Fowler: PL will soon have Thai star
Robbie Fowler today predicted that it’s only a matter of time before we see a Thai footballer grace the Barclay’s Premier League.
The Liverpool legend is better placed than most to comment on the domestic football scene in Thailand - having recently played and coached at club level in Bangkok - and now insists the wait for a player to make the grade in England could be over within the coming years.
Speaking at a football clinic for 50 children organised for LFC by the Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports in Suphanburi - the Minister's home town - Fowler, who was also joined by Ian Rush for the event, told LFCtour.com: "Training the kids today was a treat because they are so natural. I've said it for a long time but the players in Thailand - and in this part of the world - are as technically gifted and skilful as many of the players in English football. Their close control, their flicks and their ability to beat players is unbelievable. I saw it up close when I was playing and managing over here and I'm not being biased when I say it but I had a couple of players playing for me who wouldn't have looked out of place in England - they were that good.
"However, what lets down most of the players in Thailand and the reason why one hasn't broken through yet is the fact that they haven't really been taught the football basics that we take for granted in England.
"The level of coaching is gradually changing over here but for a long time, the players were let down by a lack of professionalism when it came to how they were being taught. It's great to be able to beat a player like Ronaldo or do tricks like Messi but if you can't read the game or know when to release the ball or who to pass it to then you'll never reach a higher level.
"That's why it's so important that when LFC put on clinics like today through the Foundation, the coaches concentrate on the basics. These players know how to do every trick in the book but what they don't know as much is how to play as part of a team. That's what we're here for today - to try and impress on them that football is not about individuals, it's about a team playing together. We're not here long enough to change everything ourselves but there's lots of local coaches here who are trying to learn from the drills that our lads are putting on and they can take them away and put them into practice with the kids after we leave.
"I'm seeing things changing for the better though and visits by clubs like Liverpool can only help improve the game over here. This next generation of players - like the kids we have seen today - are the ones who could hopefully make the breakthrough and if we as a club can try and do our little bit to help that process, that's a real legacy from this visit."