PHUKET FC have been quick to name a new coach, Brazilian Stefano cugurra, known as ''Teco,'' a 38-year-old with a solid record as a player and success coaching in Indonesia. In 2010 he led Chiang Rai United into the Premier League, which is what Phuket FC want.


PHUKET: Wanted: A New Coach for Phuket FC. A vacancy has occurred with the departure of the sixth coach to come and go in a hurry in just two years.

Requirements: Ability to cope with disappointments, capacity to encourage a talented and promising team, and courage to persuade unreasonable fans that better times are ahead.

On Monday Phuket FC coach Panipol Kerdyaem will formalise his resignation after being shouted out by Phuket fans last night, and the Wanted ads will begin to appear again.

About midnight, after last night's draw, the departing coach met with Phuket FC chairman Pamuke Acariyachai at Khun Pamuke's home and could not be talked out of resigning.

Who could blame him? Phuket FC fans are one of the team's biggest problems.

Khun Pamuke, Phuket's biggest sponsor and supporter, said he was shocked to see and hear the way Panipol was booed and criticised at Saturday's game at home in Phuket City.

''It makes me feel upset to see fans who do not offer their support to Phuket FC whether the team wins, loses or draws,'' he told Phuketwan. ''This is not the right way to behave.''

Unfortunately, the Surakul Stadium match left Phuket FC drawing 1-1 with the Thai Tobacco Monopoly FC.

Phuket was sixth going into the match and TTM FC was 16th. For a team that needed to win to retain a fading hope of promotion, a loss or a draw was not an option.

Fans let Khun Panipol know their feelings. Phuket FC fans, sad to say, are fair-weather fans. They love victories but cannot cope with defeats, or even draws.

So, after the match, Khun Panipol let his feelings be known on the official Phuket FC Facebook page:

''I would like to thank Khun Pamuke, Khun Eam, Management, Khun Niwat, staff, Phuket footballers and fans for your support. I have been very happy to work here. But I have resigned from my position as head coach... Thank you... Panipol Kerdyaem."

Despite the injection of funds, improved sponsorship, better talent, a new training ground and links to a mentor Brazilian club, Phuket FC is still in Division One.

Premier League, the aim of every fan on the island, probably cannot be achieved this season.

We'd suggest that perhaps a more settled approach might achieve more. Khun Pamuke agrees. And a look at our coverage of Phuket FC shows that Phuket has had six coaches in two years.

Here are their names.

Perhaps some fans remember them: Panipol Kerdyaem, Anurak Srikerd, Rong ''Noi'' Ajanyoot, Milos Joksic, Sompong Wattana, Surachai Jirasirichote.

As well as repeatedly hounding coaches from the job, Phuket fans have incurred fines for throwing objects and blockading referees on the football field.

We think it's time the fans causing the trouble thought about behaving differently. Then, and only then, will Phuket FC be able to seriously begin its journey to the top.

Phuket FC, now in seventh position, plays Nakhon Pathom away on August 11.