Scott Cooper’s First Interview Since Leaving Buriram United We were delighted to conduct the first interview with Englishman Scott Cooper since his shock departure from Buriram United over the weekend.
Scott: many of us were surprised and even shocked by the events over the weekend. Can you talk us through the process and how it unfolded?
I think it’s fair to say that we came to an agreement that, at the end of the day, I would leave the club by mutual consent. The owner and the General Manager understood my position and reasons for wanting to leave then. That was all in place and,over the last few days, that process got sped up. I guess from both sides. For personal reasons, it became clear that it was not tenable for me anymore and so we came to a mutual understanding that we should leave the football club straight way. It is a difficult one because I am quite sad with it all. I’d fully expected to complete this season but it’s not only the club’s doing for my sudden departure. I played an active role in the process. So, although it is a split with mutual consent, it was my decision to reach this conclusion for personal reasons.
You mentioned that this was a process that sped up in the last few days. Were there any times before then that you were aware of a process starting?
To be fair to the football club, I don’t think there was any process going on to speed that up. From their perspective we were happy to conclude the season and win the three trophies I expect them to win. I think part of the last few days was instigated by myself for personal reasons and maybe the club didn’t feel they had an option in their mind other than to part company now.
At the Osotspa Buriram game last night, I half expected to see you come out to the bench. How did you cope with that first game not being a Head Coach.
Terrible badly. I had been out of football for one day yesterday and I already felt like I didn’t know what to do with myself. I didn’t know whether to watch the Buriram game, watch another game or just gather my thoughts. I ended up doing a little bit of everything and pacing around the house. Obviously I still wanted the team to win. Seeing the players, fans and staff that I am really close to gave me mixed emotions. The players in the team you are close to, seeing them playing without me made it extremely difficult. The best way to describe it was that I felt very sad.IMG_1999
Looking back on your record, with only one defeat in the first game of the current two legged Champions League quarter final, what are you most proud of about the results and performances.
When I first took over we put in a new formation and structure to the team that players took time to get to know, but once they did they understood it well. I’m proud of the relationship I built up with the players and I think that was built out of respect for what I was trying to do with them individually and as a group. That was demonstrated on the field. The performances against Bunyodkor where we won at home, and getting through when nobody expected us to progress. I was also proud of the unbeaten season so far and the fact that, even though we should have turned some of the draws into wins, only in one game did we concede two goals. So I look back on my record with a great deal of pride. Even the game we lost at Esteghall, not only ourselves and other Thai clubs, but even the international media were surprised with the way we controlled that game.
I will be disappointed if they do not progress as we had set it up nicely to beat them at home. We dominated them in their stadium, which was a very intimidating place so they now have every chance to progress.
So the club now have chance to capture four major titles and trophies. Do you think this is a realistic target ?
It probably wasn’t when I first took over, but we quickly established ourselves. Confidence grew and, in my mind, my target was to win the three domestic trophies and, as long as not too many things are changed, I fully expect that. It’s set up nicely and I am 100% confident in that outcome.
For the Champions League, for the games after Buyodkor, the plan was to put in performances but, with the performance in Esteghall, a semi final place in my mind is not a realistic goal but an expectation.
You’ve just left the highest profile provincial club. Previously Thai football was dominated by Bangkok teams. Are there any other provincial clubs that have impressed you?
Without a shadow of a doubt it’s Suphanburi. We played them there and won 2:1 but, from the moment we arrived at the club and saw the support, which was incredible. It is clear that is a club with a long future at the top, if they go about it the right way. Clearly there is some development to do, but I hear within the game that the Chairman is highly regarded. That club with that support, the owner and location, has a very bright future.
I know that the chairman, Khun Top is very keen on academy development. At the start of your career you worked with the Leicester City Academy. What are the foundations needed to develop youth football?
Getting the structure right at the beginning is vital, otherwise you will only be buying Thai players from other clubs. If you want to prepare for the future, which I believe that club want to, they should be constructing a production line of young players so they have three types of players:
Thai players they bring in from other clubs
They produce their own Thai players
Foreign players that compliment what they already have.
On a wider issue, what do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of Thai football in 2013?
When I first took over at Buriram we had two or three players in the national team and that is still the case. Yet they travelled to Uzbekistan against a team with seventy percent of the Uzbek national team fifty or sixty places above Thailand in FIFA rankings. The same could be said about Iran. The development of Thai players is based on the structure of clubs. A Thai club has the chance to go from strength to strength. It becomes a question of how the club in general wants to develop the club throughout Asia and be a real regional powerhouses.
You sound very positive about Thai football. With your success in the Champions League you must have a high profile in Asia. Is working in larger leagues like the K and J leagues an option moving forward?
I have received some complimentary remarks from those countries. I have already received interest from Korea but, for me, people have sat up and taken notice of what we have done in Asia, but I have the advantage of knowing the Thai league, the players and the clubs and what can be achieved. However, I would be equally confident in Korea, Japan or China. My family are based in Bangkok and they are very happy here so a top club in the Bangkok area is also something I will be considering in the near future.
How has this whole experience as the Head Coach of a major Thai football club developed you personally and professionally?
I have taken a lot from Buriram. It is very important to conclude this interview by thanking them. They gave me an opportunity and a forum for me to show what I can do as a coach. The fans and owners also supported me and gave me the chance to develop myself in a new culture. In the long term there are many things I will take from Buriram United and I will always look back on my time with fond memories and wish them nothing but success.
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