What did Madam Pang say to the fans?
“Sorry to Thai fans for not being able to start the new year with the AFF Cup championship,” Thai Football Federation President Nuanphan Lamsam (Madam Pang) apologized to home fans after a bitter defeat to Vietnam in AFF Cup 2024 final.
After 13 years, Thailand once again had to watch its opponent lift the championship trophy right on its home field. Although it is still the most traditional team in Southeast Asia with 7 AFF Cup championships (equal to the two following teams, Singapore and Vietnam combined), the 2-3 loss to the Vietnamese team also made Thailand criticized.
“I accept all assessments and judgments,” Madam Pang affirmed.
Madam Pang apologized to the fans
The “female general” of Thai football also guaranteed the future of coach Masatada Ishii, even though the Japanese strategist was fiercely criticized because Thailand lost the final at home, received a red card and scored a missing goal. fair-play against Vietnam. “Mr. Ishii has 1 year left on his contract. We still want him to continue in his position, with the ambition to change the force to prepare for the 2030 World Cup,” Ms. Pang commented.
Madam Pang bravely accepted defeat, when the Thais became former AFF Cup champions after 2 periods of domination. However, the road ahead for the head of the Port FC club is still difficult, because history has shown that even though he is no longer interested in the AFF Cup, a fall in this tournament often brings bad luck to the team with special characteristics. nicknamed “War Elephant”.
Loss to Singapore in the 2007 AFF Cup final pushed Thailand into a dark period. After that, in the next 3 AFF Cups, “War Elephants” all collapsed in the final (2008, 2012) or group stage (2010). Although coach Kiatisak Senamuang helped Thailand regain its position when it won the championship in 2014 and 2016, in 2017 when Mr. Kiatisak resigned due to pressure from failure in the third qualifying round of the World Cup, Thailand was at odds with lost in the semi-finals of AFF Cup 2018 against Malaysia. Then, following that failure, was the collapse in the 2019 Asian Cup and the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The common point of the stumbles is that the team’s position of not being able to advance, nor to retreat… is complete. The Thai team is surplus for Southeast Asia, but lacking for Asia. In the AFF Cup, the Thai people can dominate if they put their whole heart and soul into it. But when they let go of the AFF Cup to advance to the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers, the Thai team lost “both lead and fish”.
What awaits the Thai team?
The Thai people are no longer superior to Vietnam or Indonesia, in the context that the gap between “War Elephants” and strong Asian teams continues to widen. Thailand is playing around when trying to focus its efforts on Asia, but if it is not truly devoted to Southeast Asia, the fall at Rajamangala on the evening of January 5 will reappear in the future.
Where to transfer?
Even though Thailand failed in the final, we still have to admit: this is a classy team. The quality of “War Elephant’s” blocking moves, kicking techniques, off-ball movements and one-touch releases are still very good. With the quality of the Thai League and stars “exported” to Japan or Europe, the Thai team still has a methodical foundation.
However, whether that is enough to ensure success or not is a difficult problem for Madam Pang and the Thai Football Federation (FAT).
Coach Masatada Ishii affirmed that defeat in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers is an opportunity for Thailand to transfer forces. However, looking at the current young generation of “War Elephants”, only Suphanat Muenta or Patrik Gustavsson are potential young stars.
Ekanit Panya has slowed down, Supachok Sarachat has somewhat asserted himself with 27 matches in J-League 1, but the midfielder born in 1998 and his juniors is still far away from what Theerathon Bunmathan or Chanathip Songkrasin can do.
At the AFF Cup 2024, “War Elephants” lost 3 out of 4 matches in the semi-finals and finals, with the young player’s mark unclear. Veterans like Pansa Hemviboon and Weerathep Pomphan, instead of being a support, made mistakes in the final. The Thai team lost and coach Ishii has not yet introduced a new framework. That’s what’s worrying.
Madam Pang urged home fans to be patient, but time will not wait for her and the Thai team.
