Skipper Teerasil Dangda is calling on his teammates show a fighting spirit after the Thai national team were embarrassed by India in the Asian Cup opener on Sunday night, and the consequent sacking of their coach.
"We have to work harder and learn from the loss. "We cannot go back and correct it," Thairath online quoted the Thai forward as saying.
Teerasil urged the players to look forwards and produce their best in the remaining two matches of the round.
"Everybody was saddened after that bad start," he said.
Teerasil scored the lone goal for the War Elephants' 33 minutes into the game, which ended with a 4-1 win for India in their first game of the Asian Cup Group A in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.
"Personally, I felt okay with the goal, but it was meaningless given the final result," he said.
Coach Milovan Rajevac was sacked after the game by Football Association of Thailand president Somyot Poompunmuang. Sirisak Yodythai is the interim coach, at least until the campaign ends.
The War Elephants will take on Bahrain on Thursday and the UAE on Monday. The Thai team sits at the bottom of the four-team standings. (continues below)
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Pol Gen Somyot picked the Serb to take over the team from departing Kiatisak Senamuang in 2017. The team failed to defend the biannual AFF Suzuki Cup last year and the football chief warned that their performance at the Asian Cup would decide Rajevac's fate.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, the chairman of the Sports Authority of Thailand, on Monday refused to become involved, as disappointed fans demanded Pol Gen Somyot also be held accountable.
"It is an internal affair of the FAT. He was elected to the position and it is up to the FAT to decide" his future, he said.
