Thai Football Chief Challenges Vietnam's Foreign Reinforcements Before AFF Cup Final
Thai Football Association deputy challenges Vietnam's use of foreign reinforcements ahead of the AFF Cup final on August 22, calling Vietnam's squad "Vietnam Plus" and questioning the competitive spirit of importing players to Asia's tourna
Dr. Chanyawit Polcheewin, deputy chairman of the Thai Football Association, has weighed in on the AFF Cup Championship final between Thailand and Vietnam on August 22 at Rajamangala Stadium and August 26 at Mydin Stadium. He stated that the outcome depends on how coach Anthony Hudson deploys the Thai squad, which he believes will be arranged optimally despite some key players being unavailable.
"I've said it before: this is not ordinary Vietnam—this is Vietnam Plus, Vietnam plus Brazil," Polcheewin said. "Are we afraid? No, we're not. If it were the Vietnam we used to play against, competitive and within Asia, that would be one thing. But now it's Vietnam Plus."
He challenged Vietnam's approach, asking where their national pride lies. "This is a football festival in Asia, and many countries follow suit. Malaysia does it, Singapore understands—they have limited resources. But Malaysia and Vietnam are both Asian nations facing the same question. Even Vietnamese supporters have questioned it. We respect all teams that come to Asia, and we're ready to play any nation that enters the competition."
