While Puttipong’s late penalty against FC Yala offered a fleeting moment of ecstasy, the underlying rot under the continued and increasingly detached ownership of Higher Sports threatens to consume the club entirely. The victory, it appears, was not a turning point, but a temporary reprieve for an institution teetering on the brink.
As previously chronicled, the season was a chaotic tapestry of managerial upheaval and on-field inconsistency. The January defeat to PT Satun FC in their temporary Phang Nga home laid bare the persistent issues plaguing the club: a lack of clear tactical direction, questionable player fitness, and a palpable disconnect. However, the situation has since deteriorated alarmingly, revealing a level of mismanagement that stretches far beyond the pitch.
The human cost of Higher Sports’ tenure is now starkly apparent. Reports indicate that the majority of the club’s dedicated staff are owed up to three months’ wages, a scandalous indictment of the ownership’s disregard for their employees’ well-being. The grim reality is that many are struggling to afford basic necessities, their livelihoods sacrificed at the altar of apparent financial ineptitude. This is not merely poor administration; it is a fundamental failure of responsibility.
In the face of this escalating crisis, the silence from the club’s hierarchy is deafening. The ’president,’ Russ Horsley, has seemingly retreated into a void, his only recent utterances a series of fantastical claims made during a podcast interview. These unsubstantiated pronouncements, in stark contrast to the lived realities of unpaid staff and players, only serve to further erode any remaining trust in the ownership. The fact that players, the very heart of the team, are still owed significant sums is a damning indictment of the rank mismanagement at the highest level.
Adding to the air of unreality are whimsical claims of impending international funding. These promises, perpetually deferred with the familiar refrain of "mañana," have become a cruel joke for those bearing the brunt of the club’s financial woes. Similarly, fantastical stories of an international academy and trial leagues appear increasingly far-fetched for a club with no discernible funds, no permanent coach, a depleted and out-of-contract playing squad, and no fixed abode beyond the temporary and distant Phang Nga stadium.
The very legitimacy of the club’s future participation in Thai football is now under serious scrutiny. Questions are reportedly pending regarding their registration with the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), with several crucial pieces of documentation allegedly still missing. This administrative negligence could have severe consequences, potentially jeopardizing their league status regardless of their on-field survival.
Perhaps the most worrying revelation is the alleged illegal employment of various foreign staff members over the past season. Reports suggest that individuals were working under false pretenses, utilizing tourist visas or education visas that explicitly do not permit gainful employment. This not only exposes the club to potential legal repercussions but also raises serious ethical questions about their treatment of employees, both local and international.
The great escape against Yala now appears to be nothing more than a fleeting moment of relief in a rapidly unfolding catastrophe. The underlying issues of financial instability, absentee and seemingly delusional leadership, and now allegations of illegal employment paint a picture of a club teetering on the brink of collapse.
For the loyal fans who endured the arduous journey to Phang Nga, and for the dedicated staff who continue to suffer in silence, the question remains: how much longer can this charade continue? The silence from the owners is not just neglect; it is a betrayal of the very people who form the heart and soul of Phuket Andaman FC.
Unless there is a swift and radical change in ownership and a commitment to transparency and ethical management, the dramatic survival of last season will be remembered not as a rebirth, but as the final, desperate gasp of a club tragically mismanaged into oblivion.
The beautiful game deserves better than this ongoing saga of broken promises and shattered livelihoods.
Simon Causton is the host of ‘A Thai Football Podcast’ and writer of the ’Football Siam’ blog which covers all things Thai football.