Why are football fans dissatisfied even though Thailand has won four games in a row?
First, I want to say that I understand both the fans and Anthony Hudson.
The Thailand national team qualified for the 2026 ASEAN Cup by winning four straight matches: beating Laos 5-0, Malaysia 2-0, narrowly defeating the Philippines 1-0, and winning 2-0 against Myanmar, scoring 10 goals without conceding any.
In fact, Thai fans should be happy because this feat has only happened once before in the ASEAN Cup in 2008, but that was when the groups had four teams; this is the first time in a five-team group.
However, in the end, Thai fans mostly commented with dissatisfaction about the performance...
After the Myanmar game, with four straight wins, fans took to social media to criticize the team’s play—something that probably hasn't happened much before.
"Playing like this, we're just waiting to be beaten."
"Playing like this, how far can we get?"
"Playing like this, we won't win the championship."
"Playing like this, who wants to watch?"
"We lead the game but just keep passing backward."
I understand the fans wanting a more attractive style. Thailand clearly had less ball possession than Myanmar. They want to see the team's development since this was Hudson's ninth match in charge. Moreover, Thailand faces an important upcoming tournament, the 2027 Asian Cup, where we share a group with Japan! Given this mood, it's not surprising that stadium attendance dropped from 16,000 against Malaysia to just 13,000 against Myanmar.
Thai fans love their national team and Thai football; they have the right to think and criticize. I believe Anthony Hudson and the players are aware of these sentiments.
Worachit Kanitsribampen and Jehanafi Mama, who each scored a penalty in this game, admitted there are "many things to fix."
But I also understand Coach Hudson and his staff, who face many constraints: travel, a tight tournament schedule, and the fact that the team that beat Myanmar did not include any players with yellow cards to avoid suspensions, such as Yotsakorn Burapha, Seksan Ratri, Kakhana Kamyok, and Teerasilp Phaepimai. Additionally, this is not a full-strength squad; as Coach Zico said, it’s a B team because this is not a FIFA date, so clubs are not obliged to release players who need to prepare for pre-season.
Okay, the past is the past and can't be changed, but it should be a lesson to fix mistakes and improve what is good to make it better.
The match against Singapore in the semifinals must improve, especially the style and approach. If we reach the final, there's a high chance we'll face Vietnam, which will be the best simulation for the 2027 Asian Cup.
The big challenge ahead is how Hudson will make the Thailand national team win the 2026 ASEAN Cup and be entertaining despite many limitations to revive enthusiasm for Thai football.
Let's give them our support
- Pup Thartat -