SOMKID CHUENTA SIGNS TO BECOME THAILAND’S FIRST FUTSAL EXPORT

(29 Oct 2007, Aktobe, Kazakhstan) – Thailand’s most famous Futsal player , Somkid Chuenta today officially completed his move to Kazakhstan club side Aktobe BTA for an undisclosed fee on a one-year contract.

The move officially agreed and registered at the Football Federation of Kazakhstan just before noon meant that Somkid will now be able to make his debut for the team against arch rivals and defending league champions Kairat tomorrow evening in an eagerly awaited match.

The transfer created a piece of history as he became the country’s and Southeast Asia’s first fully-pledged Futsal professional to ply his trade outside Thailand.

Previously with I AM Sports in the Liga Futsal Thailand and apparently close to signing for CAT Telecom this upcoming season, Somkid impressed Aktobe BTA’s officials during Thailand’s recent three-week training stint in Spain and arrived last week in Kazakhstan to cement his place in the team. And that he has been able to do as he impressed former Spartak Moscow coach, Kamaletdinov Renat and club officials with his discipline, sound handling skills and agility between the posts.

The often colourful Somkid was ecstatic when the deal was completed and said: “It is really an honour to become the first player to move to Europe to play as a professional. This will definitely help to make people more aware of Thailand and our league, national team and the players. We have lots of talent that is coming through and people will take notice of this. I am very happy to move to Europe and now hope to do very well so that Thailand will become more famous.”

In thanking the two men responsible for making the transfer happen, Somkid said: “I want to say a big thank you to Khun Iqbal and Khun Adisak for helping me to get this chance. They have done many good things for Futsal in Thailand and now I hope I can also make them proud by doing my best for Aktobe BTA in Kazakhstan.”

That opportunity will certainly start with a stern test against champions Kairat who have ruled Futsal in Kazakhstan for the last four years with Aktobe BTA playing bridesmaid for each and every one of those years. Besides the league, Somkid will also have the chance to impress in Europe where Aktobe BTA are set to play in the Recopa Cup, organized by UEFA later this year.

Describing his newest recruit within a team that also includes several national players, coach Renat said: “Somkid has all the qualities to succeed. He has very good agility and his ball handling skills are exceptional. We are of course surprised that he is from Thailand because our knowledge of Futsal there is rather limited and we also realized that based on last year’s Asian Championships, Thailand were not one of the top four teams. But we are happy with him and we hope that he will help us in doing well this year.”

Having played for the National Team since 1999, Somkid fulfils a dream of Futsal Thailand’s Chairman Adisak Benjasiriwan, in trading the familiarity of Bangkok for the relative unknown of Kazakhstan.

Said Adisak: “This is a very important move for Thailand Futsal and also for Futsal in this part of the world. We have to remember that this will allow people to take more notice of Futsal from Southeast Asia and perhaps open more doors for players from this region to go and play in Europe.

“Somkid is a brave boy and he has what it takes to succeed in being a professional. He has been very positive about the move to Aktobe BTA and I thank his manager Maricar Iqbal for helping to make the transfer happen. Iqbal negotiated the contract with the club very quickly and brought all parties to the table in agreement in a very professional manner and whilst ensuring that Somkid will have a lucrative deal in place.”

Adisak has been relentless and tremendous in his dedication to the game in Thailand and has been helped in his vision by Iqbal with whom he now is trying to build the gospel of the game and the learnings that has come through in the experience in Thailand to countries within Southeast Asia and hopefully to countries in Asia where Futsal is still emerging.

“It’s very important that we help to develop the sport with our friends in the region. Both Iqbal and I share a vision that we, Thailand, can succeed only because we are part of a group and not independent. This is very important for both of us and for the future of Futsal in Thailand and Southeast Asia. We believe that there is so much potential for this sport in this region and we believe that Somkid will definitely be the first of several players from Thailand and Southeast Asia to eventually realize their professional dreams in Futsal.”

Iqbal, who is also part of the Thailand National Team technical set-up, added that Somkid has been a model professional and has the makings of a very good goalkeeper who could become an icon of sorts both in Kazakhstan and Europe.

He said: “All good goalkeepers are unique. They have tremendous self-belief and confidence. Sometimes they seem to be eccentric and crazy as what Somkid is known for but that is just what makes them stand out. That poise in the convictions of their ability in knowing just how good they can be. Somkid in my opinion has the trappings to go from good to great. He is dedicated and disciplined and knows that this is the big dream that he had been waiting for. So now he has the chance to go from being just good to becoming great.

“Everything is in place for him to succeed in Kazakhstan. The contract is a very lucrative one and it also includes bonuses for victories and championships. So all he has to do is focus on playing and doing well. I believe in him to do well and so does Khun Adisak and most definitely the people of Thailand.”

And so indeed here begins Somkid’s journey into the world of professional Futsal!








Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com