Thai leader: 'Akira Nishino will decide the squad to the AFF Cup 2020'

Following the information about Thailand's youth team to be sent to the AFF Cup 2020, the Acting General Secretary of the Football Federation of Thailand (FAT) Parit Suphaphong has reassured the public. He said it was still too early to make a final decision.

"We must first wait until the season returns, as well as wait for a response from Akira Nishino," Parit Suphaphong said.

Currently, all Thai professional football activities are postponded because of the Covid-19 epidemic. The specific schedule of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers has yet to be decided. Therefore, what FAT can do now is to strictly comply with anti-epidemic measures of the Government.

In case FIFA and AFC announce the schedule of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, FAT will plan to prepare for the AFF Cup 2020. It is likely that the War Elephants will still send their national team to this tournament, but the number of the Thailand internationals joining in this tournament is still a question mark.

However, FAT asserted that all upcoming plans after coming back from the disease would be entirely given by its own head coach. “The Thai national team's plan is up to Akira Nishino. Believe that he is anxious to come back like never before.”

In order to support the training and preparation, it is likely that FAT will facilitate Akira Nishino to have a Thai national team from now until September if the epidemic prevention has progressed.