BANGKOK (22 November 2023) – The FA of Thailand (FAT) have parted ways with head coach Alexandre ‘Mano’ Polking after what was deemed as ‘not meeting the target after the first two matches’ of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
The ASEAN champions conceded a 2-1 loss to China in their opening game of Group C at the Rajamangala Stadium a few days ago before bouncing back to beat Singapore 3-1 at the National Stadium last night.
“As the team manager, I must thank coach Mano and the whole team of coaches who were dedicated and committed to their duties over the past two years,” said Nualphan Lamsam.
“They have contributed immensely to Thai football and more importantly, they have managed to deliver the ASEAN Championship title for two editions in a row.
“But the results of the first two FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying matches did not meet the target. It cannot be denied that everyone was expecting more.
“When the work does not meet the goals set, especially in the first qualifying match when we lost at home, which was damaging and had a huge effect on our chances of advancing to the third-round qualifiers, a decision had to be taken.”
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