the knockout stage in a decade since BEC Tero Sasana in 2003. "It would be nice to see clubs from this country consistently making it through to the group stages on a regular basis."

"(Against Bunyodkor) we saw how people had written us off before a ball had been kicked. We knew they were a strong team and we respected them, but we didn't fear them and were absolutely confident we could play well and proceed. We were well-prepared and I think we got our strategy right. It proved that we have the ability and flair, as well as the organisation and togetherness, which is what took us through."

Iranian test
 In their Asian debut last year Buriram took the group phase by surprise with their fluid play and lightning counter-attacks, opening with victories over Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol and Chinese big-spenders Guangzhou Evergrande. But their lack of experience and consistency cost them dearly and they eventually crashed out in the group stage.

Entering this year's Champions League qualifying play-off as Thai FA Cup winners, they eliminated highly-regarded A-League champions Brisbane Roar on penalties to seal their second continental appearance. In the subsequent group competition, Buriram racked up four draws and a win to progress alongside section winners FC Seoul.

Their victory over Bunyodkor has set up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against in-form Esteghlal. The Iranian champions and two-time Asian winners won their group in style, before knocking out Al Shabab Al Arabi 4-2 on aggregate in the Round of 16.

"Esteghlal are a strong team with plenty of experience," Cooper said assessing their rivals. "They are an excellent club who enjoy fantastic support. I am sure the two legs will be tense and very tactical as both sides are organised and have great fan support. Our opponents demonstrated their qualities during the group phase and their performances in the Round of 16 were impressive indeed."

Buriram open with an away task at Tehran's legendary Azadi Stadium next Wednesday, before entertaining the Iranians in four weeks, fixtures which Cooper sees as an advantage for them. He said: "Home or away first is always a contentious view between many coaches. But I think most of them would prefer to play at home in the second game. We qualified to the last eight playing away second, so we have to get prepared for either match this time around and work out the tactical plan accordingly."

Should Buriram maintain their amazing run on the Asian stage, they are hopeful of at least leveling compatriots BEC Tero Sasana's runners-up feat in the inaugural AFC Champions League a decade ago. But with Buriram also excelling on the domestic front – they lead defending champions Muang Thong United by a point - Cooper is aiming for success on dual fronts.

"For us the Thai league is the priority," he says. “And we are still in both the FA Cup and League Cup. We want to win them all if we can. As for the Asian matches, we were never expected to get this far so we don't feel the pressure and we have nothing to lose. This could really help us," he summed up.

[candy]

 


GOOD LUCK LADS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ow06B7aG9MU&t=2


 

[candy]

Super Frank gets his second goal of the season for Anderlecht. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzb9eWxwAw&feature=player_embedded&t=2

[binnsy]

While the group stage of the UEFA Champions League still lies ahead of us, Asia's elite club competition resumes this Wednesday after a three months break with its quarterfinal round. Right in the middle of it, Buriram United.

For almost three months the AFC Champions League took a break. Now, finally, the competition resumes with the round of the last Eight. The only remained representative of Thailand in the competition Buriram United, will hope to overcome Iran giant Esteghlal FC. The 2-times AFC Champions League winner (in 1970 and 1991), however, could be Buriram's toughest hurdle on the way to the final, which BEC Tero Sasana reached as the last Thai club in 2003.
 
Introduction of Esteghlal FC

Alongside Persepolis, Esteghlal is one of the biggest clubs in Iran. The derby among the two is attracting more than 80,000 spectators regularly. Though the Azadi Stadium counts as one of the fifth largest venues of the world and as one of the most intimidating in Asia, the latter might indeed depend on the number of spectators taking a seat, rather the arena itself.

The Blues have managed to win their group, by leaving Al Hilal (Kuwait), Al Ain (UAE), as well as Muang Thongs last 16 opponent of the 2010 AFC Cup, Al-Rayyan, behind. But only against Al Hilal the stadium was almost sold out - with a backdrop of 80,000. And also the match against Al-Shabab from Qatar in the round of the last 16 has seen only around 25,000 viewers turning up in the big bowl.

Esteghlal is also a good example on how difficult it is to get the gigantic continent, with all his leagues, under a hat. Almost at the same time in May, when the 2012/13 season ended in Iran, the club played his recent match in this year's issue of the Champions League. As champion of the 2012/13 issue of the Iran Pro League, Esteghlal is already qualified for the continental AFC competition in 2014. And with five matchdays played off the current domestic season, the side is already in the hunt for a slot of 2015.

And of course the picture of the team who is coached by Amir Ghalenoei, has changed during three months in which the Champions League paused. Thus 12 players have left the 8-time Iranian champion and eight new players were welcomed. However, not everybody left voluntarily. Esteghlal FC, like many others in Iran, is owned by the Ministry of Sports and there, is a lack of money. Many players, even icons of Iranian football often have to wait months until they get paid. If at all. Of late, president Ali Fatollahzadzeh has paid his defender Amir Hossein Sadeghi with his own Lexus to persuade him to stay.

Only a few months ago, the 37 year old striker Farhad Majidi returned to the club after he left Esteghlal for a stint in Qatar. His aim, to finish and top his career with a second continental club title. He won his first 10 years ago with Al Ain. Of all things - against BEC Tero. However, his return also caused some turbulence inside the team. He immediately took over the captain's armband which wasn't obviously well received by Javad Nekounam, the probably best known player from the Eleven. Between 2006 and 2012 he played for Osasuna in Spain.


Azadi Stadium
 image: © CC-BY-SA-3.0 Tabarez
Studded with terrific experience, domestically and internationally, the team is also made of many current under-21 and under-23 internationals. With Goran Lovre - who played some years for Groningen - and Jlloyd Samuel, only two foreigners are found in the team. With Samuel, Nekounam, Majidi plus Arash Borhani the most dangerous players are named and completed. Everybody of the four have scored three times in the ACL so far.

Buriram United without Carmelo

On the other side, the two most successful scorers of the Champions League season 2013 for Buriram United are Osmar Ibanez and Ekkachai Sumrei. With two goals respectively. Gonzales Carmelo, the leading goal scorer in Thailand with 16 goals, is not registered for the tie against Esteghlal. By the deadline of the players registration a couple of weeks ago, it was said Carmelo is not fit. However, the Spaniard appeared in the last two league matches. It is rumored that his omission could be a result of a punishment because of disciplinary misdemeanour. Bruno Herrero, Javier Patino and Jesús Berrocal fill up the foreign player contingent, beside Ibanez.

Herrero as well as Berrocal still have to proof their class in the Thai Premier League. And the teamwork between Patino and Berrocal leaves much to be desired and is not as efficient as the duo Pathino-Carmelo. However, the head coach of the head coach, how Newin Chidchob called himself after the dismissal of ex coach Attaphol Buspakom, should know and might have a good reason why he tears apart the goal machine of the TPL's 1st leg. On the other hand, Buriram has proved in the round of the last 16 that it can be successful with almost no foreigners in the team. Against the big favorite Bunyodkor one asserted himself, 2-1 on aggregate, and merely Kai Hirano and Ibanez could be found in the starting Eleven.

However, both teams managed their rehearsal in the league. Buriram United won with 2-0 against Chiang Rai, before it started its 27-hour trip to Teheran, and Esteghlal could beat league rival Damash Gilan by 2-1.

The 1st leg in the capital of Iran will be kicked off about 22:45 Thai time with the return match to follow only in four weeks on 18 September. We are on to predict a close tie, and the chances for Buriram to advance to a possible semi-final against Al-Ahli or FC Seoul should not be that small.

Of course, measured by his own standards, Buriram United might have not performed so well lately and struggled a bit. But after just five rounds in its domestic league, Esteghlal may still need to gel. Even if endued with fresh legs. However, also the team from Iran must cope with the circumstances around their trip to Thailand. And the new i-mobile Stadium does not carry the epithet Thundercastle without reason. And some opponent should already have complained about nightly disturbance going on in front of the team's hotel

 

[binnsy]

Court in Ubon Ratchathani finally repealed Esan United's objection and Sisaket FC now would have the right to continue his TPL campaign.However, the TPL Ltd needs to see the verdict in detail before making any comment and a decision on how to continue with the league.


 

[nookiebear]

Court in Ubon Ratchathani finally repealed Esan United's objection and Sisaket FC now would have the right to continue his TPL campaign.However, the TPL Ltd needs to see the verdict in detail before making any comment and a decision on how to continue with the league.


 

Keep your ears & eyes open CoCo!

[binnsy]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/365605/si-sa-ket-fight-relegation


 

[candy]

Thanks Binns.

[candy]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/365605/si-sa-ket-fight-relegation

[binnsy]

http://www.the-afc.com/en/acl-news/acl-all-news/26499-aclqf-buriram-reaction-210813.html



 

[candy]

 COACH?             GORAN PICTURED?                       WTF?

[binnsy]

Prehaps he has followed Sharpova with a name change?Not the correct level of coaching badge? Still he be back as Cooperman on Sunday.


 

[binnsy]

 

TONIGHTS GAMES

Bangkok FC v Bangkok Glass (1700, 72nd Anniversary Stadium, Bang Mod [SSF/True 115])
 
Buriram Utd v Singh Tarua (1830, I-Mobile Stadium)
 
PTT Rayong v Muang Thong Utd (1830, PTT Stadium [SSL/True 116])
 
Police Utd v Chiang Rai Utd (1900, Tammasat University, Rangsit