Last week we reported on the mounting problems faced by Khlong Toey’s Thai Port F.C. The club’s principal backers ‘Super Rich Co Ltd’ were threatening to pull the plug on their big-money backing because they were unhappy with the terms of an MoU which the Port Authority wanted the company to sign. At the peak of the crisis, it looked like Port would lose the bulk of their first team and their head coach. It was also reported that the players hadn’t been paid in March or April. Now it seems there might be light at the end of the tunnel. On Wednesday last week, it was reported that PAT and Super Rich had come to an agreement over a revised MoU which Super Rich are happier with. The MoU will apparently be good for the next five years. PAT seems to have made some concessions in order to induce Super Rich into signing. That said, the agreement is only verbal at the moment. And even if it is signed, many of the inherent problems which caused the dispute remain – namely PAT and Super Rich each owning separate parts of the club. Something tells us we could writing ‘Port Problems (part 3)’ in the not-too-distant future and it certainly wasn't good news on the pitch this weekend with the team losing to previously winless Sri Racha and having two players sent off in the process. (more on this in this week's round up).
West Bank Woes
Meanwhile, globally the worst kept secret in international football was finally confirmed this week as the Thailand Olympic team was officially kicked out of the 2012 Olympics qualifying competition. As we reported in March, the U23s recorded a historic and famous win in the West Bank against Palestine to make it through to the second round. But that sweet victory has turned sour after it was revealed that Thailand unwittingly fielded an ineligible player in the first leg in Bangkok. Sutjarit Jantakol had, according to FIFA, yet to serve a one-match ban incurred during the AFC U-19 Championship in 2008. The FAT claim he served the ban when he was an unused substitute in the Asian Games last year. Thailand are appealing.