From the Dugout – Who will be Cambodias Next Coach?

The big news of the week is Honda is gone. Given my own personal history with the man I’ve worked for but never met it would be silly of me not to give my two cents… 

To read the last from the dugout piece click here

The methodology… 

For whatever reason Honda has this belief that players can be coaches and do both at the same time. He is wrong!!! My first job with Soltilo back in 2019 was with this system. Kento was head coach and I was working alongside him and guiding him. His ideas, his tactics delivered by me. I have nothing bad to say about Kento, I love the lad. He was polite and eager to learn. He was very respectful on what was a difficult situation for us both. There were days we got it right, half time vs Boueng Ket we were losing 3-1. Kento was having a nightmare. I grabbed him and said ‘this half time is mine’. You get your head right’. We won 5-4!! All in all though it’s an impossible situation for all involved. The Khmer players told me when I left the club that they had just felt sorry for me. The day we played Police and a substitution was made on the pitch without me knowing about it was the day I told them no more. I’ll live and die by my own decisions, I won’t sacrifice my career for someone else’s decisions. Honda career wasn’t ever hold which is why he didn’t do any coaching badges. There’s not much you can teach the man about tactics or high pressure situations but it’s not a simple transition to becoming a coach. It takes time. You have to study. Outside the top 35 players in the country inn not sure he knew anyone else. 

It was a success for the FFC… 

For the Federation it was a massive success. Hosting the games this year we needed a poster boy for the most popular sport in the Kingdom and who better than a man who would, reportedly, do it for free and is an icon? It was an amazing coup for the FFC. I, myself, was working with the FFC to help find the national team coach. I sent them Robbie Fowlers CV among others. When they announced I was very excited for the countries football. 

There is no doubt the profile of the game has grown massively and it’s largely down to Honda being the poster boy for football here. 

Who next? 

I would love to see Prak Sovanarath back but working as an advisor to the EDC coach Tum Saray. He’s a fantastic coach and one I’m a great admirer of. 

Collum would be an ideal choice, Connor would be perfect in terms of football but too outspoken (and right) for three FFC to go for him. That rules me out as well I guess. If I was a betting man I would say Channa is going to be the man chosen.