The decision came following a 3-1 home defeat to Muang Trang FC last Sunday, a result that leaves the Lobsters teetering on the brink of relegation.
Coach Tum’s tenure was marked by a distinct lack of success, managing a mere three wins and, more worryingly, collecting just a single point from the first five games of the second leg of the season.
This marks the second managerial casualty of the campaign for the club. Coach Tum’s predecessor, Coach Go, a hugely popular figure on Phuket, was also dismissed earlier in the season, a decision that clearly still reverberates amongst some members of the squad. The instability in the dugout has undoubtedly contributed to the club’s current predicament.
Coach Tum’s reign was plagued by more than just poor results. Off-field issues, specifically the ongoing financial turmoil surrounding the club’s ownership, cast a long shadow over his time in charge. Since Higher Sports Phuket took over last August, the club has been mired in financial uncertainty. At one point, staff went unpaid for two months, raising serious questions about the club’s very survival.
These financial woes have undoubtedly hampered Coach Tum’s ability to build a stable and competitive team. Furthermore, the club has been forced to play its home games off the island, in Phang Nga, due to the ongoing renovations at their usual home, the Surakul Stadium. This enforced exile has further disrupted the team’s preparations and connection with their fanbase.
Adding to the club’s woes, Coach Tum has, at the time of writing, yet to sign the necessary paperwork to officially remove him from the club’s registration. This bureaucratic hurdle prevents PAFC from immediately appointing a replacement. Under league rules, only one licensed coach can be registered with a club at any given time, leaving the club in a precarious limbo.
On the pitch, Coach Tum struggled to implement a consistent formation or style of play, often appearing to tinker with tactics without finding a formula that effectively utilised the squad’s strengths. This lack of tactical clarity contributed to the team’s disjointed performances and lack of cohesion.
Furthermore, reports suggest that Coach Tum faced resistance from certain players within the squad, some of whom still harbour strong loyalties to the previous manager, Coach Go. This alleged player mutiny further undermined Coach Tum’s authority and made it difficult for him to establish his own imprint on the team.
PAFC now find themselves in a perilous position, languishing in 10th place in the league, just two points ahead of Yala City FC, who occupy the solitary relegation spot in 12th position. Fate has dealt them a cruel hand, as they face Yala City this coming Saturday in what is, without question, a relegation decider.
With only six games remaining in the season, the stakes could not be higher. A loss against Yala City would be a devastating blow and would leave PAFC staring into the abyss of relegation. The island’s hopes of maintaining a professional football team, the hopes of the Lobsters faithful, now rest on a knife-edge.
Simon Causton is the host of ‘A Thai Football Podcast’ and writer of the ’Football Siam’ blog which covers all things Thai football.