Hudson Praises Malaysia's Strong Start, Confirms Thailand's Game Plan
Thailand coach Anthony Hudson acknowledged Malaysia's strong squad ahead of their ASEAN Cup clash on August 1, saying his team has prepared a tactical plan to counter their balanced play and fast wingers.
Thailand national team coach Anthony Hudson acknowledged Malaysia's strength and impressive start in the ASEAN Cup, but confirmed that the Thai team has prepared a tactical plan to face them. On July 31 at Rajamangala Stadium, the AFF Futsal Cup 2026 organizers held a pre-match press conference before Thailand's second Group B match against Malaysia on August 1 at 8:00 p.m.
Anthony Hudson, Thailand's head coach, said: "We are preparing the team just like we did for the Laos game. We analyzed our previous weaknesses to improve them. The key priority is raising our players' fitness level. We are excited to play at home surrounded by our fans, and we already have a plan for the Malaysia game."
Responding to Malaysia's claim of having an advantage due to fewer matches played, Hudson disagreed: "I don't agree much with that, because after this game we will face the same competition schedule as other teams. I believe Malaysia has already prepared their team well and they have performed excellently. We hope this will be a good match."
On Malaysia's squad strength, Hudson noted: "Malaysia has good players in every position—a strong defense, good forwards, left-backs, and fast wingers on both sides. We still don't know Endrick dos Santos' condition, as he's an important player for them. Overall, Malaysia is a team with well-balanced play."
Meanwhile, young Thai striker Kannada Khamyok said: "We are ready now. Training has gone well with great team atmosphere. The senior players give us good guidance. We have one clear goal: to win against Malaysia for our fans."
