The mission of the young War Elephants U23 team in the Asian Football Championship has now concluded.
Although we did not reach the target set by head coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul to reach the quarterfinals,
most fans likely understand the context behind the team's efforts.
They have praised the fighting spirit and relentless determination of this national team squad.
They competed closely against three of Asia's top nations, matching every team without shame.
Forgetting that we did not field a full-strength lineup like we did at the recent SEA Games.
Initially, many believed Thailand would merely be a token participant, handing out points in this tournament.
However, the players’ performances in all three matches—losing narrowly to Australia 1-2, drawing 1-1 with Iraq,
and holding China to a 0-0 draw, a game they could have won due to dominating both halves but failing to finish—ended as expected.
Fans who watched the live broadcasts surely did not harshly criticize or discourage the team,
because they clearly saw the players’ wholehearted commitment and effort on the field.
All credit must be given to coach Thawatchai and his staff for managing the team well.
This includes assistant coaches Chokthawee Promrut, Phansa Meesattham, and Thanapat Na Thapra.
They skillfully managed limited player resources, extracting hidden potential with remarkable results.
Young emerging talents like Vision Inaram, Ousama Tiankam, Ikhlas Sanhran, and many others
made their mark proudly on the Asian stage.
They add options for both Thailand's senior and junior national teams to select from in the future.
Those who read my Thairath Newspaper Column interviewing coach Thawatchai before departing for Saudi Arabia might recall,
he told his players that once selected for the national team, they should give their utmost effort.
He emphasized that they should not see themselves as second-string or substitutes, but all are "first-team" players with ability.
No one is more important than another; everyone must work as a team to honor the nation, themselves, and their families.
These were the motivational words from the head coach inspiring the young War Elephants to perform at their best,
which we witnessed during this tournament.
This was the final tournament for coach Thawatchai and his staff before their contracts expire.
Over the past seven months under his leadership, taking over from coach Nishikaya, the Samurai coach,
the team placed third in the ASEAN Cup, losing only on penalties to host Indonesia in the semifinal.
This was despite having only a few days to prepare before the competition.
They won their group to qualify for the Asian Championship finals in Saudi Arabia as planned.
They reached the men's football final at the SEA Games, even leading Vietnam 2-0 at halftime.
However, they conceded two goals in the second half and lost 2-3 in extra time due to a late Vietnamese winner.
They ended up with a silver medal, a disappointing but commendable result.
Finally, the U23 Asian Championship final tournament did not coincide with a FIFA international window,
causing nearly half the main squad to be unavailable as clubs refused to release players.
Thus, the team had to rely on young players, who collectively fought fiercely against all opponents.
Although they did not advance, this War Elephants squad won the hearts of football fans nationwide.
With such results, we hope the football association's management and technical team
will consider extending their work continuously until the Asian Games later this year.
While Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul may not be the most outstanding or famous coach,
given the current context and circumstances of Thai football,
he is the Thai coach we can reasonably place our hopes on—no one better at this time!
- Bee Bangpakong -