Hudson speaks frankly to Thai national team fans, revealing the factors behind the victory over Malaysia in the 2026 ASEAN Cup second match.
On 31 July 2026 at 16:30, at the press conference room of Rajamangala Stadium, the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) held a pre-match press conference for the 2026 ASEAN Cup group stage, Group B, second match between Thailand, ranked 94th in the world, and Malaysia, ranked 136th.
The press conference was led by Anthony Hudson, head coach, along with forward Kakanah Kamyok from the team.
At the press conference, Hudson said, "Hello everyone. Our preparation for this game is not much different from the first match against Laos. We will try to improve on the weaknesses from the previous game. The most important thing is the players' physical condition and fitness. This will be our first home game in this ASEAN Cup. We are excited and expect fans to come support us. Our game plan is ready."
"I disagree with the notion that we have an advantage over our opponents in this game due to having more rest since the previous match. After this game, we will face a similar situation, as we have to travel to the Philippines next."
"Regarding the advantage during different stages of the competition, I see that playing at home is an advantage for us. I believe Malaysia is well prepared, both players and coaching staff, and they will do their best against us. Malaysia is a good team and has started well. I try to focus equally on every game and hope this will be one of our good performances."
"From what I’ve seen of Malaysia’s form, I am not fully aware of their current condition, especially key player Endrick Dos Santos. I don’t have updates on their physical status. Additionally, there are other key players like Paulo Josue and fast wingers. Malaysia’s squad is very strong. We respect Malaysia and acknowledge they are a tough team we must handle carefully."
"There are two main points. First, when we played Turkmenistan in March, the fans came out in huge numbers, boosting our morale by about 1-2 percent, giving energy and reaction to the players. Fans are crucial in this long tournament. Since day one until now, every player—whether new or senior—has trained with pride representing Thailand. If fans come to support, it will greatly help the players. I ask fans to come and cheer for the players this time as well."
1 August 2026
20:00 Thailand vs Malaysia
Rajamangala Stadium
Live broadcast on the TrueVisions Now app
Tickets available at >>https://shorturl.asia/zlmX2
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