BRING ON THE DUTCH

Thailand's Asian Cup squad will get a taste of "Oranje" when they encounter Marco van Basten's side in a friendly match at the Rajamangala National stadium tomorrow.

Chanvit Pholchivin's men, who gave themselves a shot in the arm for their Asian Cup campaign with a surprising 1-0 victory over China in a warm-up match last month, are preparing for what could make their remarkable win over the mainland look just ordinary if they can trip the Dutch giants.

 However, Chanvit is well aware of the awesome potential of Van Basten's team, which includes many high-profile players such as Liverpool hitman Dirk Kuyt and Hamburg midfielder Rafael van der Vart.

Knowing well that the visitors are adept in their tactical approach, Chanvit spent the entire morning session yesterday preparing his team to handle with the pressing tactics of the Dutch.

"We have to prepare the team to cope with the pressing game of Holland who would put us under pressure from the front line. We just cannot mark any one in particular. We have to accept the fact that they are technically far superior to us. Their players would win in one-on-one situations so we are planing to overwhelm them with numbers," said Chanvit.

 "I'm not worried about the outcome of this game. What I would like to see is our playing system because the game will be a precursor to the one we play against Australia in the Asian Cup.

"For the starting line-up, I will stick to the team that faced China. Terdsak [Jaiman] and Sutee [Suksomkit] were not picked due to their club commitments. Nirut [Surasiang] will deputise for Terdsak in the midfield, while Sarayuth [Chaikumdee] comes in place of Sutee up front," said Chanvit.

Regarding the chances of veteran striker Kiartisak "Zico" Senamuang playing in the match, Chanvit said he was likely to leave him on the bench.

"The best role Kiartisak could play in the match is as a super-sub because his fitness is still in doubt. If we let him play from the start, it could have an effect not only on his confidence but also on the fans. His physical condition has improved a lot. I think by the time he returns from the training camp in Germany later this month, he should be fully fit. I think the proper time for him to play is when we host Qatar in our last warm-up match on June 30," said Chanvit.

Meanwhile, the Dutch team utilised their free time in the morning to visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha without informing the coordinators and security officials in advance, causing a minor chaos as fans and tourists scrambled to get a close view of their favourite stars. In the evening, Van Basten's side had a light training at the Rajamangala National Stadium.

Today, the "Oranje" will have a training session at 7pm and also hold a football clinic for 50 underprivileged children.

Hoddle backs Beckham

n David Beckham is capable of playing for six more years at the highest level, according to the former England manager Glenn Hoddle. After the Real Madrid midfielder's successful return to the national side against Brazil, Hoddle said that Beckham's move to the Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy - he has signed a five-year, £125 million contract - should not necessarily impair his international chances.

Hoddle, who gave Beckham his debut in 1996, also supported the England manager, Steve McClaren, for recalling him for last Friday night's 1-1 friendly draw with Brazil.