The Thai national team is still formidable.

CLEAR DIRECTION

For a long time, the Thai national team has clearly demonstrated its ambition to compete on the international stage. This can be seen in their constant desire to appoint a top-class coach like Akira Nishino, who led the Japanese national team to the Round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup. When this strategist failed in the 2018 AFF Cup and the second round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) dismissed him.

During the process of selecting new candidates, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) appointed Alexandre Polking to the hot seat. In fact, Polking performed quite well, helping the Thai national team reclaim the Southeast Asian championship and play relatively well in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, according to the FAT's assessment, Coach Polking was not yet skilled enough to help the Thai national team get closer to the World Cup. Therefore, the FAT only signed a "piecemeal" contract with him and immediately appointed a more suitable replacement, Masatada Ishii.

Coach Ishii has earned the complete trust of Madam Pang and has been signed to a contract with FAT until 2026.

FAT (Football Association of Thailand) has learned a great deal from past experiences to make this decision. Coach Nishino was a high-class coach but was not suited to Thai football and lacked understanding of the sport, leading to his failure. Meanwhile, Coach Polking was only a temporary solution because he hadn't yet experienced top-level football environments. Coach Ishii, on the other hand, represents a harmonious blend of class and understanding. In 2016, he led his club to win the J-League, finish as runners-up in the FIFA Club World Cup, and also won the Best Coach in Japan award. In Thailand, he helped Buriram United win a total of six major titles. Thanks to this, Coach Ishii is guiding the Thai national team in the right direction, even though he couldn't lead the "War Elephants" to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

RIGHT PERSON, APPROPRIATE

Under coach Ishii, the Thai national team has delivered impressive performances. At the 2023 Asian Cup, they reached the round of 16, playing exceptionally well against strong opponents such as Uzbekistan (narrowly losing 1-2), Oman (draw), and Saudi Arabia (draw). They also managed to hold South Korea to a draw in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

At this time, many key players of the Thai national team, such as Teerasil Dangda, Thitipan Puangchan, and Sarach Yooyen, are experiencing a decline in form. However, Coach Ishii continues to call up veterans and create a harmonious blend of two generations. This ensures continuity within the Thai team. Currently, the strategist continues to give opportunities to many young players born in 2001 or 2023, such as Anan, Channarong, Kakana, and Teerasak. Coach Ishii has also improved the strength of the Thai national team by trusting in players of overseas origin such as Elias Dolah, Patrik Gustavsson, William Weidersjo (of Swedish origin), and Jonathan Khemdee (of Danish origin). These players were rarely used in the past but are gradually proving themselves. In the friendly match against the Vietnamese national team in September, these four players started and played impressively. Gustavsson scored the winning goal in the 2-1 victory.

The Thai national team is heading in the right direction. They have demonstrated their identity in their playing style, taking solid steps with a clear roadmap. The president of the FAT, billionaire Madam Pang, is very confident in the Thai team's ability to successfully defend their Southeast Asian championship title, despite the Indonesian team's noticeable improvement.

Thailand wins King's Cup

The progress of the Thai national team was evident after their 2-1 victory over Syria in the King's Cup 2024 final, held on the evening of October 14th. The "War Elephants" remain formidable, with veteran players in the squad and new talents like Anan and Channarong making a significant impact.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-thai-lan-van-dang-so-185241014210208429.htm