Thai media reports: Even Pep Guardiola would be helpless against the Thai U22 team.
Following the 2-3 defeat against Vietnam U22, Siam Sport analyzed that the root cause lay not with the coach but with systemic flaws and superficial preparation.
Failure was inevitable.
Following Thailand U22's 2-3 defeat to Vietnam U22 in the SEA Games 33 final, Thai media offered frank analyses of the reasons for the loss. Veteran journalist Adison Pheng-ya of Siam Sport argued that the core issue did not lie with the coach or the players, but stemmed from systemic weaknesses in the preparation of Thai football.
The newspaper emphasized that winning only a silver medal was not surprising given the rushed preparation before the tournament. "The old problem remains unresolved: the preparation before the tournament. Sometimes we only have five days to prepare before the ASEAN Cup," journalist Pheng-ya pointed out. The overlapping schedules between the Thai League and the national team meant that the collective good was not prioritized.
Lessons from the past and present
Siam Sport drew a comparison to the golden era under coach Kiatisuk Senamuang at the 2013 SEA Games. At that time, meticulous year-long preparation laid a solid foundation for the golden generation of Chanathip Songkrasin. In contrast, the current generation of players constantly plays for their clubs, then only has short periods of time to train with the national team, leading to burnout and a lack of cohesion.
"Even Pep Guardiola couldn't salvage the situation if the preparation failed from the start," the newspaper commented sarcastically. This comment reflects deep disappointment with Thailand's current approach to football.
The superiority of Vietnam U22
In contrast to their opponents, the Vietnam U22 team was considered far superior in terms of thorough preparation and excellent physical fitness. This factor helped the "Golden Star Warriors" maintain continuous pressure, ultimately leading to a successful comeback in the second half and extra time when the Thai players were clearly exhausted.
Siam Sport also frankly admitted that the role of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) is becoming increasingly diminished in the face of the power of the clubs, leaving the national team without the best resources and training conditions. This creates a major obstacle to the sustainable development of youth teams.
A call for systemic reform.
Finally, the Thai press urged fans to stop looking for individuals to blame, and instead view this failure as an inevitable consequence of an unprofessional system. The silver medal at the 33rd SEA Games is seen as a necessary wake-up call. Without a strong reform in preparation and a concerted effort between the federation and the clubs, Thai football is predicted to continue to struggle when facing Vietnam in the future.
