Kiatisak sees upside after Thailand’s early exit
Thailand coach Kiatisak Senamuang admitted he was disappointed with his team’s failure to secure a berth at this year’s Olympics in Brazil following their exit at the group stage of the AFC U-23 Championship in Qatar.
Thailand limped out of the tournament after collecting only two points from three matches following Tuesday’s 22 draw with North Korea, which saw them finish bottom of Group B.
Yet the Thais headed out of the championship with their heads held high after finishing level on points with both Saudi Arabia and North Korea, who scraped into the quarterfinals by finishing second behind group winners Japan after “minileague” calculations.
With very little to choose between the three sides, it required goals scored to determine which side would join title favourites Japan, who advanced with a perfect record. The North Koreans scored the most goals among the trio, with five.
Despite missing out on one of the three Olympic berths up for grabs, the 42-year-old Kiatisak was impressed by his players’ fighting spirit in the drawn matches against the Saudis (11) and the Koreans.
“I’m disappointed at failing to guide the team to the next round but at the same time I’m very proud of my players. They helped each other and showed that we are not afraid to face leading teams in Asia. We were in the mix until the last minute. We didn’t come here just to make up the numbers.
“We’ve gained a lot of experience from this tournament. However, one thing we need to improve is our physical strength. Our opponents were far stronger than us. So if we really want to play at the top level in the continent, we need to bolster our players physically.”
The former national striker suggested several in the under-23 team had the potential to break into the senior squad, whose bid for a debut World Cup appearance is still alive as they are within striking distance of qualifying for the last-12 team qualifying round later this year.
“Aside from those who already played for the senior side, I think [midfielder] Adison Promrak and [forward] Chenrop Samphaodi are good enough [for a place in the senior squad]. However, we have to see how they perform with their clubs. For others, they still have the opportunity, but their clubs should give them more playing time.
“For the likes of Worachit [Kanitsribumphen], Nattawut [Sombatyotha], Chaowat [Veerachat] and Chenrop, they all could be the key players in the next SEA Games. I just ask them to keep working hard in training and more importantly add physical strength to their game,” said Kiatisak.
The Thai squad is due to arrive back in Bangkok tomorrow.
