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BEC Tero to fight for futures
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2005-05-25 08:54:00
Xinhuanet
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BANGKOK, May 24, 2005 (Xinhuanet) -- BEC Tero Sasana players will be fighting for their personal futures when meeting Shandong Luneng in their last Group F match of the AFC Champions League at home on Wednesday.
After a poor season in the AFC Champions League and in the domestic league, BEC Tero is planning a clear-out.
"We intend to release as many as 10 players and this is the last chance for some of the squad to show what they can do," said BEC Tero manager Ong-Art Kohsinkha.
"We will be watching closely how the players perform."
The 2003 AFC Champions League finalist lost four out of five games in this year¡¯s competition and finished a disappointing sixth in the Thai league.
"We will play an attacking game and go for the win -- it is important for the club to get a victory as we will not be in the AFC Champions League next season," said Kohsinkha.
BEC Tero is determined to rebuild the side and striker Worrawoot Srimaka, who captained the team during its glory run in 2003, tops the club¡¯s buying list which also includes several players from Thai League champion Tobacco Monopoly and third-placed Osotspa.
"It is likely that Worrawoot will rejoin us from (Vietnam club)Binh Dinh. He has great leadership qualities and can still score goals," said Kohsinkha.
On Wednesday BEC Tero will be looking to midfielder Datsakorn Thonglao, who scored both goals in the 2-2 away draw with PSM Makassar of Indonesia two weeks ago.
Thonglao, who lost his place on the Thailand national team lastyear but has been named in the under-23 SEA Games squad, regained his form in recent games and his trademark free-kicks will pose a threat to Shandong.
Shandong, who is already assured of a place in the quarterfinals, will be seeking its sixth straight win in the continent¡¯s premier club competition.
Bulgaria¡¯s Predrag Pazin and fellow defender Jiao Zhe both picked up their second yellow cards of the tournament during the last match against Yokohama F Marinos on May 11 and will have to miss Wednesday¡¯s match.
In addition, coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic is likely to rest severalother key players with qualification already secured.
"The team¡¯s efforts paid off as we have advanced into the quarter-finals with one match remaining. We went through the tensegroup stage and it is expected we will have stiffer tests in the forthcoming games," said Tumbakovic.
"But we have been making progress all the time and I believe wewill be able to do our job well," he added.
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