The Football Association of Thailand (FA Thailand) is to appoint Anthony Hudson as the new head coach of the national football team, two days after terminating the contract of Japanese coach Masatada Ishii, who took over as head coach in December 2023.
FA Thailand’s president, Nualphan Lamsam, said the choice of Hudson, who has served as the team’s technical director since early 2024, was made after consultation with the FA’s technical committee, to ensure continuity in team development and preparation ahead of key fixtures in November.
The Thai national team will play a friendly against Singapore on November 13 and an away match against Sri Lanka in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers on November 18.
“At this critical time, we need someone who truly understands Thai football. Hudson has worked with the FA at all levels and possesses complete international coaching experience,” Nualphan said.
Hudson, 43, is a British-American coach with extensive international experience, having previously managed the national teams of the United States, New Zealand and Bahrain, as well as several professional clubs in England and the United States.
“The Thai national team needs stability and a clear direction,” Nualphan said. “Anthony Hudson is the most suitable person for this moment.”
Hudson will take up his new role immediately, with his first task being to announce the national squad for the November FIFA international window, as Thailand continues its campaign in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers later this year.
Meanwhile, she defended the dismissal of Ishii, which stunned many as it came just days after Thailand’s 6-1 victory over Taiwan in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
Thailand now stands on the cusp of qualification, needing only an away draw against Sri Lanka on November 18th and a home win over Turkmenistan on March 31 next year.
She said football is not an experiment, claiming that the decision was made after a series of disappointing results.
Nualphan said changing coaches is normal in world football, but the move was made out of necessity after Thailand failed to reach the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Moreover the team failed to retain the ASEAN Championship title in 2024 and was unable to defend the King’s Cup title this year.
“The men’s national team has almost nothing left to fight for this cycle, apart from the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Football is not an experiment, we only get 90 minutes to prove ourselves,” she said.
She added that the association had given Ishii full freedom in managing the team.
FA Thailand will compensate Ishii, paying him half of the remaining value of his contract.
