Obb Deewajin
Football Tribe Thailand
On Monday the 18th of March 2019, Alexandre Gama led his U23 side to their first training session together. The session lasted just over an hour and focused primarily on physical recovery and tactical details.
Ex-Werder Bremen trainee Kevin Deeromram and gifted playmaker Ekanit Panya have both withdrawn from the squad due to injury. Left-back Kittipong Sansanit and midfielder Chotipat Poomkeaw have replaced the pair respectively. The AFC U23 qualifiers in Vietnam present Gama’s first opportunity to work with his strongest U23s selection. Yet, the Brazilian tactician refuses to make any comparison between the current team and the group he took to the AFF U22 Youth Championship in Cambodia a few weeks back.
“I have never made any comparison between this team and the AFF U22 Youth Championship team. I like all my players. The current squad is more experienced and [the players have] featured regularly for their respective clubs. But we must also give credit to the boys who went to Cambodia. They worked hard and got to the final. Many players from that squad are also with the current squad.”
Supachai Jaided, Supachok Sarachat, and Anon Amornlerdsak are some players who already debut for the senior but still eligible and was picked for the U23 team. Meanwhile, defender Saringkan Promsupa makes the squad after a fantastic showing as the team’s captain in Cambodia last month.