Gian Chansrichawla
Football Tribe SEA Editor
Chiangrai United’s title-winning coach Ailton Silva has chosen to return to Brazil after leading the side to win their first-ever Thai League.
Appointed just weeks before the start of the season, Ailton impressed from the off, bringing the side extremely close to becoming the first Thai side to pass through AFC Champions League Qualifying, seeing out a 0-0 draw away against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, only to lose on penalties.
Expected to struggle this season after the departure of coach Alexandre Gama, Ailton took up the mantle expertly and connected with the side’s budding stars, helping them reach new heights in their personal development.
Under his guidance, five Chiangrai United players got call-ups to the senior national team. Siwakorn Tiatrakul, Phitiwat Sukjitthamakul, Ekanit Panya, Shinnaphat Lee-Oh and Apirak Worawong all caught the eye of new national team boss Akira Nishino.
The side also excelled tactically under his watch, as he took Gama’s defensive solidity and tactical flexibility up to eleven to ensnare his opponents and emerge with three points from the games that mattered. A more complete analysis of his coaching and successes can be found here on the Asian Game website.
Expected to struggle to finish in the top four this season, Chiangrai managed a 4-1 away win in typical Ailton fashion on Matchday 16 to propel themselves back into the title race. The Beetles proceeded to lose only one game in the second half of the season, announcing their intentions by inflicting a 4-0 loss on defending champions Buriram United – their biggest ever defeat.
Chiangrai went on to clinch the title based on their superior head-to-head record against Buriram United on the final day of the season, pulling off a 5-2 win away against Suphanburi while the Thunder Castle were held to an inexplicable 1-1 draw with Chiangmai FC.
In his short spell in the Thai League, Ailton will undoubtedly go down as a legend. Having adapted to the new environment incredibly after taking his first coaching job outside Brazil, the coach displayed excellent man-management ability – which has been a stumbling block for many coaches moving to Thailand – allowing his plans to come off brilliantly on the pitch.