After the Asian failure, Thailand's coach looks to ASIAD with reinforcements from Europe

Coach Thawatchai candidly acknowledged that the Thailand U23 team fell short of their targets lately, while expressing hope to bring in players playing in Europe for the ASIAD 2026 campaign.

Coach Thawatchai, who is leading Thailand U23, frankly accepted that the criticism from fans after recent tournaments is justified, and also expressed his expectation to strengthen the squad with European-based players for the ASIAD 2026 campaign.

After the conclusion of the 2026 U23 Asian Championship, despite failing to achieve the set objectives, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) decided to extend Coach Thawatchai's contract, continuing to trust him to lead the “Young War Elephants” towards the Asian Games 2026 to be held in Japan from September to October.

In the recent U23 Asian Championship, Thailand U23 was eliminated early after failing to advance past the group stage, with losses to Australia and draws against Iraq and China. Previously, the team only secured the silver medal at the 2025 SEA Games after losing to Vietnam U23 in the final. These results caused the decision to retain Coach Thawatchai to face widespread mixed reactions from fans.

Speaking to Thai media, Coach Thawatchai stated he received the criticisms with an open mind: “The many responses show that fans care deeply about football. Everyone has their own perspective, and that is inevitable.”

The coach admitted the team did not meet the set goals, from winning the SEA Games to reaching the U23 Asian Championship quarterfinals. However, he emphasized that the players have shown clear progress, gained valuable experience, and helped the coaching staff identify weaknesses to address going forward.

Looking ahead to ASIAD 2026, Coach Thawatchai mentioned that the tournament falling within FIFA international dates will make it easier for Thailand to call up players. He also confirmed he is closely monitoring midfielder Erawan Garnier, despite the player missing several chances due to injuries or club commitments.

Additionally, Coach Thawatchai openly expressed his ambition to call up Jude Soonsup-Bell, who currently plays for Grimsby Town (England), to strengthen the Thailand U23 squad’s quality for competing for medals at ASIAD 2026.