Thai fans strongly oppose the dismissal of the Japanese coach

The choice to remove Coach Masatada Ishii sparked outrage among numerous Thai fans, even though he brought the "War Elephants" to their best FIFA position in nearly two decades.

Following the unexpected sacking of Coach Masatada Ishii by the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), a wave of protests erupted immediately. Many fans criticized the move as "irrational and disrespectful" towards the Japanese strategist who helped the "War Elephants" achieve their highest FIFA ranking in 17 years.

According to Thairath, a supporter personally visited the FAT headquarters holding a sign that read: "Why dismiss Coach Ishii?". He expressed that he and many other fans were "completely shocked" by the coach’s removal while the team was performing well. "Thailand just defeated Chinese Taipei and is maintaining progress in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Changing the coach now is baffling," the fan stated.

Thai media also reacted strongly. Famous sports presenter Worapat Arunpakdee described it as “a terrible decision” by FAT. He emphasized that Coach Ishii was dismissed despite still guiding the team in the right direction. Meanwhile, Thairath revealed that FAT’s technical department was barely consulted before the leadership made the decision, fueling public frustration.

Several newspapers worry that FAT might have to pay a large compensation to Coach Ishii amid the organization’s uncertain financial situation. Under the Japanese coach, Thailand won 16 out of 30 matches, improved by 58.62 points on the FIFA ranking, and rose to 96th place — the team’s best performance in 17 years.

Coach Ishii also spoke out after being fired, saying he was only called in for a "professional evaluation" meeting but was then immediately informed of his contract termination. The Japanese coach expressed his dissatisfaction and refused to sign any related documents.

In response to the criticism, Madam Pang – head of the Thai team delegation – stated that changing a coach “is normal in football.” She confirmed that FAT is fulfilling its commitment by paying 50% of the remaining salary in Coach Ishii’s contract.

On October 22, FAT officially appointed Anthony Hudson, former interim coach of the US national team and ex-coach of BG Pathum United, as the new head coach. Hudson is expected to help the "War Elephants" regain spirit and compete for a spot in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.