Just one TPL match this weekend – the penultimate weekend of the 2011 season – but it’s a huge one as TOT host Samut Songkhram at the TOT Stadium in Chaeng Wattana, Lak Si. Both sides are fighting for their TPL lives, and Samut Songkhram for their very existence. A win for TOT wouldn’t guarantee survival, but it would go a long way towards keeping them in the top flight for another season. 
A win for Samut Songkhram will ensure they stay up and could prove crucial in attracting sponsors for their 2012 campaign. The club’s main backers, SCG, announced this week that they will withdraw their funding at the end of the present season and put their clout behind Muangthong United instead. SCG’s desertion could prove fatal to the Crazy Mackerels if they can’t find new backers. TPL football in 2012 would certainly make them a more appealing catch. Kick-off is at 6pm on Sunday.
Looking ahead to next week, Muangthong United play their final home game of what has turned out to be a very disappointing season on Tuesday evening at 7.30pm. While they have nothing to play for, the visitors, Siracha, must win to have any chance of beating the drop. And on Thursday evening, the final Division 1 match will be played when champions Buriram F.C host JW Rangsit (18:00). The match was postponed from last weekend owing to a local election in Buriram.
This Saturday, Thailand play their third and final match in the King’s Cup friendly tournament. Last Sunday, Winnie Schaefer’s side were well-beaten (3-1) by South Korea U23s. And on Wednesday, a Norway XI side snatched a 1-0 win. The Thais put in an improved performance in that match and deserved a point. Denmark XI provide the opposition on Saturday evening at the Rajamangala Stadium with only pride left to play for. Kick-off is at 7:00pm
TPL looks to avoid 2011 farce in 2012
The 2011 TPL season will finally end next weekend – 50 weeks after it started on February 12th. That is has taken so long to get through 34 rounds of fixtures is chiefly down to three reasons: extending the mid-season break in June from two to six weeks; having no scheduled midweek rounds of fixtures, and taking another three-week break between late October and mid-November for the SEA Games when the fixture list was already horribly congested. The floods played almost no part whatsoever in the fixture farce no matter what anyone from the FAT or TPL will try to tell you!
So this week, TPL chief Dr Vichit Yamboonreung addressed the criticism by announcing plans for the 2012 season. It will start on the weekend of March 17th/18th; it will finish on 10th November, and there will be scheduled rounds of midweek fixtures. The fixtures will be drawn on January 31st. It all sounds refreshingly organized. Let’s hope they can stick to the schedule this time.