Coach Talks Hardship Behind 'Coach of Dreams' Film

Coach Skol shares his hardship of receiving a 24-hour transfer order after defying a manager's command, which forced him to leave teacher housing and pack his belongings into an old pickup truck alongside his daughter-in-law, not knowing where he would work next.

The upcoming film "The Coach of Dreams" tells the true story of one coach and one minibus that built a youth football team into a phenomenon shaking Thai sports. Director Samruay Rakchaat is at the helm, with Coach Skol Geliang Prasert explaining the minibus's origin: "During a seven-a-side football tournament, someone photographed our regular minibus parked among the big double-decker buses of prestigious schools. They compared the images and nicknamed our small bus 'the Dream Bus.' Many asked why we didn't use a van, but vans could only fit a few people. I never imagined this minibus would become such a sensation. I just thought about how to get the kids to competitions."

Because the film centers on the coach's life, they proposed the title "The Coach of Dreams," which everyone approved. They also named the football team in the film after an affordable fruit—watermelon—that anyone can enjoy, so the team became "The Watermelon Team."

When asked why children call him "Dad," Coach Skol explains: "I've never done anything wrong, never lied, never cheated. I'm always with them. Most kids on the team have no father, only mothers. So I tell them, 'Teacher is your dad. Come talk to me anytime. When you have problems, you can run to me because I'm always here.' But I admit I'm a strict coach—if they make mistakes, I punish them. Still, the kids don't hate me."

Regarding the young footballers becoming actors, he views it as extracurricular work and a game to build their confidence. He leads by example, demonstrating the acting himself so the children can follow. On whether acting is difficult, he reflects: "I'm not an actor, so it's not easy. But once you commit, you must give your all. The film has sad, funny, and happy moments. I had to cry with real tears, especially in the tragic scenes. I couldn't just play around—it's a true story that was incredibly difficult at the time."

He recounts the painful moment of receiving the 24-hour transfer order for defying a manager, forcing him to leave teacher housing and load an old pickup with his daughter-in-law, not knowing where he would work. "From that day until now, I've struggled. The film depicts this moment, and when acting it out and remembering the past, I cried naturally because it really happened to us."

Regarding box office hopes, he says: "I think it will do well because I acted with full commitment, playing myself. Even a pop cameo where I appeared for just five seconds made over 10 million baht. This film taps into viewers' emotions—they'll want to know how it ends. What will become of Coach Skol? How difficult was the journey? What obstacles did we overcome? What did the children sacrifice? This film has those answers, and I hope fans will come see it."