Chanathip sets sights on Asian Cup last 16

The 25-year-old Consadole Sapporo player has resumed national-team duties for the third time this year after the King’s Cup in March and a friendly with Trinidad and Tobago in October. Dubbed “Messi Jay” by local media, Chanathip has enjoyed the best year of his career after helping Japan’s Sapporo to an all-time best fourth-place finish in the J-League, then being named among the J-League Best 11 and also winning the Thai FA’s Player of the Year award.
“The Asian Cup is the biggest event in Asia. We all want to achieve the best result,” said the highly talented but diminutive player at just 158cm tall. “It will be the first Asian Cup for several players including me. I want to help the team reach the round of 16 or further,” said Chanathip who scored eight goals for his Japanese club this season. “Every time I’m part of the national team, I’m willing to work hard just like other teammates. I may need to take longer than others to adjust to the team and to learn the tactics from the coach [Milovan Rajevac], as I have barely spent time with them,” added the winger, who has scored five international goals since joining the senior team in 2013.
“Once we have the national flag on our chests, we will give it more than 100 per cent to reach the target. Apart from playing for ourselves, we play for the country and the fans every second we are on the field,” he added.
Thailand have reached the Asian Cup Finals for the first time in 12 years. The country’s best performance in the quadrennial event is a third-place finish as hosts in 1972.
Placed in Group A along with UAE, India and Bahrain, the national team is expected to reach the round of 16. The top two nations from each of the six groups plus the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the second round of 16 teams. 
Thailand kick off their campaign against India on January 6, then meet Bahrain on January 10 and end the group stage against the hosts on January 14.