Coach hunt boils down to three

Coach hunt boils down to three

FAT expected to make appointment this week

Brazil's Marcos Paqueta. PR
Brazil's Marcos Paqueta. PR

Three candidates are vying for the national team coaching job, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) revealed yesterday.

The trio are Serbia's Milovan Rajevac, Brizil's Marcos Paqueta and Germany's Winfried Schaefer, said FAT technical chief Witthaya Laohakul.

They were among eight candidates interviewed by Witthaya.

"They all have the qualifications required by the FAT," he said.

Serbia's Milovan Rajevac. epa STR

The trio have coached teams at the World Cup finals, have a clear-cut plan, do not ask for a high salary and are likely to get along well with the Thai players, said Witthaya, a former Thailand coach.

The new coach is expected to be named this week and has to start working next month, he said.

Thailand's next match is against the United Arab Emirates in a World Cup qualifier in Bangkok on June 13.

The position is vacant after Kiatisak Senamuang stepped down following heavy defeats in World Cup qualifiers.

Thailand are out of contention for a ticket to Russia 2018 after six losses and one draw in Group B of Asia's final qualifying round with three games remaining.

Rajevac, 63, is believed to be the front-runner, having steered Ghana to the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.

He has also coached Qatar and Algeria and is renowned for his discipline.

According to reports, his asking salary is two million baht a month -- the same amount the FAT paid Kiatisak.

Paqueta, 58, guided Brazil to win the U17 and U20 world championships in 2003.

He was coach of Saudi Arabia at the 2006 World Cup and has worked with several clubs in the Middle East.

Schaefer, 67, guided Cameroon to the 2002 World Cup.

Germany's Winfried Schaefer. epa RUNGROJ YONGRIT

The German coached Thailand from 2011-2013, and also had a brief spell at Thai League 1 champions SCG Muang Thong United.

He was coach of Jamaica from 2013-2016 and took the Reggae Boyz to the Gold Cup final in 2015 after beating Argentina and Uruguay in the group stage.

Meanwhile, FAT president Somyot Poompunmuang celebrated the association's 101st anniversary yesterday.

Pol Gen Somyot presided over a religious ceremony at the FAT headquarters in Hua Mark.

He said he became FAT president last year when the organisation reached its centenary.

He said at that time the 'house' was not in good shape but now believes it has been well renovated.

"We are like patients who can get up and are ready to walk forward,'' Somyot said.

With three years left in his term, he vowed to push for football development in Thailand.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi's Argentina will take on Singapore in a June friendly match in the city-state, organisers said.

Argentina, ranked second in the world by Fifa, will kick off at the National Stadium against 159th-placed Singapore on June 13 to mark the 125th anniversary of the island's football association.

The match will feature a star-studded Argentina side, including Barcelona's Messi, Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria, the Football Association of Singapore said.

As part of a four-nation tour, top-ranked Brazil will take on Australia on the same night in Melbourne.

Argentina and Brazil will also play each other in a "Superclasico" friendly in the Australian city on June 9.

"I am looking forward to leading my country out against the two-time Fifa World Cup champions, and we hope that Singaporeans will come out in force to cheer us on," said Singapore coach V Sundramoorthy.

The Lions have only won one of their last 12 matches.

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