Former New Zealand men’s national team head coach Anthony Hudson is helping lead a restructure of Thailand’s national teams after an emergency meeting of their national body.
Hudson (44) has been the Thailand men’s head coach since October after previously acting as the technical director of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT).
Siamsport reports the board of FAT held an emergency meeting on December 26, 2025, after disappointing results of their men’s and women’s U-23 teams at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games held in Thailand.
The men’s team lost the final in extra time to arch rivals Vietnam, while the women took bronze in the eight-nation women’s competition.
Reports say the FAT board have decided to restructure their technical department, and Hudson will help choose a new technical director, with a preference for overseas candidates.
The aim is to align the playing philosophy and training regimes of the age group teams, and the senior national teams.
Main photo: Anthony Hudson … helping lead changes in Thai national team structure. Photo credit: FAT.
Hudson was appointed national coach in October, replacing the popular Masatada Ishii, who was dismissed from the role.
Thailand play Turkmenistan in March to decide whether they can qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Hudson told the Bangkok Post: “My dream is to help Thailand qualify for the Asian Cup, to do everything I can to improve the team, help the players and fans be proud of the Thai team. And I will do everything I can to achieve that.”
The national team role is Hudon’s ninth full-time job since leaving New Zealand in 2017.
Hudson took up the technical director’s role in Thailand after he was dismissed as head coach of Thai side BG Pathum United in April 2025.
Anthony Hudson led the All Whites for 27 games, which included nine wins and seven draws. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.Hudson was the head coach of the New Zealand national team from 2014-2017 after three years coaching the Bahrain national team and their U-23 side.
When he left the New Zealand role, Hudson managed MLS side Colorado Rapids, before he became the United States U-20 head coach in 2020.
He became an assistant to Gregg Berhalter with the full US squad in 2021.
He was appointed as the interim head coach of the United States side when Berhalter was suspended for an internal investigation, but left the role in June 2023..
Since then, he’s held coaching or technical director roles with Qatari clubs Al-Markhiya and Al Arabi, and with Thailand’s BG Pathum United.
In August 2025, Hudson was reportedly shortlisted for the vacant role of Singapore national coach.
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This story was first published on December 29, 2025.