Review: FIFA Thailand Women’s Soccer Team

Sawatdee, krup! Nice to see you. I see by the mug you are holding out that you are ready for a shot of coffee. Well, go ahead...fill ‘er up – and latch onto a virtual doughnut or muffin while you are at it. Boy, this has been a chock-full sports week here!

Stanley Cup finals with the Chicago Blackhawks taking it. I was hoping the Bolts might have done it. I have nothing against Chicago but they had already won it twice recently. And then last night the Warriors were just golden as they claimed the NBA championship. I’m not much of a basketball fan, I admit. Blue Jays were on an 11 game winning streak. Too bad they ran into the Mets and just dropped two in a row. Ah well. And...the CFL (Canadian Football League) is heating up with pre-season games. Plus... Canada has been hosting the FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup.

Having such close ties to Thailand, we, like many other Thais and Thai-o-philes here in Eastern Ontario, kept tabs on how the Thai team was doing. Lots of supporters travelled to Ottawa to see the first two matches.

I read in the Bangkok Post that while people did not really give the team much of a chance of advancing, the mere fact that they qualified to be in the run-up was glory in itself. After all, they are up against powerhouse teams such as Germany, Norway and Netherlands. The Thai team won one and lost two of their first three matches.

What happens now? It gets complicated...

Thailand still has an unlikely -- but not unimaginable -- path to advancing to the top 16. If the United States beats or ties Nigeria (as expected), Australia beats Sweden (in an upset) and Brazil beats Costa Rica (as expected, assuming Brazil tries to win), Thailand will probably get the final spot in the Round of 16. And if that doesn't happen? Well, playing in their first World Cup, the Thai War Elephants at least got their first victory, a 3-2 win over Ivory Coast. 

No matter what happens, the Thai team has done well for their first time in the finals. So, how could they do better? Well, the Thai team is spirited but short in stature. They need more speed and need to be more aggressive. The taller, bigger women on the European teams were literally pushing the smaller Thais around.

Thais are getting taller so this augers well for the future. The trick is going to be how to get the taller Thai women to show an interest in sports rather than fashion. It has to start early in school. It will be a tough sell and a long time coming but the opportunity for fame and fortune should eventually have its say (but even then, the Thai volleyball team rivals their interest in taller participants).

See ya, eh!

Bob (Go Thailand! Go!)

The lovely Thai ladies below are (left to right):
Thum of Thum's Kitchen here in Cornwall; Bupa the Zumba Fitness Queen and Anna whose spring rolls are famous at farmers' markets all over Eastern Ontario!