Worawi promises four golds in football, futsal
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The Football Association of Thailand is eyeing a clean sweep of the four gold medals on offer in football and futsal competitions at this month's SEA Games in Myanmar.
Of the four titles the FA is bidding for in the biennial tournament, the priority is undoubtedly the men’s football competition, where the Thais – the most successful team in the history of the event – will attempt to reclaim the title following group-stage exits in the last two games.
Worawi Makudi, who last month won the election to retain his post as Thai FA president but has yet to officially assume his role, stressed that the under-23 side must do everything in their power to clinch the title the Thai public craved most.
“We have to accept that there are high expectations in football. And the bar goes even higher after our failures in the previous two editions of the Games. We’ve prepared all our four squads for the Games with regular training.
“We have repeatedly told the coaching staff and all those involved that the gold medal in the men’s football competition is the most important one. We find ourselves in the same situation as hosts Myanmar. The Burmese don’t care much whether their country finish as overall champions as their main target is to win the gold in football.
“If we do win the gold medals, the men’s football team will get Bt5 million. The other three sides will receive incentives as well but I can’t tell you how much at this stage. I can only promise that they will get not less than Bt1 million.
“We know well that our team will play under heavy pressure at the event but I’m confident all four teams will return home with gold medals,” Worawi told a conference yesterday.
