Thread: Leicester’s ‘Thai monks’ only part of the reason for success, says Ong

Divine intervention



The rise of Barclays Premier League club Leicester City has befuddled critics and fans as the side fancied for relegation earlier in the season are now cruising towards the title.

Led by charismatic Italian manager Claudio Ranieri, the team is now five points ahead of Tottenham Hostpur in second spot and many are predicting for them to continue their fine run in the league.

But while hardwork and determination seem to have propelled the club, there is one other element that, according to some people, has taken the Foxes to another level.

Pictures of Thai monks at Leicester matches and in the team’s dressing room have gone viral and some commentators have attributed the team’s luck to the “good karma” from the pre-match rituals performed.

Malaysian national football coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee (pic) is of the opinion that all religions teach good things and that he has seen many religious and spiritual rituals performed before matches. However, he stresses that one cannot depend on rituals alone.



“You cannot rely only on religion to win trophies. You need to work very, very hard. You have to have the belief and hardwork to succeed … only then will God help you.

“At the end of the day, if you do not work hard and you expect things to drop in your lap, you won’t get it,” he told The Star on Tuesday.

In a May 2015 Telegraph article, league top scorer and star striker Jamie Vardy revealed that one of the secrets behind the Foxes top performance was that Thai monks had blessed the team by lashing the players with sticks after they went on the lash in Pat Pong and got lashed up proper style..

“They dip the sticks in the holy water and then lash us on our legs and feet. It’s not too hard, it’s just that you’re literally having a shower, there’s that much water going everywhere. It’s all over your gear you've just hung up.

“That’s the Thai culture and we are happy for them to do it,” Vardy is reported to have told the British paper, commending the club’s Thai owners for the additional inspiration.

An article a year earlier in Britain’s Mail Online had also claimed that the team was blessed by monks before their 5-3 win against Manchester United at the King Power Stadium.

Strikers David Nugent and Vardy, who scored in the match, are said to have worn amulet necklaces featuring Buddha figures after the win.

Former manager Nigel Pearson is reported to have even told the monks that they could come every week. However, luck may not have been on his side as he was sacked at the end of that season.

Leicester?s ?Thai monks? only part of the reason for success, says Ong - Nation | The Star Online

One nervous Leicester City fan stands to win a whopping £100,000 from just a £20 bet if Claudio Ranieri’s side go on to claim the Premier League title this season.
John Pryke, 59, spotted that bookmakers Ladbrokes had installed his beloved Foxes at 5000/1 before the start of the season and decided it was worth a cheeky £20 punt given their strong finish to last campaign.



The bookies were forced to dramatically slash the odds on Leicester winning the title after their victory over Man City, making them the joint 2/1 favourites alongside Arsenal and an excited John is already planning on how to spend his winnings:
‘What will I spend it on? I don’t know. Maybe I’ll invest it into the business.
‘Maybe I’ll buy a bungalow for us all. I don’t know.
‘My wife, Julie, isn’t really a football fan but even she’s interested now.’



Read more: Leicester City news: Fan stands to win £100k after Premier League title bet | Metro News

Give every player a luk thep and the title trophy is as good as in the bag.

Leicester vs Tottenem coming up next.

Vardy and Mahrez agin Kane and Alli.

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

Give every player a luk thep and the title trophy is as good as in the bag.

It would seem that videoing yourself and your mates rooting Thai hookers and then posting it on social media is also highly auspicious for your team, if not for the players themselves.

Originally Posted by billy the kid

Leicester vs Tottenem

sorry its arsenal vs leicester.> they may drop 3 points here.

As current league leaders (and deservedly so), Leicester must be wondering when the other teams will start "parking the bus" in front of goal, as they normally do against the usual top four teams.
The "it's only Leicester" tag must have vanished by now.

God, it'd be unbearable if they win....

Wasn't Dirty Dog a teacher from Leicester, or so reported?

They've got to play Watford again, yet!

John may be regretting not taking the five grand cash in offer now....

Monk lucky charms help Leicester outfox opponents.

Those elephant tusks are lucky charms? Bad karma me thinks..

Originally Posted by Chittychangchang

he has seen many religious and spiritual rituals performed before matches

not like this

getting covered in chicken blood to undo a curse on the Australian soccer team

Leicester City's Thai vice-chairman insisted there was no secret to their miraculous rise after they inched closer to a previously unthinkable English Premier League title.

Hundreds of blue-shirted Thai fans watched Leicester's 4-0 win over Swansea City live on big screens late into the night at an outdoor venue in Bangkok as the Foxes opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the table.

Afterwards Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha, who is also chief executive of Thailand's King Power duty-free empire, said Leicester's rise is "very good for football and for people who love sport".



I play sport as well and I understand that inspiration from (striker Jamie) Vardy, inspiration from Leicester has inspired everyone in the world," he said, in rare comments to media.

"We don't have a secret... the players... are trying so hard, and the spirit in the team is so good."

Top's publicity-shy father Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha owns the British club, but Top is hands on in running it as well as being the King Power CEO.

Leicester only narrowly survived relegation last year but Claudio Ranieri's side have taken this season by storm with their high-energy, attack-minded approach.

Leicester's Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez became the first African to be named England's Professional Footballer's Association player of the year on Sunday, while the prolific Vardy has netted 22 times.

The Foxes, or 'Siamese Foxes', are now beginning to attract fans in Thailand, where English Premier League giants Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea traditionally command a strong following.

"We have 600 people come to celebrate and enjoy to watch Leicester, the team that maybe seven years ago no one knew," said Top.

"We try to tell Thais that you have your team and you have your second team as Leicester, so every time Leicester play please support."

- Beer and karma -

Free beer helped draw the crowd but there was no mistaking the enthusiasm as two goals from Leonardo Ulloa, and one each from Mahrez and Marc Albrighton pushed Leicester closer to the trophy.

"We'll be champions no problem," enthused Auawut Job, 42, who like many Thais professed to being a new convert to Leicester mania.

"I was a Liverpool fan until three years ago, but Liverpool have gone down... all Thais will support Leicester if they win the league," he added.

The Srivaddhanaprabha family have been widely praised for their judicious spending and appointments, which have taken Leicester to the top of the Premier League.

Top was a key voice in Ranieri's hiring and that of former boss Nigel Pearson, who left in the close-season despite a remarkable run of games to survive relegation.

The departure came shortly after a sex tape scandal involving three young fringe players -- including Pearson's son -- during a summer tour of Bangkok.

The mystery of Leicester's rise is whether it has been case of luck or canny judgement -- or both -- on the part of the owners.

Thai Buddhist monks certainly think good karma helps after they were drafted in to bless the King Power Stadium pitch and hand out lucky talismans to players.

Top said of his father: "He's a successful businessman and he tried to challenge himself to get something done.

"This is one thing that in his dreams he wanted to own the club, and he said I think two or three years before that he want the team to be a success in the Premier League, and now we are."

He added: "As a son, I try to make the father and boss happy."


Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (C), son of King Power and Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, at a live broadcast of the team's match against Swansea in Bangkok


Thai supporters of Leicester City celebrate the team's victory against Swansea as they watch a live broadcast in Bangkok.

'No secret' to Leicester's rise, says Thai boss Top | Daily Mail Online

where is the Man U game being broadcast in Bkk?

Dont think they'll make it this weekend, but fingers crossed against Everton a week later. Great effort by Leicester