Reid finished as Thailand national coach

Thailand on Wednesday formally terminated its contract with national football coach Peter Reid, who is set to take up an offer to serve as assistant at Stoke.

Football Association of Thailand chairman Worawi Makudi said the decision was made in consultation with former Sunderland and Manchester City boss Reid, who still has three years left on his contract.

“The Football Association of Thailand and Reid, who has shown his desire to work in the Premier League, have agreed to terminate the contract,” Worawi said.

Reid took over the Thai national team in September 2008 on a four-year contract but a clause in his contract allowed him to leave if he received an offer from an English club.

He said last month that he would leave Thailand and take up a job as deputy to Stoke manager Tony Pulis, but only after he had fixed the issue with the Thai FA.

Reid’s assistant, Steve Darby, will act as Thailand’s coach until a new manager is official appointed.

Thailand were previously coached by Aston Villa striker Peter Withe, who from 1998 to 2002 led the team to two Tiger Cup wins and the semi-final of the Asian Games in Bangkok.

Thailand, with two draws in the Asian Cup qualifying rounds, will next play Singapore on 14 November in Singapore.