AP Honda believes that basic skills are the most important factor for one to become a good footballer, so it has taken young Thai players to train at English clubs Manchester United and Liverpool as part of its Red Champion project.
For the initiative’s fourth year, the motorcycle firm took the youngsters, aged between 14 and 18, from five schools throughout the country to train with some of the clubs’ former stars earlier this month.
“We believe that if we want to go to the World Cup finals, the first thing we have to think about is the players’ basic skills,’’ said AP Honda managing director Suchart Arunsangroj.
“We hope they will become future stars. They might be able to help Thailand win its first ever World Cup berth.”
The project, backed by the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), focuses on the participants’ skills.
The winning teams are determined by five criteria — dribbling, passing, shooting, heading and teamwork.
This year’s five winners from the five regions were Tamode school from Phatthalung, Provincial Administrative Organisation school from Kanchanaburi, Vachiralai school from Chiang Mai, Assumption College Sri Racha from Chon Buri and Nathonpatana school from Nakhon Phanom.
The first three teams chose to train at Manchester United while the other two trained at Liverpool.
Vachiralai player Pufah Chuenkromrak: “It’s an honour for me to get a chance to be at Man U. We also trained with [former United players] Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke.
“I believe this great experience will help me become a better player in the future.”
Assumption College’s Chanapong Rimteerakul said: “We get a lot of experience and learn new techniques from our training.”
He trained at Liverpool with former Reds striker Robbie Fowler who gave them playing tips.
OBEC director Songwut Maliwan praised AP Honda for initiating the project.
Thai kids at the end of their training at Manchester United.
“I believed that the young players will be able to make progress after the training,” he said.
De Gea offered deal
Louis van Gaal claims Manchester United have made David de Gea a big-money offer in a bid to persuade the Spain goalkeeper to remain at Old Trafford.
De Gea is in the running to win the PFA Player of the Year award after a fine season in the Premier League.
But Real Madrid’s interest in De Gea has strengthened because of those displays and a transfer to the European champions could tempt him, particularly as his girlfriend lives in the Spanish capital.
Van Gaal said in January he expected the 24-year-old to extend his current deal, which expires at the end of next season, but three months on there are no signs of progress.
However, van Gaal on Friday revealed United have offered the Spaniard a bumper new deal to convince him to stay.
“It takes a long time now,” the United boss said when asked how negotiations with De Gea were progressing.
“It can always happen. I am not the boss. I want him to stay. The player is the boss he can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
“You will have to ask David de Gea [if he is staying], not me. He has to sign. We have offered him a lot of money.”
Van Gaal was less forthcoming about his reported interest in PSV Eindhoven forward Memphis Depay, who was said to have flown to England for talks this week.
“I don’t discuss it with the media,” Van Gaal said of the Eredivisie top scorer, who was a regular for Holland when the United manager was in charge of the national team.
“I have a lot of relationships with players. I cannot buy all the players I’ve coached already.”