Thai captain says team set to show new standard

Captain Theerathon Bunmanthan is hoping Thailand will show a new standard when they take on Kyrgyzstan in their opening AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Group F match on Monday.
Tamirlan Kozubaev, meanwhile, wants Kyrgyzstan to aim higher after advancing to the Round of 16 in their AFC Asian Cup debut in UAE 2019.
J1 League champion with Yokohama F Marinos in 2019, Theerathon is well aware that Thailand’s recent performances haven’t been good enough - losing their Joint Preliminary Round Two for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 tie to China PR and Korea Republic followed by a heavy defeat against Japan in an international friendly.
The enigmatic left-back, who at times also operates in midfield for club Buriram United and country, is demanding that Thailand rise to the challenge and reach new levels in Qatar 2023.
“We had nine days of a training camp in Qatar and everyone in the team is confident and highly motivated,” said Theerathon. “There were plenty of discussions with new ideas and we are all together here to achieve one goal.
“The players know who they are up against, especially the Kyrgyz Republic wingers, and we are prepared to face them. However, we want to play our game and we will definitely be motivated during the game.
“Looking at our experience of playing in the recent Asian Qualifiers, we certainly need to elevate our standard of performance. We know why we are here and we are ready to deliver. We have a top head coach and we are prepared to overcome obstacles - both physically and mentally.”
Kozubaev is one of only six players from the 2019 squad at Qatar 2023, with Kyrgyz Republic having marked their debut campaign by finishing behind Korea Republic and China PR in Group B advancing to the knockout stage as one of the four best third-placed teams.
A spirited display saw them hold United Arab Emirates to a 2-2 draw in regulation time in the Round of 16, only to be eliminated by Ahmed Khalil’s penalty in extra time, and the Eastern Sports club defender is targeting an even further run this time.
“We are looking forward to playing against Thailand and the players are well prepared,” said Kozubaev.
“Playing in the Hong Kong Premier League has certainly helped me with my game.
“In the last Asian Cup in 2019, it was the first time for everyone in this team as we made our first appearance in the continental showpiece, which was a nervy experience. However, I’m older now with more experience.
“The atmosphere within the team is good. There are no easy games in the Asian Cup so we will not take Thailand lightly. All the games will be tough but we expect to get through the next round as we want to win all our games.”