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Myanmar to host 2007 ASEAN Women's Cup

Myanmar will host the 2007 ASEAN Women's Championship for the first time during 6-15 September. The South East Asian participants are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam in Group A and Myanmar, Laos, Singapore and Thailand in Group B.

Myanmar football celebrities at 16th birthday party

Myamar millitary leader Gen Than Shwe’s football-loving grandson attracted the attendance of the country’s top football personalities for his 16th birthday party at Rangoon’s Sedona Hotel. "Even the newly-hired Brazilian coach of Burma’s national football side, Marcos Antonio Falopa, was there, together with members of his squad and some former top-ranking players," observed The Irrawaddy. The party in late May for Nay Shwe Thway Aung was organised by the chairman of the Myanmar Football Federation, Zaw Zaw, who is also a well-known businessman.

"Nay Shwe Thway Aung left off his usual Western party gear and turned up in a silver-colored longyi and a traditional red jacket. His favorite teams, Manchester United and Liverpool, play in red shirts, and those in the know said that he had made the color the theme of the evening," said the website.

"He’s Than Shwe’s grandson, remember, so of course no o­ne dared to confront him on the field," a Rangoon-based sports commentator told The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar builds teams for Asian futsul tournaments

The Myanmar Football Federation has formed a women's national futsal team to compete in the 24th South East Asian (SEA) Games in Bangkok, Thailand in December. It will comprise of 19 players from the national and U-19 women football teams and will be trained by two local coaches. The two-year old Myanmar men futsal team has trained under a Japanese coach since February and will compete in the 5th ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Futsal Tournament this month. The Myanmar men took part in the 2006 AFF futsal competition and secured third place.

Thailand wins ASEAN youth championship again

Thailand beat Myanmar 5-4 on penalties to retain the ASEAN Youth Football Championship title, AFCMedia reported. Thai goalkeeper Sompong Yod Ard, deservingly named Best Player, dived to his left and saved Myanmar's Si Thu Tuan's penalty in what was a re-match of the 2005 final which Thailand won 3-0. "Deciding the game on penalties, it could have gone either way, so I feel very lucky to have won," said Thai coach Kawin Kaehendecha.

Myanmar to be better, more experienced, in 2008

According to national coach U Sann Win, 2008 will be a better year for Myanmar. Admitting that scoring was a major reason for their early exit from the ASEAN Fooball Federation Championship, he said his young team will be more experienced next year and better prepared to take on the bigger teams. "Next year, I believe we will be a lot better and we can play up to the level of Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia," he was quoted on the AFF webite. "The team has a lot of potential and with several young players in the team, they can only get better and they will in the months to come," he said."It has been a learning experience ... and with more discipline learned from this tournament, it will mould this team further."

Myanmar hosts Grand Royal Challenge Cup 2006

U-23 teams from Indonesia, Malaysia and host Myanmar will feature in the Grand Royal Challenge Cup 2006 football tournament to be held in Mandalay, according to the Myanmar Football Federation quoted by Xinhua. The Grand Royal, jointly sponsored by the MFF and a local company, will take place from 17 to 23 December at the Bahtoo Stadium in Burma's second largest city, Mandalay, 640 kilometres north of Yangon. Four teams -- Indonesian U-23, Malaysian U-23, Myanmar U-23 and the Myanmar national team -- will compete at the tournament which will offer US$ 15,000 for the champions and US$7,500 for the runners-up.