Madam Pang causes controversy, U.22 Thailand struggles to find a way to play Vietnam

The Football Association of Thailand, the Thai-League system and clubs in the land of golden temples have yet to find a common voice in preparing the Thai U.22 team for the 33rd SEA Games in 2025.

Proposal after proposal, still no consensus

Thailand is the host country of the 33rd SEA Games, taking place in December this year. Previously, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), headed by Madam Pang, made important decisions, significantly changing the appearance of men's football at the SEA Games.

U.22 Thailand faces difficulty in competing with U.22 Vietnam at SEA Games 33

Photo: Vuong Anh

First, the FAT proposed to move the semi-finals, bronze medal match and final of the men's football event to the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, instead of taking place in the provinces outside Bangkok as originally scheduled. This proposal was approved.

Next, Madam Pang's FAT continued to propose changes to the grouping method in football (including men's and women's football). Accordingly, in men's football, instead of being divided into 2 groups like in previous SEA Games, the participating teams will be divided into 3 groups (expected to have 2 groups of 4 teams and 1 group of 3 teams).

Similarly, in the women's football event, if the number of participating teams is 8 or less, it will be divided into 2 groups. If the number of registered teams is 9 or more, the women's football event will also be divided into 3 groups, similar to the men's football event. This proposal from Thailand will be submitted to the AFC (the agency responsible for operating the technical aspects and assigning referees for football at the SEA Games). It is very likely that the AFC will approve it.

Disagreements appear with clubs in Thailand

Regarding the Thai U.22 team, to prepare for the SEA Games, FAT continues to have another proposal, this time within the Thai football community. Yesterday (May 6), representatives of FAT, representatives of the Thai-League system and professional Thai football clubs had a meeting to discuss the plan to concentrate the Thai U.22 team before and during the 33rd SEA Games.

Thai clubs do not agree to stop Thai-League during SEA Games 33

Photo: Phuc Thang

FAT and the Thai-League Organizing Committee (BTC) proposed a plan to temporarily suspend the Thai-League system during the Southeast Asian Games , in order to focus all resources on the Thai U.22 team participating in the SEA Games.

However, Thai-League clubs do not agree with this plan. The argument given by Thai clubs is that the SEA Games is outside the FIFA Days schedule, so clubs are not obliged to send players to the national teams during the SEA Games. Thai-League clubs currently only agree with the plan that each team will provide a maximum of 3 players to the Thai U.22 team, if requested by the team's head coach Takayuki Nishigaya (Japanese).

In case the FAT, Thai-League Organizing Committee and Thai clubs cannot find a common voice on this issue, the strength of the Thai U.22 team at the SEA Games will be greatly affected. Currently, at least 3 strong football teams in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, have announced that they will stop their domestic tournaments during the SEA Games, focusing on the U.22 teams of each country, expressing their desire to win the Southeast Asian Games.

The 33rd SEA Games will open on December 9 and close on December 20. The men's football event alone may take place about a week before the official opening of the games.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/madam-pang-gay-tranh-cai-u22-thai-lan-loay-hoay-tim-phuong-an-dau-viet-nam-185250507112247446.htm