UHT Vana Nava Hua Hin City FC 2015

[Big Boy]

I can see why Big Boy is in a good mood! (it won't last! )

Don't you worry about me, I can always find something else to moan about

The thought of Ian Holloway for instance

It's moaning that keeps me happy

[benji57]

Anybody knows where Dao Kela shop is located in Hua Hin ? I'm looking for a shirt from
Hua Hin FC !

[Big Boy]

You asked the same question at 4:17pm

My answer is still the same - go back a few posts and the answer is there. However, being ever helpful, here's the link www.huahinforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=28988&start=619

[Sabai Sabai]

See our '5th guy' has just been interviewed on the Facebook page. Jonata apparently although he said his nickname is Jon! Welcome to the club Jon!

He introduced himself as a pacy winger and the objective is to get us to league 1.

[Davy B]

I have to say that things definitely look to be heading in the right direction, don't they? I was becoming concerned that although we had about 8 midfielders before the cull, all with similar stature and ability, we had nobody that could come on and change the game for us. I felt we needed a tall, commanding, tough tackling, good passing midfielder - a Michael Carrick type. I am a bit concerned with our lack of striking options, which will probably be rectified with the next batch of signings, as I feel that if anything happens to Lucas or Anucha we have no back-up for them. The new signings so far appear to have the pedigree to get us to Division 1, and most of them could be around to see us progress even further. Now, after saying all that, I am left wondering why we have more coaches than players? Are they going to be part of this soccer academy that I was told so much about but has never materialised, similar to the imminent arrival of Nobby Solano!!!

[Big Boy]

Now, after saying all that, I am left wondering why we have more coaches than players? Are they going to be part of this soccer academy that I was told so much about but has never materialised, similar to the imminent arrival of Nobby Solano!!!

I am sure you will get the answers NEXT WEEK.

Recruiting academy staff before they have an academy (premises, students etc) sounds like careful Thai planning

[Big Boy]

............ just for sabai sabai

I still worry about all of this investment, and where we are going.

Yes, the guys in charge are very keen for success, and they seem to be investing a hell of a lot of cash into Hua Hin City, for which I am very happy. Our annual gate receipts will be somewhere in the region of £3,600 (180,000 Baht). I doubt that barely paid Lucas' air fare from Brazil.

We seem to be spending money like it is going out of fashion - is it a bottomless pit? What is the end game? We've all heard the ambition, but will it happen? We are moving to a new ground soon, which will put a very low ceiling on potential income, even if we fill it every week. OK, I've heard the rumours of a much larger stadium - it won't be free. Another massive investment - what guarantees are there that success will bring in the necessary following/income to make this a viable proposition? Or will they just build it anyway?

I don't know what wages the players and hangers on receive, but they aren't coming to Hua Hin for it's beach. Where would Hua Hin sit in the real world with an annual income of £3,600 and a wage bill of ................?

There seems to be a lot of ill thought out planning, which could result in the money men eventually realising the error of their ways, and they could walk, taking their money with them. I'm sorry, but it doesn't add up. Maybe I'm just a worrier, and not used to being funded by sugar daddies.

[Sabai Sabai]

............ just for sabai sabai

I told you it wouldn't last! Although you've surpassed my expectations, I thought you might have been happy until we at least lost a game or God forbid played a bit kick and rush!

Where would Hua Hin sit in the real world with an annual income of £3,600 and a wage bill of ................?

So you're not counting all the money from our endless list of sponsors, merchandise, shirt sales etc? I imagine for Hua Hin at this moment in time probably make more from that side of things than they do gate money. I'm sure as the club grows, the fanbase grows, we start climbing divisions, all of those revenue streams grow as well. The admission fee will inevitably rise as well.....

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that we're making a profit just now, certainly not, there clearly is a lot of investment just now. I'm merely a punter, I don't know their hopes or aims in terms of how they see the club eventually making money but I think there is a realisation that we absolutely MUST get above the current level to do so, starting with league 1 and eventually the premier league.

I think they seem willing to throw some money at it to ensure this happens....

Just sit back and enjoy the ride...... If the money runs out or the money men do walk away, Hua Hin will still be here, we just cut our cloth accordingly....

Why worry about something that may never happen?!

[Geordie Dancer]

Unbelievable! If there is nothing to complain about lets make it up. It makes me wonder how much some people know or understand about football to make the comments they have made in the last 24 hours. The comments are totally without factual backing or foundation and some just show how little people know about Hua Hin Football Club. It is about time people forgot about what has been said or done in the past rather than continuing to use it to put the knife in. All football clubs generate stories, some of which come to fruition, some don't, that's the nature of football. Don't keep harping back to things that haven't happened, look at all the good things that have.

I don't know what wages the players and hangers on receive, but they aren't coming to Hua Hin for it's beach. Where would Hua Hin sit in the real world with an annual income of £3,600 and a wage bill of ................?

They would sit in exactly the same position as virtually every other professional football club in the world. Gate receipts have become almost an irrelevance in terms of any football clubs income. Newcastle Utd with an average home crowd of 50000 take gross gate receipts of £35 - 40 million a season. Small fry when players are getting paid 10's if not 100's of thousands a week and changing hands for 20 - 30 million each. Most clubs income comes from other sources, owners, sponsors, tv, merchandising etc as does Hua Hins.

There seems to be a lot of ill thought out planning, which could result in the money men eventually realising the error of their ways, and they could walk, taking their money with them. I'm sorry, but it doesn't add up.

Don't understand. What do you consider to be ill thought out planning? What does not add up?

Now, after saying all that, I am left wondering why we have more coaches than players? Are they going to be part of this soccer academy that I was told so much about but has never materialised, similar to the imminent arrival of Nobby Solano!!!

Recruiting academy staff before they have an academy (premises, students etc) sounds like careful Thai planning

These two comments sum up how little people actually know about the club set up. "more coaches than players", no there are not. The club has had approximately 10 people involved with training/coaching the team, quite a few of the personnel have changed since the arrival of the new head coach. There are still approximately 10 who all perform different tasks. As well as the head coach and two assistant there is (only recently appointed) a coach who speaks good english so that the whole squad get communicated with in a familar language. Two coaches take care of general fitness training while the head coach and his three assistants concentrate on the more tactical aspects. There is a specialist goalkeeping coach and three physio/medical related staff, two of whom treat injuries and one works on specific training to get injured players back to full fitness. Others who are at training appear to be more support staff to ensure the coaching staff have everything they need.

There is already an academy with a considerable number of kids. All the kids who come out with the players at home games are all academy players. They already have at least one specific academy coach although some of those who work with the first team, on occasions, also assist. The academy train at what looks to be a fairly new both covered and open astro turf facility somewhere in Hua Hin. Quite where it is I haven't found out yet. They also frequently train at the same time as the first team on the opposite side of the road from the training ground.

Some of the older academy players have also, on occasions, trained with the first team squad.

I view the changes the club has made, with possibly more to come, as both very courageous and hugely positive. As they say "talk is cheap" and there has been much talk during the first half of the season but actions speak louder than words. I have stated over many weeks that I thought Hua Hin were, along with Samut Sakon, the best team in the division. With the "old" squad I think we could and should have been achieving a top 2 place in the second half of the season, however, that was by no means guaranteed. Even if that was achieved it would only be job half done. Once we achieve champions league status there would be no easy games and we need to be set up to beat the best in Thailand at division 2 level to achieve the ultimate goal of promotion. This could not have been done overnight.

Whilst the quality and ability of the new players has yet to be proved, the changes demonstrate to me that the club is totally focused on achieving its self professed aim of promotion. It would have been no good the team attaining a top 2 finish with a team that could not continue with a serious assault on winning the champions league. The changes that the club have made show good foresight and planning to prepare not just for the second half of the season but also and more importantly for a champions league challenge. The timing also allows for the team to gel and hopefully improve throughout the second half of the season so they are in peak form for the main challenge of champions league success.

The club has made its aim perfectly clear. It actions and the current changes show that they mean business and have backed up their words with actions in order to achieve that aim. I'm sure more things will happen in the coming days/weeks so lets support the club in what they are doing. It could all go tits up but so could all things in life. What's the point in looking at things that way? Be positive, support the club and lets get promoted. Howay Hua Hin!

[Sabai Sabai]

Also worth pointing out that we're not alone in throwing money around at this level, the top 2 teams in the league have both spent a lot of money this season, I've been reliably informed.

I don't claim to know or follow the teams from the other regions(potential opponents in CL) but I see Udon, who are currently 5th have made a few changes..... Thus far they have let 18 go and brought in 25!!! Including a couple of Italian sounding names, you can bet they're not doing that on the cheap either!

This is what we're up against, you gotta speculate to accumulate sometimes.

[Big Boy]

So you're not counting all the money from our endless list of sponsors, merchandise, shirt sales etc? I imagine for Hua Hin at this moment in time probably make more from that side of things than they do gate money. I'm sure as the club grows, the fanbase grows, we start climbing divisions, all of those revenue streams grow as well. The admission fee will inevitably rise as well.....

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that we're making a profit just now, certainly not, there clearly is a lot of investment just now. I'm merely a punter, I don't know their hopes or aims in terms of how they see the club eventually making money but I think there is a realisation that we absolutely MUST get above the current level to do so, starting with league 1 and eventually the premier league.

Would sponsors money count in Europe for example? I know we get a lot of sponsorship, but I thought outgoings had to be in line with incomings (not including sponsorship). Or am I wrong? I'm not sure of the new regs in Europe. Those regs were put in place for a reason.

I accept that we need to climb, no doubt about that, but I fear that if the money men walk away, we'll be left bankrupt, and have to start supporting Prachuab or Phetburi.

I am sure we are moving in the right direction, and feel fairly confident that we'll make it to the Champions League again this year.

The last time I counted we had something like 13 coaches. GD says we've just taken on a few more. OK, fair play if we can afford such luxuries, but can we? I've already stated that the guys with Premier League experience won't be here for the beaches. With little chance of a substantial gate income for the foreseeable future, we seem to be relying heavily upon gifts.

Having seen Plymouth Argyle moving from a good Championship side to a side that barely survived in the Football League, I feel good cause to be concerned.

[Sabai Sabai]

I don't think we need worry about UEFA's financial fair play rules over here. Who cares where the money is coming from, so long as it's coming in!

I genuinely feel to get more income be it through the gate receipts, even greater sponsorship, prize money, even TV deals, we need to go up the leagues....

If that involves some investment to get to that level then we can think ourselves lucky we have the people in place to do just that.

I see no reason to panic whatsoever!

[Big Boy]

Sorry GD, I replied to SS before reading your response - you seem to think it is quite acceptable to rely on gifts rather than generate your own income - I didn't know. I actually thought clubs were capped on what they could spend on wages these days.

Yes, we have an academy. I have helped sponsor it. However, it is not the academy that Davy B refers to. I overheard part of that conversation, and walked away - you can't kid a kidder. It sounded beautiful, but if it is going to happen, it will take years to set up.

Don't understand. What do you consider to be ill thought out planning? What does not add up?

Most people invest in a project in the hope that they will receive a return for their investment. £3,600 against the current wage bill does not add up to a good return. Yes, they sell merchandise, but to who? Mainly the people who walk through the turnstiles. 200 paying supporters at best x (conservative estimate of) 300 Baht profit = 60,000 Baht, which brings us up to £4,800 annual income. What doesn't add up is where we will be without our sugar daddies. Where is the return on their investment coming from? Yes, we as supporters benefit from their generosity, but the deal seems very one sided to me. As I said to SS, I saw a successful Championship side slide to virtual obscurity when their sugar daddy walked.

These two comments sum up how little people actually know about the club set up.

Maybe the club should tell their supporters more of what is happening and why - there are only 200 of us, it can't be that hard. I'm not saying they need to go down to fine detail, but what was the last public statement we heard? The conversation I overheard, had the recipient sworn to secrecy . As I said, I walked away. If there is something to say, say it. Don't get in little huddles in the playground.

The club has made its aim perfectly clear. It actions and the current changes show that they mean business and have backed up their words with actions in order to achieve that aim. I'm sure more things will happen in the coming days/weeks so lets support the club in what they are doing. It could all go tits up but so could all things in life. What's the point in looking at things that way? Be positive, support the club and lets get promoted.

I agree 100%, and in my opinion their actions have confirmed what I have been saying. We have been lacking in certain areas. I am delighted our coach has used his knowledge of the Thai game to encourage experienced players to Hua Hin to fill those gaps to achieve what we all want. Hopefully, there will be a couple more arrivals in the very near future.

[Big Boy]

I don't think we need worry about UEFA's financial fair play rules over here. Who cares where the money is coming from, so long as it's coming in!

I genuinely feel to get more income be it through the gate receipts, even greater sponsorship, prize money, even TV deals, we need to go up the leagues....

If that involves some investment to get to that level then we can think ourselves lucky we have the people in place to do just that.

I see no reason to panic whatsoever!

Not panicking, just a little concerned after seeing what can happen first hand. It can be really sad to see a player throw his shirt to the crowd, only to see a club official retrieve it so that the player has something to wear for the next match.

[Big Boy]

I see we've got a 6th foreigner appearing in club photos. Michael Byrne who seems to have started as a promising youngster with Bolton, and gradually worked his way down the ranks into obscurity in UK football. However, he moved to Thailand and has had quite a promising career.