Ten Thai teenagers beat the odds to earn dream trip to UK

[webfact]

Boys beat the odds to earn dream trip to UK

By Lerpong Amsa-ngiam 
The Nation

 

Ten youngsters of the Fox Hunt Season 3. Photo by Kunlaphun Siripimamporn

 

Ten Thai teenagers have been selected through the Fox Hunt season 3 campaign for a chance to be trained at the Leicester City Academy and study at Ratcliffe College near the English city for two and a half years.
 

The selected players, maximum age 15, have already survived a rigorous selection process that featured more than 4,000 competitors in 205 teams across the country.

 

The 16 boys who went in the inaugural campaign of 2014 have now finished their training and are back in Thailand, many of them still hoping to make football their career.

 

The latest batch will join the 16 who went to the UK two years ago and it was decided to send out only 10 this time because 26 was an ideal number to manage and better for them to integrate and shortcut their path to success said Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, CEO of Leicester owners King Power International.

 

 

 “Our main goal is to give this exclusive experience for young Thais who will return home and become the future resources of Thai football,” said Aiyawatt, who added that around Bt15 million would be spent on each Thai throughout their training and educational period in UK.

 

After coming back from the UK, four of the 2014 group have been selected for Belgian league 2 side Oh Leuven, which is also owned by King Power. The remaining dozen are playing for Police Tero in Thai League 1, the top domestic tier.

 

 

AlistaIr Heath, the british head coach of the Fox Hunt team, said apart from the language barrier that these youngsters had to overcome, they also needed strong determination to achieve their goals.

 

“They must have the willingness to improve their football,  be really competitive and try to win a game of football. But the most important thing is they have to enjoy football and then, playing professional football will be easier,” he said.

 

 

Thakdanai Jaihan, a 14-year-old member of the national under-15 team, is one of those who will fly to UK in April.

 

He and his new teammates will first take part in pre-training at VS Sport Club in Samut Pakan, where they will also have to attend a course in basic English.

 

“I’m overwhelmed to be chosen for this opportunity. I will try to acquire experience as much as possible and come back to fulfill my dream by making it to the senior national team and play for a good club,” Thakdanai said. 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/sports/30338768

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-14

[rwdrwdrwd]

Lifechanging that - putting the football aspect aside, I'm familiar with the school and it is excellent and not cheap!

Edited February 13, 2018 by rwdrwdrwd

[Fish Head Soup]

So long as they remember that fox hunting is illegal in the UK.

[Thian]

3 hours ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

Lifechanging that - putting the football aspect aside, I'm familiar with the school and it is excellent and not cheap!

Do they speak thai language there and cook sum tam?

[bluesofa]

3 hours ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

Lifechanging that - putting the football aspect aside, I'm familiar with the school and it is excellent and not cheap!

Yes, I used to live not far from there in a previous life. Isn't it a Catholic school?

Are there facilities for the Buddhists on site I wonder, or will they have to visit the nearest temple? (Twenty years ago that used to be either Birmingham or Warwick).

[wakeupplease]

British footballers have a hard time trying to get into the PL. this lot have no chance under the rules of the bigger and fitter I am I can do it

[rwdrwdrwd]

12 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Yes, I used to live not far from there in a previous life. Isn't it a Catholic school?

Are there facilities for the Buddhists on site I wonder, or will they have to visit the nearest temple? (Twenty years ago that used to be either Birmingham or Warwick).

Yes it is Catholic - founded by Rosminians and quite a few clergy in roles at the school, until pretty recently the headmasters were always ordained.

Quite a spread of faiths among the pupils though, has been pretty open like that for a long time - fee paying so less naturally religiously selective I guess. They will probably have to head into Leicester itself for the closest Buddhist temple (though I expect there are facilities at the Walkers Stadium!)

The grounds and location are amazing, it's like something out of Harry Potter.
 

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by rwdrwdrwd

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

Yes it is Catholic - founded by Rosminians and quite a few clergy in roles at the school, until pretty recently the headmasters were always ordained.

Quite a spread of faiths among the pupils though, has been pretty open like that for a long time - fee paying so less naturally religiously selective I guess. They will probably have to head into Leicester itself for the closest Buddhist temple (though I expect there are facilities at the Walkers Stadium!)

The grounds and location are amazing, it's like something out of Harry Potter.

I've only ever seen the college from driving past it.

 

Do you mean there's a Buddhist temple in Leicester now?

(Sorry about using 'now' - I've lived in Thailand for twenty years. I used to live in Syston.)

[Baerboxer]

13 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I've only ever seen the college from driving past it.

 

Do you mean there's a Buddhist temple in Leicester now?

(Sorry about using 'now' - I've lived in Thailand for twenty years. I used to live in Syston.)

 

There are at least two in Birmingham, one close to the Villa ground so not too far. 

 

There was also a large new one which opened in South Staffs around 2006 ish. 

 

Quite a few. Wonder if they'll board at the school. As you know it's off the A46 old Six Hills so they'll need transport to go anywhere.

 

Not sure how 'Catholic" it is.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Baerboxer

[Fish Head Soup]

16 hours ago, Thian said:

Do they speak thai language there and cook sum tam?

Nobody cooks som tam, you're doing it all wrong I'm sorry to tell you.

[rwdrwdrwd]

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

There are at least two in Birmingham, one close to the Villa ground so not too far. 

 

There was also a large new one which opened in South Staffs around 2006 ish. 

 

Quite a few. Wonder if they'll board at the school. As you know it's off the A46 old Six Hills so they'll need transport to go anywhere.

 

Not sure how 'Catholic" it is.

Looks like they will board, the last batch did anyway - http://ratcliffe-college.co.uk/school-life/boarding/international-students/thai/

It's pretty Catholic for sure - quite a few clergy around on a daily basis. Attendance to masses is voluntary though http://ratcliffe-college.co.uk/school-life/chaplaincy/

@bluesofaI'm not sure on Buddhist temples, not at all religious personally, so I never looked into it. There is a shrine room at the LCFC stadium that the owners use though, and they bring monks over to bless the club.

Edited February 14, 2018 by rwdrwdrwd

[bluesofa]

3 hours ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

Looks like they will board, the last batch did anyway - http://ratcliffe-college.co.uk/school-life/boarding/international-students/thai/

It's pretty Catholic for sure - quite a few clergy around on a daily basis. Attendance to masses is voluntary though http://ratcliffe-college.co.uk/school-life/chaplaincy/

@bluesofaI'm not sure on Buddhist temples, not at all religious personally, so I never looked into it. There is a shrine room at the LCFC stadium that the owners use though, and they bring monks over to bless the club.

 

I remember now about one of the monks they imported to bless the Leicester City team. Then they went on to win whatever cup it was (sorry, I know nothing about sport).

The monk got his five minutes of fame here, lapping it all up, and was apparently in demand to bless other things.