Big spenders look set to dominate T1 again

Big spenders look set to dominate T1 again

The longest top-flight campaign in Thailand's football history ended on Sunday with BG Pathum United crowned champions, and Rayong, Trat and Sukhothai relegated.

The 2020 Thai League 1 season started in February last year but was suspended in March after just four rounds of matches due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bangkok United, BG Pathum United and Port were among the early pacesetters when the league went into a six-month hiatus.

When the competition resumed in September, Pathum remained hot but other contenders struggled.

The Rabbits took the halfway lead at the end of 2020 and earned a direct entry to the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage.

The league was suspended again for one month in January due to a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

After the restart, BG kept collecting points as other title chasers ran out of steam. The Rabbits ran away with their maiden T1 title with six games remaining -- a new record. As the 2020 winners, they will also play in the 2022 ACL group stage.

Although Pathum failed to finish the season without a defeat -- they lost to Muang Thong United in their last game of the campaign -- it was still a huge success for BG who were established as Bangkok Glass FC in 2006.

They played in lower leagues and became a top-flight team in 2009 when the league was revamped.

With new rules to comply with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regulations, Krung Thai Bank FC were disbanded as they, managed by the state-owned bank, could not meet the requirements owing to legal issues.

Bangkok Glass FC then took over Krung Thai Bank FC and their status as a team in the top league.

Backed by Bangkok Glass Co, an affiliate of Singha Corporation, Bangkok Glass FC were title contenders in several seasons before they were shockingly relegated from T1 at the end of the 2018 campaign.

In came coach Dusit Chalermsan, who guided the club, which was renamed BG Pathum United, to a quick return to the top flight after one year in the second tier.

Pathum have been one of the biggest spenders in Thai football and they spent wisely in the transfer market for the 2020 season.

They signed the likes of midfielders Sarach Yooyen and Sumanya Purisai, striker Chenrop Samphaodi, and defenders Andres Tunez and Victor Cardozo before the season began.

They all played key roles in making the Rabbits stronger, particularly Venezuela's Tunez and Brazil's Cardozo who were rock solid at the back.

Before the start of the second half of the season, they brought in former Buriram star Diogo Luis Santo and ex-Muang Thong player Teerasil Dangda, two of the most experienced and most successful strikers in Thai league history.

Diogo made the Rabbits even stronger, while Teerasil had a good start but was not used much due to his fitness. Money is not a problem for Pathum and they are likely to spend more on new players.

But who will challenge them for the title next season?

Buriram will be the usual suspects after finishing runners-up for the second time in a row.

The Thunder Castle, the most successful club in the modern era with six top-flight crowns, became much better after the return of their former coach Alexandre Gama, who was sacked by Muang Thong, in the mid-season.

Gama took the team from the lower half of the table to second place.

Port chairwoman Nualphan Lamsam, who is from one of the country's richest families, has long wanted to see the Kong Toey-based team win the league title.

Port, who won the 2019 FA Cup for their first trophy under Nualphan, lacked strength in depth and it is up to 'Madame Pang' if she is keen to splash out on new players to make the Lions roar.

Bangkok United, backed by True Corporation, have long been seen as title contenders but have yet to reach the summit. The capital side still need several new players to be as effective as a 5G phone.

Meanwhile, Muang Thong are not likely to be in contention for the title as they may have to mainly rely on young players from their academy.

Gone are the days when the Kirins bought virtually every Thailand international available.

They have sold almost all of their big-name stars as their major backer Siam Sport Syndicate, once the country's biggest media empire, has reportedly suffered a big loss like several other companies in the media industry.

At the minute, it seems Pathum, Buriram and Port will vie for the T1 crown next season which is scheduled to kick off in July.

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