PHUKET: The island's football team is looking for a new coach after the Brazilian incumbent resigned following a narrow, exciting 5-4 loss by Phuket FC last night.
Playing close rivals Saraburi FC, Phuket fought back to be all level at 4-4 at the 85-minute mark before the winning goal was scored nine minutes later.
'Teco' Cugurra Rodrigues, Phuket's coach since August, resigned after the narrow loss and the Phuket FC management team will meet today to begin the hunt for a replacement.
The new coach will be Phuket's eighth in three years, a turnover that indicates the island's intense struggle to fight from Division One into the Premier League, where many people believe the island team should be.
In its third season attempting promotion, Phuket was on 25 points and in seventh place when the team met sixth-placed Saraburi, which also has 25 points from 16 games, last night.
Saraburi led 3-1 at the halfway mark but Phuket recovered to 4-4 before the last-minute goal sealed Phuket's fate - probably for the season.
Coach Teco, who has lasted much longer than most Phuket coaches over the past three years, announced his intention to ''look for a place with a team in Thailand or in a neighboring country.''
The Phuket FC management team have telegraphed that they will be most likely looking for a foreign coach as they cast forward to next season in Division One and another tilt at the top.
Playing close rivals Saraburi FC, Phuket fought back to be all level at 4-4 at the 85-minute mark before the winning goal was scored nine minutes later.
'Teco' Cugurra Rodrigues, Phuket's coach since August, resigned after the narrow loss and the Phuket FC management team will meet today to begin the hunt for a replacement.
The new coach will be Phuket's eighth in three years, a turnover that indicates the island's intense struggle to fight from Division One into the Premier League, where many people believe the island team should be.
In its third season attempting promotion, Phuket was on 25 points and in seventh place when the team met sixth-placed Saraburi, which also has 25 points from 16 games, last night.
Saraburi led 3-1 at the halfway mark but Phuket recovered to 4-4 before the last-minute goal sealed Phuket's fate - probably for the season.
Coach Teco, who has lasted much longer than most Phuket coaches over the past three years, announced his intention to ''look for a place with a team in Thailand or in a neighboring country.''
The Phuket FC management team have telegraphed that they will be most likely looking for a foreign coach as they cast forward to next season in Division One and another tilt at the top.
