Madame Pang explains Ishii’s dismissal, appoints Anthony Hudson as new Thai national coach

Madame Pang Nualphan Lamsam, President of the Football Association of Thailand (FA Thailand), issued a detailed statement explaining the decision to terminate the contract of national team head coach Masatada Ishii and appoint Anthony Hudson as his successor.

Nualphan said the termination was conducted lawfully and based on a comprehensive performance assessment by the technical department using statistical and analytical criteria. “Changing head coaches is a normal part of global football,” she wrote, stressing that the national team’s performance and success represent a core priority for the association and fans alike.

She recalled her 19-year involvement in Thai football, including as manager of both men’s and women’s national teams, and noted that Thailand’s back-to-back ASEAN Championship titles in 2020 and 2022 remain proud achievements under her management with coach Mano Polking, who had a 56% winning ratio.

Following Thailand’s 1–2 loss to China in November 2023, Ishii was promoted to lead the national squad, with a clear mandate to take Thailand into the third round of World Cup qualifiers. However, Nualphan said the heartbreak came on June 11 2024, when Thailand beat Singapore 3–1 — “one goal short,” she said, of progressing further.

The national team also failed to defend the 2024 ASEAN title and lost its King’s Cup crown in Kanchanaburi this year, though Ishii had earlier secured the 2023 title in Songkhla. After the 3–1 defeat to Turkmenistan, the technical team recommended a change, but time constraints delayed the decision.

On October 21, the technical committee — led by Dr Charnvit Pholchivin and Air Marshal Piyapong Pue-on — met Ishii to review his performance and formally terminate his contract. FA Thailand compensated Ishii with half of his remaining salary, in accordance with the agreement.

Nualphan confirmed that Anthony Hudson, FA Thailand’s Technical Development Director and a former head coach of the United States, New Zealand, and Bahrain national teams, has been appointed as Ishii’s replacement. She said Hudson has been deeply involved with Thai football and possesses international experience crucial for the upcoming 2027 Asian Cup campaign.

“Football at the national level is not a laboratory — every match matters,” Nualphan said, adding that decisions were guided by data, not bias. She reaffirmed her commitment to developing Thai football and thanked fans — “the 12th player” — for their faith and criticism alike.

“As the first woman to lead the FA of Thailand — and the first in Asia — I accept every challenge with respect. This journey is full of both flowers and stones, but I remain committed to taking Thai football forward,” she concluded.