Nicholas Mickelson, Thailand's national team right-back, shared his feelings about Masatada Ishii after the conclusion of his six years in Thailand and his flight back to Japan.
On 25 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Nicholas Mickelson, Thailand's national team right-back playing for SC Paderborn 07 in Germany's 2. Bundesliga, opened up during an interview titled "Bundesliga-Media Roundtable with Nicholas Mickelson" about Masatada Ishii, the former Japanese head coach of Thailand's national team, who officially said farewell to Thailand after parting ways with BG Pathum United, a leading club in Thai League 1, earlier this February.
Ishii posted a photo of his passport with the message, "Today, I have returned to Japan," marking his official farewell to Thailand after working in Thai football for over six years. Many Thai fans commented to thank him for everything during his time here.
Nicholas Mickelson said, "I had a great time with him and achieved excellent results. I learned a lot from him. He is a very good person, and yes, I like him a lot."
During his tenure with the 'War Elephants,' Ishii led the team to win the 2024 King's Cup, marking the first time in seven years that Thailand claimed this trophy. He also achieved an impressive 1-1 away draw against South Korea in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
However, Ishii's journey with the Thai national team ended abruptly on 21 Oct 2025 GMT+7, before he took the role as head coach of BG Pathum United. After the team was eliminated from three cup competitions—the AFC Champions League 2, Chang FA Cup, and ASEAN Club Championship—Ishii parted ways with the club and ultimately decided to return to Japan.