Putting the boot in

The 52-year-old Reid, who has also had spells with Manchester City, Leeds United and Coventry City, took over the reins following Chanvit Pholchivin's resignation after another disappointing campaign in the World Cup qualifiers.

Thailand bowed out of the Asian qualifying round in shame after losing all three home fixtures, leaving them in last place in their group with only two points.Such a poor showing is a clear indication that the efforts made after the dismal qualifying campaign in 2004 have come to nothing. In terms of performance, this campaign was even worse than four years ago.

People often believe that the coach is the main culprit in any failure, and it seems the patience of Thai supporters, after another disappointing display in the qualifiers, is wearing thin. Chanvit found, to his chagrin, that he would be forced to step down. He faced a barrage of criticism following the Kingdom's poor start to its campaign.

However, if lessons are to be learnt from the past, a change of head coach is not the answer to the team's malaise. Thailand's troubles do not lie in the personnel but in the overall structure of the game here. This refers specifically to a problem on which the authorities opt to turn a blind eye - the national football league.

Some say that the domestic league should be a foundation for the national team, since it has a direct relevance to the success of the country on that international stage. The rise of Japan from a peripheral football nation to becoming one of the continent's front-runners provides a good example for such a claim. There is no coincidence between the growth of the J-League and the rise of the Japanese national team as an emerging power. That success has been the result of having a strong or, to be more specific, a professional domestic league. The Japanese side has enjoyed the luxury of continually having quality players at its disposal, and all are the products of its league.

In regard to Thailand, what is publicised as a professional league - the Thailand Premier League - is in fact only semi-professional, given that the clubs, mostly founded either by private companies or government agencies, still have to rely on budgets from their parent organisations.

To make matters worse, almost every club still does not see the importance of investment in youth development. So, under such circumstances, how can we expect the league to provide good players for the national team?

The arrival of Reid, the 13th foreign coach of the national team, is being hailed as the beginning of a bright future. Thai soccer officials believe that the signing of the first foreign coach with a proven record will elevate the country to new heights. There is doubt about the appointment, though. Sceptics are curious to know why, if the authorities were looking for a capable trainer, they selected Reid, who has been out of a coaching job for more than three years. Looking at the Englishman's managerial career only increases the suspicion that he may not be the right man for the job. In addition, he has no experience in coaching international teams.

However, some argue that this does not matter. Even if Thailand signed the best coach in the world to help them qualify for the World Cup, the outcome will be the same as always. And it will continue to be as long as the authorities remain negligent in tackling the root cause of the problem.