Thailand coach thanks Vietnam, Timor Leste coach determined to cause shock at Hang Day

What did the Thai coach say?

The Thai team will face Timor Leste in the opening match of the 2024 AFF Cup, taking place at 8:00 p.m. on December 8 at Hang Day Stadium.

In this match, Timor Leste plays the role of host. However, due to the lack of a stadium that meets the standards of the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), coach Simon Elissetche's team rented Hang Day Stadium to play two home matches in the group stage, against Thailand (December 8) and Singapore (December 14).

Compared to Timor Leste, Thailand is at a superior level. The "War Elephants" have won the AFF Cup 7 times and are the current champions of the tournament. However, coach Masatada Ishii is still cautious in the opening match.

HLV Thái Lan cảm ơn Việt Nam, HLV Timor Leste quyết gây sốc tại Hàng Đẫy- Ảnh 1. — Coach Masatada Ishii

"We have been preparing for the tournament since December 2 and now the players are ready for the tournament. In addition, I also thank the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) for supporting the organization of the match between Thailand and East Timor. At the beginning of the tournament, we only had a few players, but today we have more players. They understand what the coach requires and know what they need to do," coach Masatada Ishii shared about the preparation process for the opening match.

Regarding the lack of full strength even though the tournament has already started, Mr. Ishii said: "We have been aware of this for 3 months and have had plans to deal with this."

According to Mr. Ishii, the Thai team not only focuses on Thai players but also young players, with the goal of helping them practice their professional skills and football techniques. "After the World Cup qualifiers, we know that this is the time for us to look for a new generation for the Thai team. We are doing this," Mr. Ishii affirmed about rejuvenating the force.

Evaluating this year's championship race, coach Masatada Ishii commented: "As the defending champion, we are under pressure. However, I focus on what we can do. We are not only the champion but also the future of Thai football."

HLV Thái Lan cảm ơn Việt Nam, HLV Timor Leste quyết gây sốc tại Hàng Đẫy- Ảnh 2. — Thailand team rejuvenates its force

Timor Leste coach wants his players to do their best

"We have prepared well. In addition, we are also in good conditions. The whole team will try their best for tomorrow's match. We know we are facing a strong opponent, ranked No. 1 in Southeast Asia. But our team has good players and will try our best for the match against Thailand," said Timor Leste coach Simon Elissetche.

Timor Leste have never passed the group stage, but Mr. Simon Elissetche always hopes that his students will try their best, even though they have to meet defending champions Thailand.

Revealing the squad participating in this tournament, coach Simon Elissetche said: "Most of our squad plays in the domestic league. In addition, there are players playing internationally, in Cambodia, Brunei or Indonesia... Besides, we have 7 or 8 players playing abroad."

Timor Leste's squad includes a player who used to play in England, Claudio Gomes. Evaluating this player, coach Simon Elissetche said:

"That player used to play in England but is currently not playing for any club. He has not played for a long time and only returned in the match against Mongolia. Currently, he is playing quite well and I hope that he will soon play more for domestic clubs, not just the national team."

Meanwhile, Timor Leste player Joao Pedro affirmed: "In previous tournaments, it is true that Timor Leste did not have good results, but now, everything is different. Our spirit is much better. We learned from last season and can create a surprise in this year's tournament."