Azkals stars in Thai League: Why it's happening

While Europe will always be the destination of choice for most players, there are a multitude of options in pro club football. Some of the more popular destinations are the Middle East, Japan, Korea or China mainly because of the financial incentives and the level of competition, but the interest in Thailand's Thai League is slowly gaining popularity and is steadily becoming the destination of choice for foreign players. It has also opened doors for talented players from neighboring ASEAN countries thanks to the ASEAN quota rule. 

For Ratchaburi Mitr Phol defender Luke Woodland, the Thai League is a great stepping stone to the big leagues in Asia. "All of us wants to play in the highest league possible," said Woodland. "For now, Thailand is a great place for us to get games and show ourselves in a top league to move into a bigger league again." 

ASEAN Players in the Thai League 1 (2018-2020 Season)

Since the introduction of ASEAN import ruling in 2018, a number of Azkals prospects and mainstays have packed their bags and ply their trade to Thailand. They have dominated the ASEAN quota and enjoyed a modest success in the league. Over the past three seasons, 45.61% of the ASEAN players were Filipinos, followed by the Burmese at a distant second with 15.79%.

Bangkok United's Michael Falkesgaard said that the Thai League has the whole package to attract players not just in the ASEAN region. "The Thai League has professional standards with regards to the facilities, stadiums and salary," said the Filipino-Danish goalkeeper. "Even the players playing in the best league in Brazil are coming to Thailand and that is a sign of  how strong of a league they have built," he added. 

Filipinos in the Thai League per club (2020 Season)

    *Filipino-Australian Jesse Curran was not listed as an ASEAN player

75% of the Thai League clubs last season have at least one Filipino player in their roster. Ratchaburi Mitr Phol have the most Filipino players with 5 while Trat, Rayong, Police Tero, Chiangrai United and Samut Prakan have none.  

In the recently concluded 2020 season, a record of 17 Filipinos were registered as ASEAN players but only 15 players have seen action. Notable Azkals mainstays Kevin Ingreso, Michael Falkesgaard, Iain Ramsay, Patrick Reichelt and Patrick Deyto quickly established themselves in their respective clubs, while Filipino-Spanish striker Javier Patiño made a significant impact coming off the bench for the Dragons and has scored the most goals (6) this season. 

How Filipinos contribute in the Thai League

The number of Filipino players in Thai League jumped from 6 in 2018 to 15 in 2019 when the league expanded its ASEAN quota making it a desirable option for homegrown and foreign raised Filipinos. The trend also shows that their assist increased significantly and the goals scored went down by about 22%. This could probably due to the increasing number of Filipino defenders every season.

Veteran midfielder Iain Ramsay who has been in Thailand since 2019, has seen his Azkals teammates grow and build a good reputation in the Thai League over the years. "From 2018 and in particular season 2019, there were some of us Azkals that had strong seasons. Therefore, attracting the league to sign even more Filipinos for the 2020 season," he said. 

Although there is a growing interest from Thai League clubs, Ramsay said that Filipinos should do well first in their domestic league before going to Thailand. "Being a foreigner in this league you have to show that you stand out from the local players," explained Ramsay.

Narrowing the gap

The Thailand top flight has been a place where Filipinos have found home in recent years. Photo: AFC

Despite the influx of Filipinos in the Thai League, national team standouts agree that there is still a significant gap that the Azkals need to close in order to be more competitive against our ASEAN neighbors. But with the Thai League giving exposure to Filipinos, it won't be a surprise if the Philippines narrow the gap soon.

Longtime Azkals goalkeeper Patrick Deyto, who played a key role in Suphaburi's relegation survival, believes that the exposure of Filipino players in Thailand will benefit the team in the long run. "Unfortunately in the Philippines, there is only a handful of games to be played and obviously getting to play regularly week in and week out in a high level like the Thai League will definitely help the players to stay sharp," he said.

"The Azkals will always benefit from having players in competitive leagues and against some great players. Thailand have many of them, because they have developed the league to be a more and more professional product," added fellow Azkals goalkeeper Michael Falkesgaard.

No doubt that with more international club football exposure, the national team will do better. But in order to narrow the gap or assert dominance in the ASEAN region, focus should not only be limited to the senior level. Having an established league and a sustainable grassroots program is as important as getting international exposure.

But for now, the Philippines' best shot at qualifying for the 2023 Asian cup and getting through the next round of  the World Cup qualifiers is to call up the Thailand based Azkals. The fact that the bulk of the Azkals starting XI are playing competitive football in the Land of Smiles, it is fueling optimism about the national team’s chances.

Note: All stats come from footystats.org and thaileague.co.th and are current through March 28, unless otherwise indicated.