Sports Notes - FIFA WOMEN'S U-19 TOURNAMENT IN THAILAND - THAILAND REVOLT & TRANSITION - November 2004

Alan Rothenberg

James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Friday November 12, 2004

FIFA Women's U-19 Tournament in Thailand - Cambodia National Team Smashed - Thailand Football Revolt & Transition - Red Sox's Johnny Damon Causes Stir In Thailand - Ann Meyers Big Hitter In Jim Murray Golf Classic - Michael Jordan And World Champion Red Sox Manager Terry Francona Have Something In Common - Tiger Cup Groups

FIFA U-19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT IN THAILAND

The FIFA U-19 World Championship tournament began Wednesday in Thailand where twelve teams are competing.

The first round will be held in three cities, Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. The event will continue through November 27 when the championship game will be played in Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium.

Group A games are taking place in Bangkok. The group includes the host Thailand, Canada, Australia and Germany.

Group B games are being held in the northern city of Chiang Mai. Teams participating include China, Brazil, Nigeria and Italy.

Group C contests are being played in the southern city of Phuket. The group includes the United States, South Korea, Spain and Russia.

The top two group winners and the two of the remaining teams with the best records will advance to the second round in Bangkok where the semifinals and finals will also take place.

The United States participation exemplifies the results of the hard work of Alan Rothenberg who was instrumental in building interest of women's program being developed in America.

CAMBODIA SMASHED

In a rare event the Cambodia national team finally played a friendly match against a squad from outside the country in Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium.

The national squad was smashed 7-0 on Tuesday by the Vietnam club side Dong Tam. The Cambodia Daily reported that only a few hundred people turned out for the match. A month ago Cambodia was without a coach. Som Saran is currently the helm. Stay tuned…

DID YOU KNOW?

The end of Arsenal's record breaking undefeated streak had to come to an end sometime and it did last month at 49. Nottinghame Forrest previously held the old record of 47.

BUT… DID YOU KNOW that Peter Withe the former Thai national team coach and currently at the helm of Indonesia's national squad was a member of that record holding Nottinghame Forrest side?

Withe was also a member of Aston Villa and the England national team.

RED SOX STAR DAMON CREATES BIG STIR IN THAILAND

After the Boston Red Sox won the MLB (Major League Baseball) World Series Sox outfielder Johnny Damon caused a big stir in Thailand after a Bangkok Post reader wrote the publication revealing that Damon was half Thai. He was born in the US state of Kansas but his mother is said to be Thai.

THE COMMONALITY OF MICHAEL JORDAN AND TERRY FRANCONA

Terry Francona managed the Boston Red Sox for their first World Series Championship since 1918. He finished fourth in this seasons MLB's American League Coach of the Year Award. He was also Michael Jordan's baseball manager in the minor leagues.

Jordan left the NBA in the mid 90's after his father was murdered to pursue a career in baseball. He was in the Chicago White Sox organization but never made it to the major leagues and then returned to the NBA.

ANN MEYERS BIG HITTER

Former college All-American basketball player Ann Meyers was a big hitter at the Jim Murray Golf Classic in Los Angeles, California. Meyers hit the longest drive.

Meyers is known around the world a member of the broadcasting team of the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) playoffs that is currently being telecast in Southeast Asia.

She was formerly married to MLB (Major League Baseball) Hall of Fame and Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Don Drysdale who passed away.

Meyers played her college basketball at UCLA. She was the first woman to be given a tryout with an NBA team the Indiana Pacers. She made it to the last cut. Full story coming.

THAI DISCIPLINE???

ESPN reported that Thailand National Coach Siegfried Held has intentions to implement discipline for the Thai squad. An ESPN analyst said he doubted that it would work, as the Thai squad is different from other teams. Held was a member of Germany's 1966 and 1970 World Cup finals teams.

THAILAND REVOLT AND TRANSITION:

Four members of the Thai National team Kiatisak Senamaung, Choketawee Promrut, Dusit Chalermsan and Tawan Sripan said they would no longer play for the team.

This follows a culmination of events that started when Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra blasted the team after they suffered a 4-1 defeat to North Korea in a World Cup Qualifying game. According to a Bangkok Post report Shinawatra said the veterans were lacking heart.

Senamaung, recognized as being one of Thailand's greatest ever national team players blasted back saying the Prime Minister knew nothing about football.

Veteran players then refused to play for the team citing they were tired due to participating in league games with club teams in Vietnam and Singapore.

Since the FAT (Football Association of Thailand) terminated then head coach Peter Withe in September of 2003 veteran players have had to deal with

FOUR coaches (including Withe), systems and personal attitudes in a years time. That is enough to confuse and defuse anyone. It can also take the morale out of a team.

In his first game as Thailand's coach Held used young players in a 3-0 win against UAE (United Arab Emirates).

Thailand press went wild about the result against a squad that had clinched winning the group prior to the game.

THAILAND TO PLAY GERMANY

You can't fault the ambitious FAT in their effort to develop Thailand as a power in World football. Their coaching decisions may be in question but the organization continues to bring in topflight competition for the squad to learn from and develop their skills.

Over the years the FAT has brought in Brazil, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Germany, Leeds United and other formidable teams. In that respect the FAT is top notch.

Germany is scheduled to play the Thai national team in a friendly December 21st. It will follow the team's participation in the Tiger Cup group B matches to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia starting December 7th.

It will hopefully precede their involvement in semifinal and final Tiger Cup matches scheduled to be played for the first time on a home and away basis on December 28th and 29th and January 1st and 2nd, 2005.

TIGER CUP GROUPS

Tiger Cup Group A matches commencing December 7th will be held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The group includes Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Thailand has won three of the four previous Tiger Cup competitions. They are participating in the Group B that will be played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The group also includes Timor Leste, Philippines, Myanmar and Malaysia.

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