The Thailand U17 national team coach expressed deep regret after losing to Turkmenistan, making the race to qualify for the Asian Championship finals much tougher.
On 28 November 2025, Marco Gokkel, head coach of the Thailand men's U17 football team, spoke after the third match of Group F in the AFC U17 Championship qualifying round.
In this game, Thailand U17 was narrowly defeated 2-3 by Turkmenistan. The situation now requires them to win their final match by at least two goals.
Marco Gokkel opened up about the U17 team's defeat: "I feel very disappointed, just like the players. Before this game, I told everyone it would be tough. Unfortunately, we made two individual mistakes, which can happen in football. There are no excuses and no blame on the players."
"Everyone tried their best, but in the second half, I think we made everyone proud. The team fought hard, stayed confident, regained good form, and created many chances. In the end, I believe we should have scored two goals, but still lost 2-3."
"However, everything is still open for the next game. We must believe in our chance to qualify for Saudi Arabia."
"Regarding who the key players are, I already mentioned during the pre-tournament press conference that we had limited preparation time. But the players here are full of passion and share the same goal."
"I see no negatives with this group. We have several players at the same level. In our squad of 23, we have pairs for each position and an excellent goalkeeper."
"On the other hand, they have to play continuously. The intensity of international matches is quite high, and with limited prep time, it is a tough task. Given this situation, I am satisfied with our squad since we can substitute and adapt. For the next match, we will select the best players."
"Our goal for the next game is to win. We must win and do everything to achieve it. It depends also on goal difference. We will try extra hard. Our dream is to go to Saudi Arabia—that is our main objective."
"I hope fans watching in the stadium or on TV understand that the mistakes happened because they are still young. Many experienced and famous players have made mistakes, but the important thing is to learn from them—that is what truly matters."
"I want everyone to believe in all the players and the team. Everyone fights for each other. This is the best team. We believe in our chance. We will give our all in the remaining 90 minutes, hoping to seize the opportunity and achieve our goal."
"Of course, our plan did not anticipate mistakes, but they can happen in football. We try to play football that suits Thai kids, who are technically skilled and enjoy various activities. We want to play football and make good decisions."
"Today, we made two wrong decisions. I hope the players learn from what happened. I think in the second half, everyone showed good character and confidence, with strong mental resilience. We had a plan and tried to execute it on the field."
"Ultimately, the result says it all—we lost 2-3. We remain optimistic. We have two days to prepare and must be ready for the final match."
In their next fixture, Thailand U17 will play their fourth match in the AFC U17 Championship qualifiers against Kuwait at Chonburi Stadium on 30 November 2025 at 19:30. The match will be broadcast live on Facebook: FA Thailand, Thai Youth Football, and YouTube: Thairath Sport, BG SPORTS, Chang Suek.
