SEA Fans: 'I want Park Hang Seo to coach Thailand!'

The decision to part ways with coach Masatada Ishii by the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) has sparked lively discussions among Southeast Asian football supporters.

On October 21, 2025, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) officially announced the end of their collaboration with coach Masatada Ishii after nearly one year. The meeting took place at FAT headquarters with senior leaders present, concluding with a mutual agreement to terminate the contract due to differences in direction and coaching philosophy.

According to FAT, the reason stems from the fact that “the working direction and coaching style no longer align with the team’s development criteria.” Although Ishii helped maintain some stability for the Thai team, he could not fully meet expectations, achieving only a 53% win rate over 30 matches. In the statement, FAT expressed gratitude to the Japanese coach for his professionalism and announced they will promptly seek a successor to prepare for the November matches.

This news quickly became a hot topic within the Southeast Asian football community. On the Asean Football page, a fan commented: “Perhaps it’s because of the loss to Turkmenistan and the narrow win against Sri Lanka.”. Another opinion shared: “Japanese coaches don’t seem to fit Thailand. First Nishino, now Ishii.”.

However, many supporters expressed regret. One remarked: “His performance wasn’t bad at all. I don’t understand why the association fired Ishii. The ones dragging Thai football down are the administrators. Can you really find a better coach than this?”

Notably, many fans also speculated about Thailand’s next head coach. Among the comments was: “Maybe they’ll return to a European coach, they seem to get along better.” One particularly interesting prediction: “Could it be that Thailand and Indonesia will swap coaches? How coincidental is that?” A comment that attracted a lot of interaction said: “I want Park Hang Seo to be Thailand’s head coach.”

FAT’s decision to part ways with coach Masatada Ishii marks a significant turning point in Thailand’s football rebuilding journey. However, whether this change will help the Golden Kingdom team reclaim its leading position in Southeast Asia remains a question many fans are eager to see answered.