Football players give the country reason to hope

Can we dare to dream now? A few days ago Thailand's national soccer players pulled off one of their best performances in recent memory and established themselves in second spot in Group D of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. Everyone from soccer novices to veteran pundits knows that it's still a very long way to go, but an impressive performance in losing to Australia on their own turf on September 2 and a convincing victory over Oman four days later are being seen by many as a silver lining. Saudi Arabia are next, and on current form the Thai players can give their tough opponents a good run for their money.

A good result against the Saudis next month on Thai soil will further boost our national team's chances of advancing to the next qualification stage.

The next phase will consist of the winners and first runners-up of the current groups. Ten national teams in total will be divided into two groups, whose winners and first runners-up will play in the World Cup finals to be held in Brazil in 2014. The better of the two third-place teams can grab the last ticket by winning a playoff against a counterpart from another continent.

Much credit must go to the new Thai coach, Winfried Schaefer from Germany. After just a few months in charge, he has transformed a national team low on morale and in shambles into hard fighters with an admirable team spirit. It will surely take more than that, of course, to reach the World Cup. The Thai players' inferior physical strength, for example, was very much exposed in the closing stages of the match against Australia. In fact, the issue of stamina may decide how far our national players can go in their quest for a historic appearance at the World Cup.

What has caught everyone's eye, however, is how sharp the Thai attacks are. Against Australia, Thailand were pinned back, but managed to make their few chances count. Against Oman, every Thai attack contained a strong purpose, and pundits both local and overseas agreed that a bigger win would not have flattered Thailand.

The German coach has been praised for his dedication. He may have come at the right time, as, no matter how respected his predecessor Bryan Robson was, his dual role as Manchester United's football ambassador meant that he struggled to pay attention to the details necessary to improve the Thai team.

The boom in the new Thailand Premier League may have contributed to the improvement in form of the national team. When the competition for places is stronger, the starting eleven of the national team will naturally be compelled to do their best - not occasionally but consistently.

The league has provided long-term hope as well. With better and more systematic scouting, and greater incentives for talented kids to pursue their dreams, the future must be bright. Japan is one of the greatest examples of how a popular domestic league can turn a lacklustre national team into potential world-beaters.

Sports fans are always fickle, but no matter what, this is a good time to be a sports fan in Thailand. Our women's volleyball team has made good and steady progress, returning from the recent World Grand Prix in Macao with their heads held high. With relatively less local support, the volleyball players' success is even more remarkable. Their resounding victory over China is the equivalent of our national soccer players beating a top-ten team in a major international tournament. Our women volleyball players have crept up on the world stage and established themselves as a force to be reckoned with.  

The soccer players may want to emulate the women volleyball players when it comes to dedication, discipline and how to cope with fame, success and failure. The boys' showing against Australia and Oman has given everyone hope. Whether or not it will turn out to be a false dawn will not be down to results alone. How they make the journey is equally important.