Thaksin to make Man City the "Pride of Thailand"

By Nopporn Wong-Anan

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed to make Manchester City, the English Premier League football club he bought in July 2007, the pride of Thailand. "It will be the team Thais are proud of," Thaksin, who returned to Bangkok from exile 18 months after being ousted in a coup, told army-run Channel 5 television from Hong Kong.

He also reiterated a commitment to spread the club's name across Asia with a network of training and recruitment academies.

"There will be Man City China, Man City Japan, Man City U.S.. In the next season, Man City will be another Man United," Thaksin said.

He gave no details of the plan but said fans would be surprised by an improved performance.

In an interview with Reuters in December, Thaksin discussed plans to raise funds for the club and to recruit players, including securitising revenues such as gate receipts.

"Securitisation is the name of the game they are playing in Western countries. We have to work on that," he said.

Two Man City players accompanying him on his return to Thailand on a flight from Hong Kong had nothing but praise for their chairman and his commitment to the game.

"He's a very genuine and a very nice person -- very generous and passionate about the club. He's willing to put in time, money and effort to make sure the club's a success," goalkeeper Kaspar Schmeichel told Reuters.