Akira Nishino shakes hand with Thai FA chief Somyot Poompamoung. (Image via The Nation)

It's Official! Ex-Japan Coach Nishino is the New Thailand National Football Team Coach

Thailand Football Association announced on Monday (7/1) that it has named Japan’s former coach Akira Nishino to lead the national team into a first World Cup final as the new head coach.

He agreed to coach Thailand in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and take the under-23 team to the 2019 Southeast Asian Game in the Philippines and 2020 Asia Under-23 championship in China after having a four-hour meeting with Thailand Football Association chief Somyot Poompamoung in Bangkok.

In the 2018 Russia World Cup, Nishino had succeeded in leading the Japanese team to the round of 16 despite only being with the Samurai Blue two months before the championship. He replaced the previous coach Vahid Halilhodzic in last minute and took the team to the knockout rounds, where they heartbreakingly lost against Belgium who led 2-0.

While for Thailand, Nishino was appointed to succeed the long-term coach Milovan Rajevac, following his dismissal after humiliated for losing 4-1 to India at the opening game of Asian Cup earlier this year.

Before the official news, Nishino was already seen to have attended Thai League on Saturday and Sunday.

The 64-year former Japanese football player has extensive experience in Japan’s professional league. He had lead Gamba Osaka in 2005 to claim their winner title at the J-League and won the Asian Champions League three years later.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/football-ex-japan-coach-nishino-to-coach-thailand-s-2022-world-11680536