A record number of Filipino players are seeing action in the Thai League 1 this season, including several national team members signing with clubs vying in what is widely considered as Southeast Asia’s top football league.
With the Thai league expanding its quota for Southeast Asian players from one to three for each squad, the Philippines will have nine players in the competition that starts on the third week of February.
Reigning Thai League champion Buriram United has three Filipino internationals—defender Stephan Palla, Javier Patiño and Luke Woodland.
The three were part of the Azkals’ squad that competed in the AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates last month.
Another Asian Cup veteran, goalkeeper Michael Falkesgaard, starts his second season with Bangkok United, which he helped to an AFC Champions League last year.
The others are former Ceres-Negros star Manny Ott and Amin Nazari (Ratchaburi Mitr Pohl), Iain Ramsay (Sukhothai), Marco Casambre (Chainat Horbill) and Mark Hartmann (Suphanburi).