Madam Pang confirms Ishii to replace Polking as national head coach

The change in coach comes after Thailand made a losing start to their 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with a 1-2 defeat to China at home.

Nualphan, known as “Madam Pang”, said that in her role as the team manager, she had never interfered with the coach's work.

In her Facebook post, she acknowledged the high expectations and hopes of all football fans, including herself and the players. She admitted that the team's performance had fallen short of the set goals, particularly the home loss to China in the first match of the World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers, which significantly dented their chances of advancing to the third round in the remaining four games, making a change in the management necessary. Thailand won the second match 3-1 against Singapore.

Nualphan said she had informed the Football Association of Thailand president and engaged in discussions with coach Mano, resulting in his amicable exit.

She expressed gratitude to Coach Mano and the entire coaching staff's dedication and hard work over the past two years. Despite the recent challenges, she highlighted their success in bringing joy to the Thai people by securing the ASEAN championship twice in succession.

In the process of selecting a new head coach, a thorough evaluation led to the decision to appoint Masatada Ishii, a Japanese coach, and his coaching staff, she said. This decision was based on the need for a coach familiar with and possessing extensive information about the Thai national team, especially given the limited time before the Asian Cup final round in Qatar and the remaining World Cup qualifiers, she added.

Nualphan emphasised coach Ishii's experience, his notable achievements in the J League and the Thai League, as well as his success on the global stage of club football championships. She fully backed the decision to make the change, considering Japan's exemplary football role model status in Asia.

Elaborating on her role in the team, Nualphan said that as the team manager since 2021, she has overseen various aspects such as food, accommodation, travel, equipment, and the overall well-being of the team. She pointed to her experience gained over the past 16 years from managing the Thai women's national football team to her current role with the men's team.

Nualphan stressed her understanding of the team manager's responsibilities, ensuring no interference in the technical aspects of coaching. Her involvement is limited to requesting player releases from club presidents based on the head coach's list, aiming to secure the best players for the Thai national team, with the ultimate decision resting with the respective clubs, she said.

At the end of the Facebook post, Nualphan sought fairness and understanding about her role as the team manager, and said she was open to considering constructive feedback for the benefit of team management and the continued success of the Thai national team.