UDON THANI FC - The 2014-season

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 18, 2014, 2:37 pm

I've been hammering away on Facebook about the fans having more songs, chants and perhaps adapting some of the numerous English football songs, all in the hope of greater variety, fun and making Udon individual amongst all the other Clubs singing the same.
Let's hope the Carabao song is 'catchy', singable and perhaps might be adopted and used as 'Udon's Song', much in the same way UK Clubs have their own - admittedly, some better than others.

Post by **Svein66** » April 18, 2014, 2:46 pm

Don`t you think it`s this song, Brian?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=15 ... =2&theater

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 18, 2014, 4:27 pm

Svein66 wrote:Don`t you think it`s this song, Brian?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=15 ... =2&theater

You may well be correct, Svein, but in my humble opinion, it doesn't strike me as exactly singalong. Need something a bit livelier, instantly recognized by everyone ,which when sung in unison by one and all, lifts the team. It could be a well-known e.g rock, folk or pop song. Something people immediately associate with Udon FC, although that might take a while to establish. Obvious examples from UK are "You'll never walk alone", "Blue Moon", "We're Forever Blowing Bubbles" etc. Perhaps I have ideas which work well in the UK, but are doomed to failure here, because the Thai behave differently?

Do we know what time Carabao are appearing? Are they doing a mini-concert, or just the new Udon song? - pre-match, I hope. If half-time, that could go on well beyond 15 minutes, interfering with the game itself. Even after?

Post by **Svein66** » April 18, 2014, 5:00 pm

Brian Davis wrote:Do we know what time Carabao are appearing? Are they doing a mini-concert, or just the new Udon song? - pre-match, I hope. If half-time, that could go on well beyond 15 minutes, interfering with the game itself. Even after?

I would expect half-time as hundreds of people don`t arrive until kick-off or later, but for all I know it can be after the game too. Maybe they will let us know before matchday, but I`m not even sure of that.

I`ve been told that the new chairman is a good friend of Thaksin. To me he can be friends with anybody as long as he`s not using the club to promote any politicians or political party or group. The club should be run like a football club without any political involement.

Post by **Svein66** » April 20, 2014, 11:14 am

The Udon pitch will hopefully look better when Nong Khai come to visit in 6 days. There was some work done on it a few days ago.

I was reading an article yesterday that said, according to google translate

, UDFC will try to get in some "big name" players in the summer break. What they mean by "big name" I don`t know, but it might mean they will try to get players who has been, or are, playing in TPL or D1. I can`t see any "big names" will come from abroad, but it would be nice to see 1 or 2 great foreigners coming in. Any contacts at Palace, Brian?

Post by **Polleke** » April 20, 2014, 11:45 am

Sven, Brian, great job with all the web pages.

From what I heard it is still not 100% sure if and when Ed Carabao will perform his UDFC live song next Saturday. They love to bring him in on the 26th, but he is also scheduled for a concert in Nakom Pathom (west of Bangkok) at 10 pm that same day, so the only option seems an pre-match mini-concert and a flight back to Bangkok immediately after this. Let's see what happens.

Good to see that there is now also some money available to take care of the pitch.
In the mean time there is much talk about the new stadium. Fans prefer a real football stadium (my choice too), with seats close to the pitch, but some board members want a multipurpose sports stadium. Will the fans be able to convince the board? I don't hold my breath...

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 20, 2014, 11:55 am

Nice to see they're trying to improve the surface. Last season, when they nicked the heavy roller from the ring road construction, the pitch was certainly less bumpy. There is a tendency to put large quantities of sand down, rather than considering new turf for worn areas, but perhaps I'm hoping for too much, before a new ground, hopefully with good under-soil, drainage, sprinklers, maintenance etc. The goal areas do tend to resemble Pattaya beach, thankfully without the beer bottles, condoms and syringes.

"but it would be nice to see 1 or 2 great foreigners coming in. Any contacts at Palace, Brian?

"
Well, it's good of you, as a United fan, to at last recognize that Palace have great players.

Mind you, we sold you a star and you messed him up! (Zaha)

Seriously, I can't believe Udon are yet in a position to sign foreign 'stars' - look at the facilities! Mind you, if the new Chairman is a friend of Thaksin, there might be a few billions in rice crop money knocking about. :-" (I'm looking behind me as I write this.) I gained the impression the Club might resign players who did well for the team previously, but they better make sure they clear the wages STILL owed to them first.

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 20, 2014, 12:29 pm

Polleke wrote:...... so the only option seems an pre-match mini-concert and a flight back to Bangkok immediately after this........

Fans prefer a real football stadium (my choice too), with seats close to the pitch...

I'm not sure why the urgency for Carabao to appear, but with a commitment long way away and the chance of a cockup of some kind, surely best to leave it to another date, perhaps when they're actually also appearing in Udon later in the evening? I'm not that bothered, in honesty. I'm more interested in Udon playing and winning and fear a distraction.

Yes, I think most fans would want a DEDICATED football stadium, if the hope is that Udon FC is really going places. Wouldn't it be great if Esan and Udon became a real force in Thai football? (I can't avoid thinking of the Buriram facilities and I'm sure Svein knows of other grounds around Bangkok). My understanding was that this stadium was to be owned by Udon FC, NOT a venture with the Udon Municipality - the latter having use of, I think, the newish Phosi Rd stadium and, of course, the College of PE venue, where Udon currently plays, for athletics and other events.

Post by **phen** » April 22, 2014, 10:38 am

Here a better quality of the song in youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd0ew0PHYq8

Post by **Svein66** » April 24, 2014, 6:44 am

Next game: UDFC vs Nong Khai on Saturday at 6PM. I do not know if Carabao is coming.

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 25, 2014, 4:26 pm

What's the betting that the major storm, which is surely coming after all this very hot weather, will start at about 6 pm tomorrow?

Do I need to bring the garden fork again?
IF I've understood correctly, rather like one occasion last season, fans are to 'convoy' around town before the game, wearing as much orange as they can.

Post by **udonfox** » April 29, 2014, 8:22 am

After living and working in Phuket for the last 9 months I am returning home to Udon this weekend and looking forward to resuming my love affair with Udon F.C.I am even buying some new orange T.shirts.When is the next home game after this weekend,Please ? It is good to be coming home!!!! COME ON YOU UDON!!!

Post by **Svein66** » April 29, 2014, 8:36 am

udonfox wrote:When is the next home game after this weekend,Please ? It is good to be coming home!!!! COME ON YOU UDON!!!

UDFC now has 2 away games, Chaiyaphum United (6th in the table) and Surin City (4th), before Ubon UMT (1st) come to Udon on May 18th. Three tough games, but hopefully we can get a few points.

Ubon UMT has scored 39 goals in 8 games now and unless something bad happens to them, they will be champions this season, so UDFC has to play for 2nd place.

At the last homegame there was a new shop outside the stadium with a few new items of merchandise. Good to see! The blue way shirt is still not for sale, but was used by the new chairman and many other VIPs on Saturday.

Inside the stadium there was new benches for reserves and staff, and the big screen from last season was back, so the new chairman are using some of his money already. But the important thing is to use them on new players in the summer. We need at least a very good striker, as we don`t score enough goals.

Post by **Polleke** » April 29, 2014, 9:04 am

Shops are now set up at both sides of the stadium, which shows that at least merchandise is finally getting proper attention. The stadium was packed too, probably not at least because quite a few free tickets were distributed in town. Unfortunately last Saturday was more about regional politics than football. All the propaganda talks and shows did not really inspire our beloved team to win. Let's hope it's all about football again over the next few weeks.

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 29, 2014, 11:23 am

Polleke wrote:...... Unfortunately last Saturday was more about regional politics than football. All the propaganda talks and shows did not really inspire our beloved team to win. Let's hope it's all about football again over the next few weeks.

You took the words out of my mouth, Polleke. For me, the football and hopefully winning is the most important. All the chat, VIP's, hangers-on, appearance of stars from silly Thai soaps (why do the Thai get so excited about this?) I can do without. I suppose we have to accept that the new Chairman and, what I gathered, was his administrative support
team have to 'be seen', again in typical Thai fashion. Like yourself, I rather felt Udon forgot to win, although signs were that Nong Khai will be chuffed with and came for the draw. As Svein says, the transfer window will hopefully result in some strengthening of the side, particularly strikers and perhaps midfield, in my view. The away games should give us an indication of what qualities the present side has and then a big test against Ubon who are scoring goals for fun!

Post by **Svein66** » April 29, 2014, 11:45 am

Brian Davis wrote:... appearance of stars from silly Thai soaps (why do the Thai get so excited about this?) I can do without.

Are you sure you don`t want to see more of this, Brian?

Post by **Svein66** » April 29, 2014, 1:42 pm

Three UDFC-players is banned for 6 games after the brawl against Amnat last month. Two of the three players (31 and 32) is amongst the three topscorers so far this season (3 goals each), so that might make the rest of the games before the summerbreak a lot harder. The third banned player is number 17.
The Amnat-player who attacked the referee is banned for 1 year!

Last season UDFC also got three players banned after a brawl. Do UDFC have a problem, or does this happen to many clubs?

Post by **socksy** » April 29, 2014, 1:49 pm

Usual mentality unfortunately whether in a bar, festival or in sport or elsewhere. Look back to last year in the badminton match when two Thai badminton players had a brawl with each other in a doubles match. Hotheads.

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 29, 2014, 2:30 pm

Are you sure you don`t want to see more of this, Brian?

I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate me and the wife might be watching. Was I drooling at the game, then?
Seriously, she's very nice - Natalie Davis, I'm advised, so what would you expect from someone sharing the same surname? I'm sure most of us appreciate some eye candy, but I just felt that for some present at the game, it rated more important than the football match. Indeed, the bumper crowd probably included a percentage there essentially to see the 'stars'. Certainly nothing against cheerleaders/dancers (Palace's own Crystals include some crackers) as long as they supplement the entertainment and not get in the way of the main event.

Post by **Brian Davis** » April 29, 2014, 2:49 pm

Svein66 wrote:Three UDFC-players is banned for 6 games after the brawl against Amnat last month.......

That's a blow and, although we didn't know it before Saturday's game, perhaps a factor in Udon not managing to score?
No, Svein, although you've often seen me mention 'hassles' in games, I certainly don't THINK it's just Udon which has a problem, as I've seen evidence elsewhere in the regional league. Whilst preferring it didn't happen at all, heartened a little that the football body seem for once to be dealing with it properly by taking strong action. (I hope they got it right and used video evidence). If those Udon players involved can't play, certainly pleased the Amnat player who was out to assault the ref got severe punishment.