Overview

Matt Riley takes us on a fascinating and bizarre behind-the-scenes journey into the weird and wonderful world of Thai football. Working as an English Media Officer in Thailand, Riley was given unique access, seldom granted to foreigners, to the country's most powerful clubs. Thai Football Tales: Beautiful Madness is a report on his time inside the Thai football bubble. From spending the afternoon with Bryan Robson in the Manchester United team hotel, to persuading a player stopping off in Bangkok on the way to sign for an A League club to abandon his journey and play in Thailand, no two days were ever the same. At a meeting in the northern city of Chiang Mai when helping a friend secure a coaching contract, the chairman Matt was negotiating with jumped into a cage to wrestle a tiger. And after interviewing the ‘King of Buriram’, Riley found his every move was being watched – and filmed! Thai Football Tales is a jaw-dropping first-hand account of a Westerner's experiences in a unique and colourful footballing culture.

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9781801504980

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Reviews

"""If you have never lived in Thailand this book could be a wonderful piece of comedy fiction. However, having spent three years coaching the national team with Peter Reid and Bryan Robson I can reveal this is a wonderful piece of comedy! Full of unbelievable Thai tales; true stories. Such as the convicted murderer being allowed out of jail to become a referee of 'flexible ethics'."" -- Steve Darby * former national team coach of Laos and Thailand * ""With the 224 pages covering Matt's six years in Thai football, it's perfect for all football fans, particularly those with interest in the Thai game. As the author unveils much of what really went on behind the scenes as he worked as a journalist following his own dreams off his own back and no cash in return. You want Matt to win, but you've got a gut feeling something's about to come along and kick another ladder from underneath him, whether it was websites, TV shows, or even as an agent. Anyone who lives or has lived in Thailand and is involved with locals at work or in a relationship with a Thai can learn plenty from the book and probably understand the cultural issues that Matt faced."" -- Rob Bernard * A Thai Football Podcast *"

"""If you have never lived in Thailand this book could be a wonderful piece of comedy fiction. However, having spent three years coaching the national team with Peter Reid and Bryan Robson I can reveal this is a wonderful piece of comedy! Full of unbelievable Thai tales; true stories. Such as the convicted murderer being allowed out of jail to become a referee of 'flexible ethics'."" -- Steve Darby * former national team coach of Laos and Thailand *"

"""I didn't think I needed a brilliant inside look at Thai football but I was wrong. This is a cracking read!"" -- Kevin Day * Price of Football * ""If you have never lived in Thailand this book could be a wonderful piece of comedy fiction. However, having spent three years coaching the national team with Peter Reid and Bryan Robson I can reveal this is a wonderful piece of comedy! Full of unbelievable Thai tales; true stories. Such as the convicted murderer being allowed out of jail to become a referee of 'flexible ethics'."" -- Steve Darby * former national team coach of Laos and Thailand * ""With the 224 pages covering Matt's six years in Thai football, it's perfect for all football fans, particularly those with interest in the Thai game. As the author unveils much of what really went on behind the scenes as he worked as a journalist following his own dreams off his own back and no cash in return. You want Matt to win, but you've got a gut feeling something's about to come along and kick another ladder from underneath him, whether it was websites, TV shows, or even as an agent. Anyone who lives or has lived in Thailand and is involved with locals at work or in a relationship with a Thai can learn plenty from the book and probably understand the cultural issues that Matt faced."" -- Rob Bernard * A Thai Football Podcast *"

Author Information

Matt Riley worked as a journalist in Thai football for many years, appearing regularly on the Fox Sports Central nightly show beamed across Asia, before returning to England as Lecturer in Business Management at the University of Exeter. Today he writes content for Fair Game Too UK as their Regional Media Manager. His two previous books are Kit and Caboodle: Football’s Shirt Stories and Her Game Too: A Manifesto for Change.

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