Search underway for future Thai superstars
KING POWER is to search for 10 talented youngsters through the under-15 King Power’s Cup to receive a 30-month training programme at the Leicester Academy with a Bt1 million scholarship for the winning team.
The tournament is part of the Fox Hunt Season 3 project which will pick the 10 best players to train for two and a half years at the LFC Academy in Leicester and study at the city’s prestigious Ratcliffe College.
The company will spend around Bt15 million for each of the youngsters during their stay there.
So far more than 200 teams have signed up for the tournament, which offers total prize money of Bt3 million.
It kicks off with matches in six regions – Northeast, North, East, South, Central and Bangkok – from
October 31 to December 6.
After that, the last 16 teams will compete from December 12-16 in Bangkok with the final game set on
December 17 at the Thephassadin Stadium to decide the winners.
“It’s phenomenonal to have more than 200 teams taking part this year,” said Aiywatt Srivaddhanaprabha
chief executive of King Power and Leicester City vice chairman.
“This programme serves as a springboard for young players to pursue professional careers.
“Four players from season 1 are currently with our team in Belgium [Oh Lueven in League 2] and the rest
have joined Thai Premier League teams.”
Around 100 players will be selected for the first selection stage of the Fox Hunt programme, supervised by former national coach Charnwit Polcheewin and Fox Hunt coach Alistair Heath.
“We choose players individually, not based on their team performance.
There’s no guarantee that players from the winning team will be selected,” Charnwit said.
Meanwhile, Aiyawatt showed no sign of worries despite the fact that his side has made a dismal start to |
the English Premier League season.
The 2015-16 champions are currently 17th in the table after seven games.
“The team are in the tough phase as the players need to adjust in several aspects. They must work hard to achieve unity. We have played several big teams and it’s just seven matches. I’m sure better results are coming,” said Aiyawatt, who said he was in talks with former national coach Kiatisak Senamuang to assist in coaching at Oh Lueven.
