Dennis "Mr.Solution" Amato
The name Dennis Amato, a German coach who has been involved with Thai football for nearly a decade, might not be a household name, but his journey through the highs and lows of the game in Thailand is a fascinating story.
The Off The Bench team had the great opportunity to speak with him about his career path and his perspective on Thai football, giving us a glimpse into his true self.
A Beginning, an End, and a New Beginning
Born on June 26, 1980, Dennis Amato, now 45, stared his career as a professional footballer, playing for Mainz 05 in the German second division. Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to recurring injuries, forcing him to retire at the young age of 21.
He recalled how difficult it was to accept this fate, especially when he saw friends from his generation, like Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack, go on to play in the World Cup.
Despite the disappointment, he knew he had to accept it and move forward. This experience quickly led him to the idea of becoming a coach, a way to channel his knowledge and leadership qualities.
In the early years after retirement, Dennis worked in media alongside his coaching duties, but football was not yet his primary profession. This all changed when a significant opportunity arose.
A Transcontinental Shift: From West to East
In 2016, Bayern Munich partnered with a Thai organization to establish STB (Sport Thai Bavaria), a youth football development project. Dennis was approached to become the project's director, marking his first time traveling to Asia.
This was an entirely new experience for him, but he thought,
“Why not? Why not?”
It was a chance to work full-time in what he loved. He was given just five days in Thailand to make his decision.
"They gave me 5 days in Thailand and told me to decide if I wanted to do this," he said.
"Once I understood the vision and goals of the management, everything was very clear. I agreed immediately. I initially intended to work here for only three years and then return to Germany,
..but now it has been nine years, and I have no desire to go back."
Dennis was initially tasked with developing young Thai players to feed into the national team. The original idea was to work with schools and train physical education teachers.
However, he told the main sponsor that the initial program would not be able to achieve the desired goals.
Instead, he proposed creating a full-fledged boarding school-style academy with full scholarships for talented children. This concept was well-received and later became a successful academy.
In addition to working with youth, he also played a key role in developing coaching talent, having trained over a thousand coaches to date, a testament to his commitment to raising the standard of Thai football.
A Path of Success in Thai Coaching
While serving as the director of STB, Dennis was also assigned to manage various clubs. He was given full autonomy to build the teams, from selecting players and systems to managing training.
As a result, he led nearly all the teams he coached to promotion, even with limited budgets. He believes the key to this success is a management that
"Trusts, does not interfere, and is ready to work together in the same direction."
His standout achievements began in 2016 when he took over as head coach of Chainat Hornbill. In just one year, he led the team to win the Thai League 2 championship in 2017 and secure immediate promotion to the top league.
Key players he developed at Chainat included the rising stars Chatmongkol Thongkiri and Jaturapat Sattham, as well as the former Liverpool player Florent Sinama Pongolle, whom he considers "one of the best players" he has ever coached.
"He(Pongolle) was one of the best players—an excellent professional in every sense."
"The fundamentals and technique he brought to the team were so seamless that you couldn't tell the difference whether he was a left-footed or right-footed player."
Promotion Specialist
After leaving Chainat, Dennis continued his successful run, earning the title of the "King of Promotion". He led both Chiangmai United and Sukhothai FC to promotion to the Thai League in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, respectively.
During his time at Chiangmai United, an incident highlighted his excellent adaptability. He took over the team in November 2019, before the league was paused for almost two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the break, a tight schedule with 17 matches in just eight weeks was announced.
Instead of focusing on heavy training, Dennis prioritized player recovery.
"We didn't need to train much because there was no time left," he said.
"So we just focused on recovery. We would play one game, recover, and then play another... We saw other teams looking tired after 50-60 minutes, and that's when we would take over and win the games. That was the key at that time."
For his quick thinking, adaptability in difficult situations, and his ability to find a way to win and solve problems on and off the pitch, we believe he is truly the “Mr. Solution” of Thai football.
Thai Football from Dennis's Perspective
Dennis Amato admires the talent of Thai players but acknowledges that Thailand's youth development system is about 20 years behind that of Europe.
He believes that for Thai football to reach a global level, it must start from the grassroots. He also points out that many Thai coaches still use outdated training methods.
He also gave an example of the STB U15 team, which took part in a tournament in Austria. At that time, he was the director and was responsible for the philosophy of the academy.
The Thai team competed against top German teams like Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt, and in a big moment, they even beat Bayern Munich, the one of the best team in Germany.
This showed that with the right guidance and structure, Thai players can be competitive.
Notable, one of the talents from the STB project, Maycon Douglas Cardozo, has gone on to sign with Bayern Munich, a testament to the success of the academy's development philosophy.
In the latest season (2024), Dennis Amato served as the head coach of Pattaya United before parting ways with the club.
Dennis Amato continues to live in Thailand, dedicating most of his time to football. For him, this isn't a "job" in the typical sense;
it's about doing what he loves.
He explains that every morning he wakes up and thinks about the day he gets to work in football. Even on his days off, he finds ways to relax that are still related to the sport, as his life is intertwined with football, a passion he never feels is a sacrifice.
A New Chapter: GCU Skills Academy
Dennis Amato has now returned to a role he is deeply passionate about and familiar with: the serious development of young players.
This time, he is doing so through his own GCU Skills Academy (short for Grow – Create – Unleash), which he founded to train youth aged 7–14.
His primary goal is to build players with the right attitude and determination, without distinguishing between talented and less-talented individuals.
His philosophy is that everyone deserves to be in a positive environment and grow into a better person.
Throughout his remarkable journey from a budding footballer in Germany to a seasoned coach in Thailand, Dennis Amato has proven that success is built on more than just tactics. It is about adaptability, trust, and a genuine passion for the game.
As 'Mr. Solution,' he continues to dedicate his expertise to not only winning on the pitch but also to nurturing the next generation of Thai players, with the ultimate goal of elevating the country’s football to a more competitive and professional level.
Follow his updates at: GCU Skills Academy
📸: Dennis Amato, STB, Chainat Hornbill, SukhoThai FC, Pattaya United, Thai League, GCU Skills Academy
