Like Inni Shin Tae-yong, unilateral dismissal notice was made...Thailand's coach expresses anger at announcing dismissal without my signature

Oct 22, 2025

Ishii Masatada, Thai national soccer team coach, Instagram capture

Thai national soccer team coach Masatada Ishii attends a press conference at the Media Center on the 29th (local time) to answer reporters' questions. Doha (Qatar) = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2024.01.29/

'We need to be polite even when we say goodbye!'

Masatada Ishii (58), the coach of the Thai national soccer team, expressed his anger at the unilateral dismissal of the Thai Football Association's (FAT) lack of respect.

Coach Ishii, who has led the Thai national team since 2023, said on his personal channel on the 21st (local time) "Today (21st) at 10 a.m. at FAT headquarters to review the two matches against Taiwan." Immediately after the review, the association notified 'The contract is terminated as of today'. The reason was that I wanted to replace the team staff with a new generation. At the time, he did not sign the contract (cancellation) because he could not adjust his feelings, but only conveyed 'Let's talk again next time'".

Director Ishii continued "But that afternoon, FAT announced my dismissal. They are truly untruthful people." It is similar to the way Shin Tae-yong, then coach of the Indonesian national soccer team, was fired in January. Coach Shin, who had a great performance after taking the helm of the Indonesian national team in 2020, was suddenly notified of his dismissal by Erik Tohir, head of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), who finished second in the Mitsubishi Cup and fourth in the U-23 Asian Cup.

Photo=capture Twitter

FAT explained that the reason for termination of the contract was the result of a 'professional evaluation process by the technical sector' because Ishii's guidance policy does not fit the long-term development plan of Thai football'.

Coach Ishii took over as the head coach of the Thai national team in December 2023 and recorded 16 wins, 8 draws, 6 losses and a 53% winning rate in 30 games in a year and 10 months. In March 2024, he recorded one draw and one loss in the second consecutive Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup against South Korea. In particular, the match in Seoul had a surprise 1-1 draw with South Korea with Son Heung-min at the forefront.

Thailand won 2-0 and 6-1 respectively in the second consecutive round of the 2027 Asian Cup third qualifying round against Taiwan during the A-match period in October, raising hopes of advancing to the finals, but FAT also cited the lack of winning percentage as the reason for the dismissal. Thailand ranked second in Group D of the Asian Cup qualifying round, with three wins, one loss and nine points, behind Turkmenistan (9 points) in the winner's win. In the third qualifying round of the Asian Cup, six first-place teams from six groups will advance to the finals.

Thai media 'Siam Sports' reported that Thailand, led by head coach Ishii, lost to China and failed to advance to the third qualifying round of the World Cup, lost to Vietnam in the AFF Cup in 2024, lost to the Philippines for the first time in 52 years, failed to defend the title of the King's Cup in 2025, and failed to find a promising Thai player led to the replacement.

Coach Ishii said goodbye to Thai fans "Thank you to all the fans who have supported the Thai national team so far." Some Thai fans say, "Is it right to throw away a Japanese coach who devoted himself to Thai soccer?"The leaders of the Thai Football Association act arbitrarily again." showed a reaction of the back.

Meanwhile, Japanese media predict that Ishii, who was in charge of J-League clubs such as Kashima Antlers and Omiya Ardiza, will challenge the Japanese stage again.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.