On the afternoon of November 22, the Football Association of Thailand unexpectedly fired coach Mano Polking. Surprisingly, the decision was made right after the Thai team won against Singapore in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Coach Mano Polking parted ways with the Thai team right after the victory over Singapore (Photo: FAT).
Afterwards, the head of the Thai football delegation, Nuanphan Lamsam (nicknamed Madam Pang), also said goodbye to the Brazilian coach on her personal page.
Immediately after receiving the decision to fire him, Coach Mano Polking shared emotionally on his personal page: "I really feel grateful to have been with this great team for the past two years. It will be a great memory and an important part of my coaching career.
Keep believing and never give up on your dream until it's over. I'll be back soon. I'll be back in Brazil to celebrate Christmas with my loved ones."
After parting ways with coach Mano Polking, the Football Association of Thailand will appoint Japanese coach Masatada Ishii to the "hot seat". Mr. Masatada Ishii has led the teams Samut Prakan (2019 - 2021) and Buriram United (2021 - 2023) in the Thai national championship.
Coach Mano Polking helped the Thai team win the AFF Cup twice in a row (Photo: FAT).
Sharing about the new coach of the Thai team, Madam Pang said: "For the new coach position, we have carefully considered before deciding to appoint Mr. Masatada Ishii. This coach will take over the job of the Thai team immediately.
The reason is that the team does not have much time to prepare when the 2023 Asian Cup takes place in January next year. Besides, we have 4 remaining matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Therefore, the priority of the Football Association of Thailand is to choose someone who is knowledgeable about Thai football.
Masatada Ishii has experience working in Thailand and Japan. Remember, Japan is a model team of Asian football. I believe coach Masatada Ishii is the right person for the Thai team."
Meanwhile, coach Mano Polking is likely to return to lead Ho Chi Minh City FC. In the past, the Brazilian coach led Ho Chi Minh City FC from the end of the 2020 season to the beginning of the 2021 season. But then, he had to leave the team because the V-League was postponed and then stopped halfway due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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