Buriram bid for Thai treble

Money will be a major motivation for Thai Port FC on Saturday, when the club takes on Buriram United in the rescheduled League Cup final .

The final, a repeat of the 2010 showdown, is worth 120,000 euros to the winner.

It was originally scheduled for last October but had to be postponed as the country suffered its worst floods in 50 years.

Cup holders Thai Port will be trying to stop Buriram securing a unique treble, having just won the Thai FA Cup, following a virtual stroll to the Premier League title.

Indeed, the clubs could hardly be more different, Buriram enjoying the patronage of a ‘slick’ political benefactor, Newin Chidchob.

A flashy new stadium (The Thunder Castle), money and marketing nous have ensured that for fans of the Thunder Army, Buriram really is the ‘City of Happiness’ – this season’s league win is the club’s second consecutive title and was captured with a 16-point margin over its nearest rival Chonburi FC.

In stark contrast, Thai Port have had plenty of off-field problems recently and a fairly average season, although many fans were actually very happy with The Lions seventh-place finish.

Goals have been in painfully short supply over recent weeks, though; going a period of 360 minutes without one! The fact is the club just does no have a natural goalscorer in its ranks.

And the future’s not looking too bright for the club either, as it was recently announced that it will be losing three of its local players – Worawut Wangsawad and Mongkol Namnaud (Muang Thong United) and Todsapol Lated (Suphan Buri).

Four foreign players – Cameroon pair Munze Ulrich and Moudourou Swa-Moise, Nigerian Jacob Aikhionbare and South Korean Kim Dong-Chan have also been released, although rumours suggest that they may still be able to appear in the final.

Although Thai Port caused something of an upset in the 2010 League Cup final by defeating Buriram 2-1, most Thai football fans think that this year such a fairytale ending is much less likely.

Buriram stormed to the league title with ease this season, while dispatching Muang Thong United with relative ease in the Thai FA Cup final. The club’s coach Attaphol Buspakom has successfully combined a group of experienced local players with several talented foreigners, mainly from Africa.

The Cameroonian pairing of Ekwalla Herman and Florent Obama has looked solid at the back, while their compatriot Franck Ohandza, the leading scorer in the 2011-12 TPL.

Eighteen-year-old Frank Acheampong has also been impressing football fans and journalists alike, with some enthusiastic members of the local press going so far as to label him ‘Ghana’s Messi’.

Thai Port’s coach Thongchai Sukkokee, nevertheless still will not rule out an upset.

Thongchai said that Thai Port’s aim is to ‘defend the title’ and prevent Buriram from bagging the treble. While conceding that his playing squad was ‘inferior’, he gave credit to the power of the club’s ’12th man’.

“The mental strength of our squad and the support from our fans can help guide us to victory,” he said.