By Cheska D. Geli ; Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 31, 2011.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia commended the senior team of the Philippine National Football for bringing new interest to football in the country during their courtesy call at the Cebu Capitol yesterday.
The team had their training session yesterday morning and had their lunch at Marriott Hotel before they headed to the Capitol for a courtesy call.
Garcia said she was happy to have met the team, which was led by head coach Michael Weiss, team captain Aly Borromeo, who introduced the rest of the players, and co-captain Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong.
Borromeo, Caligdong, Ian Araneta and Nestor Margarse arrived early morning yesterday to reunite with the team. The four left last Saturday to play in the United Football League games.
“Cebu is charming. It’s a nice place. We are happy to be here and be accommodated by the Cebuanos,” said German coach Michael Weiss.
Aside from other players, Cebu Football Association (CFA) president Richard Montayre, who is proposing a Governor’s Cup for football, attended the event along with CFA board member Bro. Mari Aberasturi.
Garcia had considered the proposal from the CFA Chairman after it also explained how it can complement the existing Governor’s Cup for volleyball, which is held annually for LGU-based teams in the province.
“But if this will push through, the Azkals should also be here,” Garcia said.
Weiss, in reply, said that as long as the team will be invited, they would be willing to be part of the event.
Meanwhile, hundreds of fans gathered at The Terraces in Ayala Center Cebu to get a glimpse of their favorite booters in the Azkals Mall Tour.
Message
Caligdong from the Air Force was the first one to perform his juggling skills in front of the screaming crowd. He was shortly followed by Fil-foreigners Phil and James Younghusband, Misagh Bahadoran, Neil Etheridge and Simon Greatwich whose trick was highlighted when the goalkeeper took off Greatwich’s shirt.
The crowd was asking Paolo Pascual to be the next to perform but the young Cebuano gave a message of gratitude instead.
“Salamat kaayo sa suporta. We are so happy and blessed that you are all here,” Pascual said.
Monday, May 30, 2011
PH Azkals plagued by injuries
by Peter Atencio - Manila Standard Today
INJURIES continued to sideline players seeking to keep their slot in the Philippine Azkals national football team.
Fil-German William Guiridon Espinosa, for one, dislocated his right elbow when he almost fell off the jetski he was riding during a break in training in a beach resort near Mactan.
The 29-year-old Espinosa is expected to be sidelined for at least a week.
The Azkals are in Cebu as part of their training for their home-and-away World Cup qualifying encounters with Sri Lanka on June 29 in Colomba and on July 3 in Manila.
The team’s strength and conditioning coach Joseph Malinay said Espinosa is now recovering, and will need at least a week before he can join the practices again.
“He’s okay, but he will have to be sidelined for a while, “ said Malinay.
While in Cebu, the Azkals took some time out to conduct a football clinic with selected kids at the Aboitiz Field in Cebu City .
The Azkals also met with members of the national under-13 team, which call themselves the Little Azkals. The young players leave for Malaysia today to see action with nine other countries in the Asean Football Confederation Festival of Football.
The Azkals had earlier lost another prospective member after returning Fil-British Chad Gould decided to go back to London.
INJURIES continued to sideline players seeking to keep their slot in the Philippine Azkals national football team.
Fil-German William Guiridon Espinosa, for one, dislocated his right elbow when he almost fell off the jetski he was riding during a break in training in a beach resort near Mactan.
The 29-year-old Espinosa is expected to be sidelined for at least a week.
The Azkals are in Cebu as part of their training for their home-and-away World Cup qualifying encounters with Sri Lanka on June 29 in Colomba and on July 3 in Manila.
The team’s strength and conditioning coach Joseph Malinay said Espinosa is now recovering, and will need at least a week before he can join the practices again.
“He’s okay, but he will have to be sidelined for a while, “ said Malinay.
While in Cebu, the Azkals took some time out to conduct a football clinic with selected kids at the Aboitiz Field in Cebu City .
The Azkals also met with members of the national under-13 team, which call themselves the Little Azkals. The young players leave for Malaysia today to see action with nine other countries in the Asean Football Confederation Festival of Football.
The Azkals had earlier lost another prospective member after returning Fil-British Chad Gould decided to go back to London.
Hirsohi bags men’s open title in Nat’l Interclub Football Cup
By Mars G. Alison - Cebu Daily News - INQ
The Hiroshi Football Club (FC) survived a penalty shootout against Waterfresh Queen City United (QCU), 4-3, to become the new champions in the men’s open of the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC) 11th National Interclub Football Cup yesterday at the University of San Carlos – Technological Center (USC-TC).
Last year’s men’s open champion Doraemon did not return to defend its title. Some of its players, however, played in different teams.
QCU led the shootout with Yuki Kimura and Masahiko Ayagi finding the back of the net on their attempts.
Hiroshi, on the other hand, faltered on its second try. After Delan Christian Uy scored, Rommel Cortes’ attempt was saved by QCU’s Alex Buanghug.
QCU’s third goal from Ariel Cahilig proved to be the team’s last as Rene Menchavez’s attempt went wide and former Azkals Arnie Pasinabo’s try hit the post.
However, both teams were not able to score in the extension thus the penalty shootout which was heartily cheered on by the Azkals who arrived to watch the game and award the winners.
In contrast, Hiroshi warmed up after Junard Aguilar slotted in his goal, as both John Michael Flores and Harold Buot wrapped up the win for Hiroshi. The regulation ended at 1-all with QCU scoring the first goal.
Hiroshi was able to force a 20-minute extension after team captain Voltaire Montebon scored on a direct kick, which resulted from a pushing foul in the dying minutes of the second half.
Montebon was named most valuable player (MVP) in the men’s open with teammates Jpong Campos named as best goalkeeper and Flores as best defender.
The best midfielder honors went to QCU’s Yagi Masahiko while the golden boot went to USC-TC’s Joshua Fegidero, also a former Azkals.
In the boys 17-Under, the Abellana National School (ANS) Pomeroy reclaimed the crown it lost last year by routing USC-TC, 6-2.
special awards
Special awards in the division went to ANS’ Miguel Caindec as MVP; ANS’ Kerth Ryan Aranguez as best midfielder; ANS’ Joeford Dolino as best defender and Ateneo de Cebu’s (AdC) Patrick Snare as best goalie. The golden boot went to ANS’ Jake Ricaplaza.
Sharing the stage with the Azkals in the girls 17-Under category were Aroroy FC’s Diane Jazul as MVP; USC-TC’s Jessa Cuizon as best goalkeeper, Gale Colina as best defender, Elsie Juezan as best midfielder while Gale Colina brought home the golden boot.
In the boys 12-Under, named MVP was Los Amigos’ Shanden Vergara, who also got the golden boot; best midfielder was Springdale FC’s Ryan James Haosen; best defender was AdC’s Leo Maquiling and best goalkeeper was Gabriel Villacin also of Springdale FC.
In the players 10, MVP honors went to Roland Mattsen of AdC. He was also named as the best midfielder. Golden boot went to Vince Kristi Colina of the San Roque Royal United (SRRU); best defender went to AdC’s Thimoti Lopez while best goalie was QCU’s Philip Anthony Fernandez.
The 40 above finals between Hiroshi and San Roque did not push through due to some disagreements on who will officiate the match.
The Azkals arrived at the USC-TC field in the second half of the men’s open finals. They stopped for a few minutes for picture taking and autograph signing before going up the makeshift stage to award the winners.
The Hiroshi Football Club (FC) survived a penalty shootout against Waterfresh Queen City United (QCU), 4-3, to become the new champions in the men’s open of the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC) 11th National Interclub Football Cup yesterday at the University of San Carlos – Technological Center (USC-TC).
Last year’s men’s open champion Doraemon did not return to defend its title. Some of its players, however, played in different teams.
QCU led the shootout with Yuki Kimura and Masahiko Ayagi finding the back of the net on their attempts.
Hiroshi, on the other hand, faltered on its second try. After Delan Christian Uy scored, Rommel Cortes’ attempt was saved by QCU’s Alex Buanghug.
QCU’s third goal from Ariel Cahilig proved to be the team’s last as Rene Menchavez’s attempt went wide and former Azkals Arnie Pasinabo’s try hit the post.
However, both teams were not able to score in the extension thus the penalty shootout which was heartily cheered on by the Azkals who arrived to watch the game and award the winners.
In contrast, Hiroshi warmed up after Junard Aguilar slotted in his goal, as both John Michael Flores and Harold Buot wrapped up the win for Hiroshi. The regulation ended at 1-all with QCU scoring the first goal.
Hiroshi was able to force a 20-minute extension after team captain Voltaire Montebon scored on a direct kick, which resulted from a pushing foul in the dying minutes of the second half.
Montebon was named most valuable player (MVP) in the men’s open with teammates Jpong Campos named as best goalkeeper and Flores as best defender.
The best midfielder honors went to QCU’s Yagi Masahiko while the golden boot went to USC-TC’s Joshua Fegidero, also a former Azkals.
In the boys 17-Under, the Abellana National School (ANS) Pomeroy reclaimed the crown it lost last year by routing USC-TC, 6-2.
special awards
Special awards in the division went to ANS’ Miguel Caindec as MVP; ANS’ Kerth Ryan Aranguez as best midfielder; ANS’ Joeford Dolino as best defender and Ateneo de Cebu’s (AdC) Patrick Snare as best goalie. The golden boot went to ANS’ Jake Ricaplaza.
Sharing the stage with the Azkals in the girls 17-Under category were Aroroy FC’s Diane Jazul as MVP; USC-TC’s Jessa Cuizon as best goalkeeper, Gale Colina as best defender, Elsie Juezan as best midfielder while Gale Colina brought home the golden boot.
In the boys 12-Under, named MVP was Los Amigos’ Shanden Vergara, who also got the golden boot; best midfielder was Springdale FC’s Ryan James Haosen; best defender was AdC’s Leo Maquiling and best goalkeeper was Gabriel Villacin also of Springdale FC.
In the players 10, MVP honors went to Roland Mattsen of AdC. He was also named as the best midfielder. Golden boot went to Vince Kristi Colina of the San Roque Royal United (SRRU); best defender went to AdC’s Thimoti Lopez while best goalie was QCU’s Philip Anthony Fernandez.
The 40 above finals between Hiroshi and San Roque did not push through due to some disagreements on who will officiate the match.
The Azkals arrived at the USC-TC field in the second half of the men’s open finals. They stopped for a few minutes for picture taking and autograph signing before going up the makeshift stage to award the winners.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Little Azkals meet big brothers in one-on-one clinic
CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON Cebu Daily News (INQ)
MEMBERS of the Philippine Under 13 (RP U13) training pool tagged as the “Little Azkals” will meet the Azkals today in a one-on-one clinic organized by the Cebu Football Association (CFA) for boys 12 under at the Aboitiz Sportsfield in Subangdaku Mandaue City.
CFA president Richard Montayre said meeting the Azkals would serve as an inspirational send-off for the Little Azkals who will leave for Malaysia on Monday for the AFC U13 Festival of Football on June 1 to 7.
Prior to their meeting with the Azkals, the Little Azkals will undergo a one-hour training. They will then give way to the participants of the free clinic which will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, Montayre said the CFA has taken over the management of the Little Azkals after DRBSports withdrew its support to the team which is undergoing a training camp at the Don Bosco Boys Home in Liloan, Cebu.
Montayre in his capacity as head of the grassroots and youth development committee of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has also assumed as the team’s manager.
The team’s training costs around P600,000 with a P150,000 subsidy from the PFF.
The team’s uniform and shoes will be provided by Mizuno as part of Mizuno’s contract with the PFF while the AFC is allocating $5,000 in airfare subsidy.
MEMBERS of the Philippine Under 13 (RP U13) training pool tagged as the “Little Azkals” will meet the Azkals today in a one-on-one clinic organized by the Cebu Football Association (CFA) for boys 12 under at the Aboitiz Sportsfield in Subangdaku Mandaue City.
CFA president Richard Montayre said meeting the Azkals would serve as an inspirational send-off for the Little Azkals who will leave for Malaysia on Monday for the AFC U13 Festival of Football on June 1 to 7.
Prior to their meeting with the Azkals, the Little Azkals will undergo a one-hour training. They will then give way to the participants of the free clinic which will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, Montayre said the CFA has taken over the management of the Little Azkals after DRBSports withdrew its support to the team which is undergoing a training camp at the Don Bosco Boys Home in Liloan, Cebu.
Montayre in his capacity as head of the grassroots and youth development committee of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has also assumed as the team’s manager.
The team’s training costs around P600,000 with a P150,000 subsidy from the PFF.
The team’s uniform and shoes will be provided by Mizuno as part of Mizuno’s contract with the PFF while the AFC is allocating $5,000 in airfare subsidy.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Etheridge takes R&R before training with Azkals
by Barry Viloria, abs-cbnNEWS.com
LAPU-LAPU, Cebu - Azkals goalkeeper Neil Etheridge said he will be on rest and recreation (R&R) before joining his team’s intensive preparations for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Sri Lanka next month.
"My time now will be spent for the next weeks relaxing... I'm enjoying myself for a while," the Filipino-British, who arrived in the Philippines Monday night, told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Etheridge said he wants to rest his body a bit after having spent the last months in rigorous training with Fulham Football Club in UK.
Aside from being part of the Azkals’ starting lineup, Etheridge also plays as a reserve goalkeeper for Fulham FC.
"I've been training for the last months constantly back in England and here with the Azkals," he said.
The 21-year-old goalie said he will join the Azkals’ intensive training 2 weeks before their away-game against Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 29.
"I will be setting myself up maybe on the second week of June and prepare myself for what comes ahead for this (World Cup qualifiers)," said Etheridge. "I'll keep fit."
The Azkals’ home game against Sri Lanka will take place at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on July 3.
Confident
Etheridge is confident of their chances against Sri Lanka.
"With our set of players, I think I'm comfortable to go through the next rounds," he said.
Etheridge thinks the Sri Lankan booters’ style of play is similar to Bangladesh’s, which was handily defeated by the Azkals in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup group stage last March.
"I think the closest thing we've played to them is Bangladesh, which of course....we beat them quite comfortably," he said.
Despite the victory, Etheridge said he and his team will not take the Sri Lankans lightly.
"Obviously, we've never played a game with them before," he said.
"This is the World Cup. Anything can happen. The World Cup is a competition which everyone takes seriously. I know that we are," the Filipino-British added.
German training camp
The Azkals will be flying to Germany on June 12 for the more serious phase of their preparations.
There, they will play against 6 other teams in a series of friendly games.
From Germany, they will head straight to Colombo in time for the first leg of their qualifier against Sri Lanka.
LAPU-LAPU, Cebu - Azkals goalkeeper Neil Etheridge said he will be on rest and recreation (R&R) before joining his team’s intensive preparations for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Sri Lanka next month.
"My time now will be spent for the next weeks relaxing... I'm enjoying myself for a while," the Filipino-British, who arrived in the Philippines Monday night, told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Etheridge said he wants to rest his body a bit after having spent the last months in rigorous training with Fulham Football Club in UK.
Aside from being part of the Azkals’ starting lineup, Etheridge also plays as a reserve goalkeeper for Fulham FC.
"I've been training for the last months constantly back in England and here with the Azkals," he said.
The 21-year-old goalie said he will join the Azkals’ intensive training 2 weeks before their away-game against Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 29.
"I will be setting myself up maybe on the second week of June and prepare myself for what comes ahead for this (World Cup qualifiers)," said Etheridge. "I'll keep fit."
The Azkals’ home game against Sri Lanka will take place at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on July 3.
Confident
Etheridge is confident of their chances against Sri Lanka.
"With our set of players, I think I'm comfortable to go through the next rounds," he said.
Etheridge thinks the Sri Lankan booters’ style of play is similar to Bangladesh’s, which was handily defeated by the Azkals in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup group stage last March.
"I think the closest thing we've played to them is Bangladesh, which of course....we beat them quite comfortably," he said.
Despite the victory, Etheridge said he and his team will not take the Sri Lankans lightly.
"Obviously, we've never played a game with them before," he said.
"This is the World Cup. Anything can happen. The World Cup is a competition which everyone takes seriously. I know that we are," the Filipino-British added.
German training camp
The Azkals will be flying to Germany on June 12 for the more serious phase of their preparations.
There, they will play against 6 other teams in a series of friendly games.
From Germany, they will head straight to Colombo in time for the first leg of their qualifier against Sri Lanka.
Azkals’ match in Rizal Memorial stadium to be a full-blown fan experience
Mav C. Gonzales and Earl Victor Rosero GMA News
Didn’t fully enjoy the Azkals’ game in Pana-ad? Didn’t get to go to Bacolod at all? Just watched the match on television or Youtube?
Fret no more because the upcoming World Cup qualifiers match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium is bound to be a great experience for the fans.
The Philippine Football Federation wants to "create an atmosphere where the people will enjoy being there" at the home leg of the Azkals versus Sri Lanka series.
According to Bonnie Ladrido, chairman of the local organizing committee for the World Cup Qualifiers, the PFF will try to make fan shirts available so expect a sea of either blue or white across the newly-renovated stadium.
But more than the shirts and the comfier seats, what the fans should really watch for is the “booster squad" which will lead the crowd in cheering the Azkals on.
Memories and lessons of Panaad
“I was at the game in Panaad last February. The fans felt a little lost when it came to cheering for the team. Fan support for the Azkals is pretty much young, so the cheers could really be worked on," said football fan Joes Santos.
“But I really hope they don't use the theme song from Pinoy Big Brother again. It was as cheesy as it was annoying," Santos remarked.
The Fan Management Committee led by Richard “Ebong" Joson – the guy with the face paint and blue wig during the Panaad game – will put together the booster squad. It will be made up of about 50 people who will create organized cheers for the Azkals.
"Due to time constraints we are keeping our targets modest. I will be forming a booster squad that will be positioned en mass strategically at the bleachers section to lead the cheering and chanting," said Joson via a Facebook message.
Through some Facebook fan pages devoted to the Azkals, fans have been urged to bring empty 5-gallon, hard plastic water containers with flat bottoms. The idea is to use these large bottles to create sounds that will echo all over the Rizal stadium. Surprises are in the works, according to the fan page administrators.
The enthusiasm was definitely there in Bacolod. It just so happened that not everyone there may have understood how the game worked so there was room for improvement in the fan participation department.
“Well the crowd [mentality] at Panaad, just like the rebirth of Philippine football, is still in its infancy, gaining that atmosphere in stadiums all over the world," said hardcore football fan Quico Muñoz.
He said that hopefully, the crowd will refrain from using basketball cheers which they are accustomed to. The fans gathered at Panaad shouted “defense" whenever Mongolia had the ball.
Great expectations
Munoz suggests that the booster squad use Filipinized traditional football chants and songs.
“In my opinion we shouldn't use the moniker ‘Azkals’ in our cheers. Traditionally the name of the country is the one used," he added.
And the chanting is not just for the spectators. The players actually look forward to these cheers too.
“Sobrang saya at sobrang init ng pagtanggap ng mga fans sa amin and nakakatulong talaga siya sa aming mga players. Sobrang saya ko talaga na nakalaro ako sa harap ng libu-libong fans sa Panaad," said Azkal Ian Araneta.
While some may consider Panaad the home of Philippine football, Ian believes that they will get the same warm reception now that the game will be played in the heart of Metro Manila.
“Sa Rizal, sa tingin ko dudumugin din ng tao ang game namin ngayon pa na unti-unti na minamahal ng mga Pilipino ang football. Basta ang laban namin sa July 3 sa Rizal ay laban na rin nating lahat," he said.
The Azkals pledged to play their hearts out and behind them, there is going to be a huge crowd screaming at the top of their lungs.
Didn’t fully enjoy the Azkals’ game in Pana-ad? Didn’t get to go to Bacolod at all? Just watched the match on television or Youtube?
Fret no more because the upcoming World Cup qualifiers match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium is bound to be a great experience for the fans.
The Philippine Football Federation wants to "create an atmosphere where the people will enjoy being there" at the home leg of the Azkals versus Sri Lanka series.
According to Bonnie Ladrido, chairman of the local organizing committee for the World Cup Qualifiers, the PFF will try to make fan shirts available so expect a sea of either blue or white across the newly-renovated stadium.
But more than the shirts and the comfier seats, what the fans should really watch for is the “booster squad" which will lead the crowd in cheering the Azkals on.
Memories and lessons of Panaad
“I was at the game in Panaad last February. The fans felt a little lost when it came to cheering for the team. Fan support for the Azkals is pretty much young, so the cheers could really be worked on," said football fan Joes Santos.
“But I really hope they don't use the theme song from Pinoy Big Brother again. It was as cheesy as it was annoying," Santos remarked.
The Fan Management Committee led by Richard “Ebong" Joson – the guy with the face paint and blue wig during the Panaad game – will put together the booster squad. It will be made up of about 50 people who will create organized cheers for the Azkals.
"Due to time constraints we are keeping our targets modest. I will be forming a booster squad that will be positioned en mass strategically at the bleachers section to lead the cheering and chanting," said Joson via a Facebook message.
Through some Facebook fan pages devoted to the Azkals, fans have been urged to bring empty 5-gallon, hard plastic water containers with flat bottoms. The idea is to use these large bottles to create sounds that will echo all over the Rizal stadium. Surprises are in the works, according to the fan page administrators.
The enthusiasm was definitely there in Bacolod. It just so happened that not everyone there may have understood how the game worked so there was room for improvement in the fan participation department.
“Well the crowd [mentality] at Panaad, just like the rebirth of Philippine football, is still in its infancy, gaining that atmosphere in stadiums all over the world," said hardcore football fan Quico Muñoz.
He said that hopefully, the crowd will refrain from using basketball cheers which they are accustomed to. The fans gathered at Panaad shouted “defense" whenever Mongolia had the ball.
Great expectations
Munoz suggests that the booster squad use Filipinized traditional football chants and songs.
“In my opinion we shouldn't use the moniker ‘Azkals’ in our cheers. Traditionally the name of the country is the one used," he added.
And the chanting is not just for the spectators. The players actually look forward to these cheers too.
“Sobrang saya at sobrang init ng pagtanggap ng mga fans sa amin and nakakatulong talaga siya sa aming mga players. Sobrang saya ko talaga na nakalaro ako sa harap ng libu-libong fans sa Panaad," said Azkal Ian Araneta.
While some may consider Panaad the home of Philippine football, Ian believes that they will get the same warm reception now that the game will be played in the heart of Metro Manila.
“Sa Rizal, sa tingin ko dudumugin din ng tao ang game namin ngayon pa na unti-unti na minamahal ng mga Pilipino ang football. Basta ang laban namin sa July 3 sa Rizal ay laban na rin nating lahat," he said.
The Azkals pledged to play their hearts out and behind them, there is going to be a huge crowd screaming at the top of their lungs.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
15 members of Philippine Azkals arrive; set to meet fans on Monday
CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON - Cebu Daily News (Philippines Daily Inquirer)
THEY have been hounded by star-struck fans wherever they go.
But yesterday morning, some 15 members of the Philippine Azkals, the country’s newest sports heartthrobs, managed to avoid the usual pandemonium upon their arrival in Mactan Cebu International Airport, thanks to a standby bus, a separate exit and police escorts.
Arriving with head coach Michael Hans Weiss were Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo, Cebuano Paolo Pascual, Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta, Roel Gener, Yanti Bersales, William Espinosa, Yanick Tuazon, Ricardo Becite, Edward Sacapano, Christopher Camcam, Nestorio Margarse, James Rochmitz and new member Nathan Burkey.
Anton del Rosario and Neil Etheridge will arrive today while Jason Sabio, Simon Greatwich and James and xPhil Younghusband will arrive this weekend.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami will arrive tomorrow.
Azkals media coordinator Jojie Ronda said the team is here for team building but that they also have other activities including a meet and greet with local fans.
During a brief press conference, Coach Weiss said that he will soon come up with the 23-man list whom he will bring to Germany for training in preparation for their World Cup Qualifier against Sri Lanka in Manila on June 29.
SLIM CHANCE
As for Cebuano-British Chad Gould whose bid to re-join the team was sidelined by an infected mosquito bite, coach Weiss said that they would have to see how fast he recovers but that his chances are very slim after he was advised by his doctor not to play football for two weeks.
Meanwhile, Ronda said having police escorts was not their idea but they were thankful because they were able to avoid heavy traffic on their way to the Grand Convention to attend a lunch hosted by the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC).
“Our bus is big and the roads here are narrow unlike in Manila. If not for those police escorts we would have arrived for lunch at 2 p.m. because of the heavy traffic,” Ronda said.
Jojo Rodriguez, the team’s administration officer, also denied that there is a ban for local media, an issue that came up when the team used a different exit at the airport, unwittingly eluding sports writers.
Writers who followed the Azkals bus were also banned from entering Plantation Bay and were told that only the Sports Unlimited crew will be admitted for an exclusive coverage.
Rodriguez said they had no such arrangement with the hotel.
Ronda explained that the Azkals will be available for interviews anytime except when they are having their team building activities and training.
THEY have been hounded by star-struck fans wherever they go.
But yesterday morning, some 15 members of the Philippine Azkals, the country’s newest sports heartthrobs, managed to avoid the usual pandemonium upon their arrival in Mactan Cebu International Airport, thanks to a standby bus, a separate exit and police escorts.
Arriving with head coach Michael Hans Weiss were Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo, Cebuano Paolo Pascual, Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta, Roel Gener, Yanti Bersales, William Espinosa, Yanick Tuazon, Ricardo Becite, Edward Sacapano, Christopher Camcam, Nestorio Margarse, James Rochmitz and new member Nathan Burkey.
Anton del Rosario and Neil Etheridge will arrive today while Jason Sabio, Simon Greatwich and James and xPhil Younghusband will arrive this weekend.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami will arrive tomorrow.
Azkals media coordinator Jojie Ronda said the team is here for team building but that they also have other activities including a meet and greet with local fans.
During a brief press conference, Coach Weiss said that he will soon come up with the 23-man list whom he will bring to Germany for training in preparation for their World Cup Qualifier against Sri Lanka in Manila on June 29.
SLIM CHANCE
As for Cebuano-British Chad Gould whose bid to re-join the team was sidelined by an infected mosquito bite, coach Weiss said that they would have to see how fast he recovers but that his chances are very slim after he was advised by his doctor not to play football for two weeks.
Meanwhile, Ronda said having police escorts was not their idea but they were thankful because they were able to avoid heavy traffic on their way to the Grand Convention to attend a lunch hosted by the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC).
“Our bus is big and the roads here are narrow unlike in Manila. If not for those police escorts we would have arrived for lunch at 2 p.m. because of the heavy traffic,” Ronda said.
Jojo Rodriguez, the team’s administration officer, also denied that there is a ban for local media, an issue that came up when the team used a different exit at the airport, unwittingly eluding sports writers.
Writers who followed the Azkals bus were also banned from entering Plantation Bay and were told that only the Sports Unlimited crew will be admitted for an exclusive coverage.
Rodriguez said they had no such arrangement with the hotel.
Ronda explained that the Azkals will be available for interviews anytime except when they are having their team building activities and training.
Azkals settle for draw in friendly vs CPU booters
By Cedelf P. Tupas (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA—Missing several key players, the national football team was held to a 1-1 draw by a Central Philippine University side powered by Koreans in an exhibition game Tuesday at the Barotac Nuevo town plaza.
Azkals midfielder Ricardo Becite made his homecoming memorable with a late strike after Jovanie Simpron opened the scoring for the local side as the national team stepped up its buildup for the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Sri Lanka in June.
The Azkals played without the Younghusband brothers, Phil and James, who were both tied up with commitments in Manila and defender Anton del Rosario, who was discharged from the hospital only Tuesday because of an infection on his thigh.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who arrived in Manila last Monday, failed to join the team in Iloilo.
But the 6-foot-3 Filipino-British keeper, who recently inked a two-year extension with English Premiere League team Fulham, will link up with the Azkals in Cebu, where the team started a five-day camp yesterday.
Etheridge’s early arrival is seen as a boost to the squad with second-choice keeper Ed Sacapano still to completely recover from an MCL injury he sustained in training two weeks ago.
Reflecting on his season with Fulham, Etheridge, who was on the team sheet for the entire January, said the experience of being even on the bench in Premiere League matches will come in handy in important games for the Azkals.
“My new contract will only translate to more focus on improving my game,” Etheridge, who kept a clean sheet in the last two games of the AFC Challenge Cup last March, told the Inquirer.
“There is so much pressure on the Sri Lanka game, but I’m confident we will deal with it. We are not at the level that we plan to be at but out progression is far quicker than we expected.”
MANILA—Missing several key players, the national football team was held to a 1-1 draw by a Central Philippine University side powered by Koreans in an exhibition game Tuesday at the Barotac Nuevo town plaza.
Azkals midfielder Ricardo Becite made his homecoming memorable with a late strike after Jovanie Simpron opened the scoring for the local side as the national team stepped up its buildup for the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Sri Lanka in June.
The Azkals played without the Younghusband brothers, Phil and James, who were both tied up with commitments in Manila and defender Anton del Rosario, who was discharged from the hospital only Tuesday because of an infection on his thigh.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who arrived in Manila last Monday, failed to join the team in Iloilo.
But the 6-foot-3 Filipino-British keeper, who recently inked a two-year extension with English Premiere League team Fulham, will link up with the Azkals in Cebu, where the team started a five-day camp yesterday.
Etheridge’s early arrival is seen as a boost to the squad with second-choice keeper Ed Sacapano still to completely recover from an MCL injury he sustained in training two weeks ago.
Reflecting on his season with Fulham, Etheridge, who was on the team sheet for the entire January, said the experience of being even on the bench in Premiere League matches will come in handy in important games for the Azkals.
“My new contract will only translate to more focus on improving my game,” Etheridge, who kept a clean sheet in the last two games of the AFC Challenge Cup last March, told the Inquirer.
“There is so much pressure on the Sri Lanka game, but I’m confident we will deal with it. We are not at the level that we plan to be at but out progression is far quicker than we expected.”
Azkals training like Pacquiao
Peter Atencio (Manila Standard Today)
THE Philippine Azkals national football team is trying to follow the footsteps of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao when he prepares for a fight.
The principles which Pacquiao adheres to during training is something that the Azkals are seeking to emulate.
Team manager Dan Palami revealed this as the Azkals entered their third week of training and preparation for their home-and-away World Cup qualifying encounters against Sri Lanka starting next month.
“We have yet to be fully ready. We are still in the conditioning phase. For this, we want to do a Manny Pacquiao style of training by following his principles. So, we really train them, and when we come to the games, it will be easier,” said Palami.
So far, coach Hans Michael Weiss made their practice sessions demanding.
“They are five times much harder than the actual game,” according to Palami.
Practices, which began yesterday in Cebu City, have been divided into morning and afternoon sessions.
The morning sessions deal mostly in the aspects of strength and conditioning, core training and stamina, while the afternoon routines focus on technicalities, like shooting, dribbling, passing, ball handling and decision-making.
Most of the Azkals are back in training following the arrival of Fil-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge from London.
The Younghusband brothers, Phil and James, have arrived from Bacolod after conducting a football clinic last Saturday at the West Negros University football grounds as a side-event of the Philippine National Games 2011.
The Filipino booters will be trimmed down to a regular 23-man roster, right before they leave on June 12 for Duren, Germany for the final stage of their tune-up for their Asian World Cup qualifying opening leg against Sri Lanka on June 29 in Colombo.
THE Philippine Azkals national football team is trying to follow the footsteps of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao when he prepares for a fight.
The principles which Pacquiao adheres to during training is something that the Azkals are seeking to emulate.
Team manager Dan Palami revealed this as the Azkals entered their third week of training and preparation for their home-and-away World Cup qualifying encounters against Sri Lanka starting next month.
“We have yet to be fully ready. We are still in the conditioning phase. For this, we want to do a Manny Pacquiao style of training by following his principles. So, we really train them, and when we come to the games, it will be easier,” said Palami.
So far, coach Hans Michael Weiss made their practice sessions demanding.
“They are five times much harder than the actual game,” according to Palami.
Practices, which began yesterday in Cebu City, have been divided into morning and afternoon sessions.
The morning sessions deal mostly in the aspects of strength and conditioning, core training and stamina, while the afternoon routines focus on technicalities, like shooting, dribbling, passing, ball handling and decision-making.
Most of the Azkals are back in training following the arrival of Fil-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge from London.
The Younghusband brothers, Phil and James, have arrived from Bacolod after conducting a football clinic last Saturday at the West Negros University football grounds as a side-event of the Philippine National Games 2011.
The Filipino booters will be trimmed down to a regular 23-man roster, right before they leave on June 12 for Duren, Germany for the final stage of their tune-up for their Asian World Cup qualifying opening leg against Sri Lanka on June 29 in Colombo.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Negros booters win Suzuki Cup
By FRANCIS SANTIAGO - Manila Bulletin
BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Spurred by an enthusiastic home crowd and a favorable off-pitch win, the Negros Occidental, powered by a hat-trick from Gino Palomo, dominated Iloilo booters, 9-0, in the second leg of the home-and-away title series to win the 1st Philippine Football Federation-Suzuki Under-23 National Cup Sunday at the Panaad Stadium.
Aside from Palomo, also shining for the Negrenses was Joshua Beloya who stuck a brace to emerge as the tournament’s best striker with 14 goals.
In all, Negros bagged the crown on a 12-1 aggregate counting its 3-1 win in the first leg, a result that sparked a huge controversy.
The PFF competitions committee reverted the 3-1 result to a 1-1 draw Saturday afternoon following a protest by Iloilo that stemmed from the holding of extra time after regulation ended in a tie in the first leg.
But after a series of meetings later that day by both teams, the PFF and Suzuki officials, the PFF eventually restored the 3-1 result as Iloilo withdrew its protest upon the prodding of PFF president Mariano Araneta Jr who is also the former chief of the Iloilo FA.
Ecstatic over the good news, Negros took control early on the wet and goldslippery pitch, closing the first half with a 4-nil edge before shredding Iloilo, which proved an easy target minus goalie Wilson Munoz.
Munoz, who was replaced by midfielder Chester Braga, served a one-game suspension after being booked in the opener in Iloilo for deliberate handball.
“The score (9-0) will speak for itself,” Negros coach Norman Fegidero Jr said when asked if there were still doubts about their contentious first leg win.
“The team’s morale was high following the reversal of decision. That really motivated the players to really win the game,” added Fegidero, whose squad, feared for its attacking prowess, went undefeated and drew only once in nine games, while finishing with league-best 43 goals.
BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Spurred by an enthusiastic home crowd and a favorable off-pitch win, the Negros Occidental, powered by a hat-trick from Gino Palomo, dominated Iloilo booters, 9-0, in the second leg of the home-and-away title series to win the 1st Philippine Football Federation-Suzuki Under-23 National Cup Sunday at the Panaad Stadium.
Aside from Palomo, also shining for the Negrenses was Joshua Beloya who stuck a brace to emerge as the tournament’s best striker with 14 goals.
In all, Negros bagged the crown on a 12-1 aggregate counting its 3-1 win in the first leg, a result that sparked a huge controversy.
The PFF competitions committee reverted the 3-1 result to a 1-1 draw Saturday afternoon following a protest by Iloilo that stemmed from the holding of extra time after regulation ended in a tie in the first leg.
But after a series of meetings later that day by both teams, the PFF and Suzuki officials, the PFF eventually restored the 3-1 result as Iloilo withdrew its protest upon the prodding of PFF president Mariano Araneta Jr who is also the former chief of the Iloilo FA.
Ecstatic over the good news, Negros took control early on the wet and goldslippery pitch, closing the first half with a 4-nil edge before shredding Iloilo, which proved an easy target minus goalie Wilson Munoz.
Munoz, who was replaced by midfielder Chester Braga, served a one-game suspension after being booked in the opener in Iloilo for deliberate handball.
“The score (9-0) will speak for itself,” Negros coach Norman Fegidero Jr said when asked if there were still doubts about their contentious first leg win.
“The team’s morale was high following the reversal of decision. That really motivated the players to really win the game,” added Fegidero, whose squad, feared for its attacking prowess, went undefeated and drew only once in nine games, while finishing with league-best 43 goals.
Gould not giving up on World Cup dream
CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON (INQ)
CEBUANO-BRITISH Chad Alesna Gould’s dream of playing in the World Cup and rejoining the Azkals may have been derailed by an infected mosquito bite on his left thigh but he is not giving up.
Gould returned to join the training pool for the Philippine national football team’s campaign in the World Cup Qualifiers last May 8 after leaving the team January of 2010 and going back to London.
However, on his second week with the Azkals, he had to leave the team again because the doctor advised him not to play football for two weeks after undergoing a minor surgery to treat an infected mosquito bite.
“I really want to play with the Azkals. I came here at my own expense because I really wanted to play with them again. To play in the World Cup is one of my dreams,” Gould said.
Gould was supposed to be the fittest among the team. However, he was not afforded the chance to show the Azkals’ manager and coach what he can do for the team since his stay with the team was cut short.
Because of what happened, Gould will be cutting what would have been a three-month stay here in the Philippines and will go back to London this Thursday to continue his job there as a musician. He would no longer be joining the Azkals in their one-week team bonding here in Cebu City except for a brief meeting with the team’s physiotherapist when they arrive tomorrow.
He is not putting hopes on getting a call to join the team’s training in Germany because the coach wants to put up a team lineup this week.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami, however, said there is still a chance for Gould to rejoin the Azkals.
In his brief stay with the team, Gould said the Azkals has become so more professional since he left last year. “There’s a new professional vibe with the team, better players, a lot more organized,” Gould said.
He added that the team has improved a lot, especially with its defense. Despite not part of the team, Gould said he always watched the Azkals’ games live.
“I was happy for them and sad that I was no longer part of the team,” Gould said.
The 28-year-old booter said that he might go back to playing for the England beach football team. But he would always prioritize the Azkals should he get another chance.
He said that for now, he needs to try and recover as fast as possible and have his wound heal.
Gould recently signed up with a football agent who will try to get him a contract for the next season. He also said that he is open to the idea of signing up with a club here should there be a proposal. Gould is also willing to share his knowledge in organizing a beach soccer.
CEBUANO-BRITISH Chad Alesna Gould’s dream of playing in the World Cup and rejoining the Azkals may have been derailed by an infected mosquito bite on his left thigh but he is not giving up.
Gould returned to join the training pool for the Philippine national football team’s campaign in the World Cup Qualifiers last May 8 after leaving the team January of 2010 and going back to London.
However, on his second week with the Azkals, he had to leave the team again because the doctor advised him not to play football for two weeks after undergoing a minor surgery to treat an infected mosquito bite.
“I really want to play with the Azkals. I came here at my own expense because I really wanted to play with them again. To play in the World Cup is one of my dreams,” Gould said.
Gould was supposed to be the fittest among the team. However, he was not afforded the chance to show the Azkals’ manager and coach what he can do for the team since his stay with the team was cut short.
Because of what happened, Gould will be cutting what would have been a three-month stay here in the Philippines and will go back to London this Thursday to continue his job there as a musician. He would no longer be joining the Azkals in their one-week team bonding here in Cebu City except for a brief meeting with the team’s physiotherapist when they arrive tomorrow.
He is not putting hopes on getting a call to join the team’s training in Germany because the coach wants to put up a team lineup this week.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami, however, said there is still a chance for Gould to rejoin the Azkals.
In his brief stay with the team, Gould said the Azkals has become so more professional since he left last year. “There’s a new professional vibe with the team, better players, a lot more organized,” Gould said.
He added that the team has improved a lot, especially with its defense. Despite not part of the team, Gould said he always watched the Azkals’ games live.
“I was happy for them and sad that I was no longer part of the team,” Gould said.
The 28-year-old booter said that he might go back to playing for the England beach football team. But he would always prioritize the Azkals should he get another chance.
He said that for now, he needs to try and recover as fast as possible and have his wound heal.
Gould recently signed up with a football agent who will try to get him a contract for the next season. He also said that he is open to the idea of signing up with a club here should there be a proposal. Gould is also willing to share his knowledge in organizing a beach soccer.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Azkals’ Manila venue to be upgraded for July 3 match
EARL VICTOR ROSERO, GMA News
This time the Azkals' home match will truly be at home.
The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has promised that the Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium in Manila will be upgraded and ready a week before the World Cup Qualifiers match of the men's national football team or Azkals against Sri Lanka on July 3.
In December last year, the Philippine Men’s National Football Team suffered the embarrassment of not being able to play before a home crowd during its historic semi-finals matches against Indonesia in the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup season.
Instead the Azkals played in Jakarta twice and lost to Indonesia both times while playing before huge hostile crowds.
The Pana-ad Stadium in Bacolod was not yet international standards-compliant back then.
Two months later in February, Pana-ad was ready for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup home game of the Azkals against Mongolia. The fixed floodlights at Pana-ad were augmented with additional floodlights hoisted on huge cranes.
Stadia regulations of the AFC provide that the venue of a sanctioned match must have a floodlighting system able to maintain a “minimum average of 1200 lux". Lux is the intensity of light shining on a square meter of surface. The AFC also requires that the lights have an independent back-up power supply system that can maintain the needed light intensity “instantaneously and without interruption" in the event of a power failure.
Bonnie Ladrido, head of the local organizing committee, said the PFF will work with ABS-CBN, the local broadcaster of the July 3 game, on the needed lighting for Rizal Stadium. He adds that the broadcaster also has its lighting needs, so the committee opted to wait for their technical plan to avoid duplicating the broadcaster’s efforts.
He revealed that PFF and Philippine Sports Commission officials will inspect Rizal Stadium this week and confer on the progress of the renovation plans.
Last week, the Azkals had their afternoon drills and workouts at the Rizal pitch. At the end of their first session there, team captain Aly Borromeo said in a tweet, “Work to be done on the bleachers but surprised how nice the pitch is!"
Ladrido said the quality of the pitch, or the football field itself, is good, “We have to thank De La Salle University for that." The university, a stone’s throw away from the stadium, has been maintaining the pitch for the part-time use of its students.
As for the bleachers, Ladrido said they will be repainted and marked with seat numbers. All seats at the stadium will have assigned numbers.
The tickets go on sale through Ticketworld starting June 3. Football fans with tickets need not line up hours before the game because Ticketworld’s reservation system will assure them of seats.
The grandstand’s old chairs will be dismantled starting this week. There are also international standards for the seats. AFC stadia regulations provide, “Seats for spectators must be individual, fixed (i.e.. to the floor), separated from one another, shaped, numbered, made of an unbreakable and non-flammable material and have a backrest of a minimum height of 30cm when measured from the seat.“
Ladrido said production of the new fiberglass seats, like the ones in the grandstand of the University of Makati, is 30 percent done and ahead of schedule. About 2,000 of 5,000 of the grandstand seats will have back rests. The PFF will spend about P4.8 million for the new seats.
“Total capacity will be between 16,000 to 18,000 people depending on the final measurements the PFF and PSC using AutoCAD software," Ladrido said.
This time the Azkals' home match will truly be at home.
The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has promised that the Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium in Manila will be upgraded and ready a week before the World Cup Qualifiers match of the men's national football team or Azkals against Sri Lanka on July 3.
In December last year, the Philippine Men’s National Football Team suffered the embarrassment of not being able to play before a home crowd during its historic semi-finals matches against Indonesia in the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup season.
Instead the Azkals played in Jakarta twice and lost to Indonesia both times while playing before huge hostile crowds.
The Pana-ad Stadium in Bacolod was not yet international standards-compliant back then.
Two months later in February, Pana-ad was ready for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup home game of the Azkals against Mongolia. The fixed floodlights at Pana-ad were augmented with additional floodlights hoisted on huge cranes.
Stadia regulations of the AFC provide that the venue of a sanctioned match must have a floodlighting system able to maintain a “minimum average of 1200 lux". Lux is the intensity of light shining on a square meter of surface. The AFC also requires that the lights have an independent back-up power supply system that can maintain the needed light intensity “instantaneously and without interruption" in the event of a power failure.
Bonnie Ladrido, head of the local organizing committee, said the PFF will work with ABS-CBN, the local broadcaster of the July 3 game, on the needed lighting for Rizal Stadium. He adds that the broadcaster also has its lighting needs, so the committee opted to wait for their technical plan to avoid duplicating the broadcaster’s efforts.
He revealed that PFF and Philippine Sports Commission officials will inspect Rizal Stadium this week and confer on the progress of the renovation plans.
Last week, the Azkals had their afternoon drills and workouts at the Rizal pitch. At the end of their first session there, team captain Aly Borromeo said in a tweet, “Work to be done on the bleachers but surprised how nice the pitch is!"
Ladrido said the quality of the pitch, or the football field itself, is good, “We have to thank De La Salle University for that." The university, a stone’s throw away from the stadium, has been maintaining the pitch for the part-time use of its students.
As for the bleachers, Ladrido said they will be repainted and marked with seat numbers. All seats at the stadium will have assigned numbers.
The tickets go on sale through Ticketworld starting June 3. Football fans with tickets need not line up hours before the game because Ticketworld’s reservation system will assure them of seats.
The grandstand’s old chairs will be dismantled starting this week. There are also international standards for the seats. AFC stadia regulations provide, “Seats for spectators must be individual, fixed (i.e.. to the floor), separated from one another, shaped, numbered, made of an unbreakable and non-flammable material and have a backrest of a minimum height of 30cm when measured from the seat.“
Ladrido said production of the new fiberglass seats, like the ones in the grandstand of the University of Makati, is 30 percent done and ahead of schedule. About 2,000 of 5,000 of the grandstand seats will have back rests. The PFF will spend about P4.8 million for the new seats.
“Total capacity will be between 16,000 to 18,000 people depending on the final measurements the PFF and PSC using AutoCAD software," Ladrido said.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
FIFA hits 107
(FIFA.com)
Today witnesses a special birthday celebration in Zurich as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) marks its 107th anniversary.
World football's governing body came into being on 21 May 1904, when representatives from France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland signed the foundation act at the Union Francaise de Sports Athletiques headquarters in Paris. Two days later, the first building blocks were put in place with the first-ever FIFA Congress and the election of Frenchman Robert Guerin as the organisation’s inaugural President.
Of course, the years and decades since have seen FIFA blossom beyond recognition, with 1932 bringing about the historic switch from Paris to a new base in Zurich. Further growth and development forced another move in 2006, this time within Zurich, when FIFA relocated from Sonnenberg to its current state-of-the-art headquarters on FIFA Strasse.
Now, having celebrated a landmark year in 2010 with a hugely successful first FIFA World Cup™ on African soil, FIFA is enjoying an equally busy 2011. The next few months alone are set to provide another feast of global events, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup sure to thrill fans across the globe.
Today witnesses a special birthday celebration in Zurich as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) marks its 107th anniversary.
World football's governing body came into being on 21 May 1904, when representatives from France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland signed the foundation act at the Union Francaise de Sports Athletiques headquarters in Paris. Two days later, the first building blocks were put in place with the first-ever FIFA Congress and the election of Frenchman Robert Guerin as the organisation’s inaugural President.
Of course, the years and decades since have seen FIFA blossom beyond recognition, with 1932 bringing about the historic switch from Paris to a new base in Zurich. Further growth and development forced another move in 2006, this time within Zurich, when FIFA relocated from Sonnenberg to its current state-of-the-art headquarters on FIFA Strasse.
Now, having celebrated a landmark year in 2010 with a hugely successful first FIFA World Cup™ on African soil, FIFA is enjoying an equally busy 2011. The next few months alone are set to provide another feast of global events, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup sure to thrill fans across the globe.
Weiss: I know what to do to prepare Azkals for World Cup qualifiers, SEAG
Text and photos by MAV C. GONZALES GMA NEWS
With the sun about to set on the Rizal pitch, members and hopefuls of the Philippine Azkals play dodge football as if they weren’t up so early for their morning practice.
Coach Michael Weiss blows his whistle and the boys hurriedly join him in the huddle. What follows is a two-and-a-half-hour’s worth of running, drills and scrimmages.
With only a little over a month left before their World Cup Qualifiers, the Azkals are working doubly hard to prepare for the competition. They know their German coach means business.
The team went back to training last Monday after a month-long break. Coach Weiss wants the team to get back in shape as quick as possible so he scheduled two training sessions a day. After their morning training in the Alabang Country Club, they spend another three hours practicing in the afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
“I know what to do to prepare them physically, technically and mentally. It’s a very intense training program," says Weiss.
This is precisely why Weiss gets frustrated whenever players miss practices due to club and celebrity commitments.
“There are too many distractions in this city. It’s very hard to keep the team together if they have so many extra-curricular activities," he adds.
Still, Weiss is very optimistic about the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. The Azkals have around seven players who also suit up in professional leagues. They will also keep the services of the Younghusbands, Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta, Aly Borromeo and Anton Del Rosario who were all significant in their past successes.
Fresh legs
Even if the Azkals’ core is still intact, they are nonetheless adding fresh legs especially on the frontline.
“[The recruitment and tryouts] were very good. The new guys definitely have the talent but we have to see how they adjust to the program. If they’re good enough, then they’ll make the cut," says Weiss.
Among those who might see action in the national team soon are goalkeeper Paolo Pascual from Cebu, former national player Leigh Gunn, Fil-Ams Nate Burkey and James Rochlitz, and Global Smartmatic striker Fil-Iranian Misagh Bahadoran.
The final lineup for their match against Sri Lanka though will be released two days before the competition.
Busy month ahead
Aside from their regular trainings, Coach Weiss wants the Azkals to play friendly matches and actually go into camp mode in the coming weeks. And where else should they play a tune up game than in the roots of Filipino football in Iloilo?
As coach laments, it’s too easy to get out of focus in Manila which is why it’s going to be all football for the players once they land in Cebu for their team-building session.
“I long for the day when I can put them on a tighter leash instead of having to wait two or three weeks before the competition until we get complete," he says.
Neil Etheridge and Simon Greatwich who both have commitments abroad will come home to the Philippines for the Cebu camp. The team gets even bigger once they land in Germany on June 12. Aside from the Fil-Germans who are joining the U-23 team, Angel Guirado, Rob Gier, Jerry Lucena and Ray Jonsson will also enlist in the camp.
The Azkals will play leg one of their qualifiers against Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 29, while leg two will be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on July 3.
“It’s still early to say how we’re going to do in the qualifiers but the potential is more than there," ends Weiss.
Training
After the warm up, the team splits into two groups – the goalkeepers and everybody else.
While the goalies practice catching and tumbling, the others focus on their footwork. Coach Weiss pairs up the players and they exchange short range and long range kicks to practice control of the ball’s length and direction.
Even the non-forwards also get to practice their striking skills in their drills. Serves right because you’ll never know when you’ll get an open shot in a competition.
But perhaps the highlight of their practice is the half-field scrimmage which saw the heavy presence of Phil Younghusband on both defense and offense.
U-23 selection
Aside from the Azkals, the coaching staff is also busy building the U-23 team that will compete in the Southeast Asian Games in November.
Among those already named to the lineup are Simon Greatwich, Mark Ferrer, Paolo Pascual, Yannick Tuason and Chris Camcam.
Coach Weiss indeed shows no partiality to any given player, veteran or newbie. In fact, Jason De Jong who was part of the roster that beat Vietnam last year will return to Manila to try out for the team again.
The U-23 team will go into camp-mode in July where they will also be tested in a pre-competition tournament in Indonesia.
With the sun about to set on the Rizal pitch, members and hopefuls of the Philippine Azkals play dodge football as if they weren’t up so early for their morning practice.
Coach Michael Weiss blows his whistle and the boys hurriedly join him in the huddle. What follows is a two-and-a-half-hour’s worth of running, drills and scrimmages.
With only a little over a month left before their World Cup Qualifiers, the Azkals are working doubly hard to prepare for the competition. They know their German coach means business.
The team went back to training last Monday after a month-long break. Coach Weiss wants the team to get back in shape as quick as possible so he scheduled two training sessions a day. After their morning training in the Alabang Country Club, they spend another three hours practicing in the afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
“I know what to do to prepare them physically, technically and mentally. It’s a very intense training program," says Weiss.
This is precisely why Weiss gets frustrated whenever players miss practices due to club and celebrity commitments.
“There are too many distractions in this city. It’s very hard to keep the team together if they have so many extra-curricular activities," he adds.
Still, Weiss is very optimistic about the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. The Azkals have around seven players who also suit up in professional leagues. They will also keep the services of the Younghusbands, Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta, Aly Borromeo and Anton Del Rosario who were all significant in their past successes.
Fresh legs
Even if the Azkals’ core is still intact, they are nonetheless adding fresh legs especially on the frontline.
“[The recruitment and tryouts] were very good. The new guys definitely have the talent but we have to see how they adjust to the program. If they’re good enough, then they’ll make the cut," says Weiss.
Among those who might see action in the national team soon are goalkeeper Paolo Pascual from Cebu, former national player Leigh Gunn, Fil-Ams Nate Burkey and James Rochlitz, and Global Smartmatic striker Fil-Iranian Misagh Bahadoran.
The final lineup for their match against Sri Lanka though will be released two days before the competition.
Busy month ahead
Aside from their regular trainings, Coach Weiss wants the Azkals to play friendly matches and actually go into camp mode in the coming weeks. And where else should they play a tune up game than in the roots of Filipino football in Iloilo?
As coach laments, it’s too easy to get out of focus in Manila which is why it’s going to be all football for the players once they land in Cebu for their team-building session.
“I long for the day when I can put them on a tighter leash instead of having to wait two or three weeks before the competition until we get complete," he says.
Neil Etheridge and Simon Greatwich who both have commitments abroad will come home to the Philippines for the Cebu camp. The team gets even bigger once they land in Germany on June 12. Aside from the Fil-Germans who are joining the U-23 team, Angel Guirado, Rob Gier, Jerry Lucena and Ray Jonsson will also enlist in the camp.
The Azkals will play leg one of their qualifiers against Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 29, while leg two will be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on July 3.
“It’s still early to say how we’re going to do in the qualifiers but the potential is more than there," ends Weiss.
Training
After the warm up, the team splits into two groups – the goalkeepers and everybody else.
While the goalies practice catching and tumbling, the others focus on their footwork. Coach Weiss pairs up the players and they exchange short range and long range kicks to practice control of the ball’s length and direction.
Even the non-forwards also get to practice their striking skills in their drills. Serves right because you’ll never know when you’ll get an open shot in a competition.
But perhaps the highlight of their practice is the half-field scrimmage which saw the heavy presence of Phil Younghusband on both defense and offense.
U-23 selection
Aside from the Azkals, the coaching staff is also busy building the U-23 team that will compete in the Southeast Asian Games in November.
Among those already named to the lineup are Simon Greatwich, Mark Ferrer, Paolo Pascual, Yannick Tuason and Chris Camcam.
Coach Weiss indeed shows no partiality to any given player, veteran or newbie. In fact, Jason De Jong who was part of the roster that beat Vietnam last year will return to Manila to try out for the team again.
The U-23 team will go into camp-mode in July where they will also be tested in a pre-competition tournament in Indonesia.
Azkals to award Inter-club winners
By Mars G. Alison Cebu Daily News - PDI
Participating teams in the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC) 11th National Interclub Football Cup will have an added incentive in vying for the championships.
The Philippine national football team more famously known as the Azkals will be awarding the champions of the tournament during its closing ceremonies on May 29 at the football field of the University of San Carlos Technological Center (USC-TC). The tournament kicks off today in various football pitches in Cebu City.
In a final coaches meeting last Thursday night, CAFC president Glenn Quisido urged all teams to go for the title as they will not only have the privilege to be awarded by the Azkals but will also have the chance to share the stage with them and have their photos taken with the national team.
The Azkals will be having their one-week team bonding here in Cebu City as part of their preparation for the World Cup qualifiers. According to Quisido, they will arrive on May 25 and will immediately start their training.
Quisido said he was grateful that the Azkals agreed to spare the CAFC one day. In exchange, the club will be partly supporting the national team’s stay in Cebu. The CAFC will also help the Azkals in their fund-raising activity by selling official Azkals shirts during the week-long tournament.
The CAFC will put up booths in the three playing venues—USC-TC, San Roque football field and Paref Springdale and sell the shirts starting today until May 29.
The tournament, considered one of the biggest outside Manila, has gathered teams from the Manila Soccer Academy, San Carlos City, Masbate, Iloilo, Ormoc, Bohol and Northern Samar.
In an effort to make the tournament flow more smoothly, CAFC has decided to schedule only two games in the morning and two games in the afternoon in all playing venues.
And just like in the previous years, Quisido lamented the scarcity of girls teams in the tournament.
“We have encouraged them to join the tournament, however, most refused because they said they cannot come up with 11 members to compromise a team,” Quisido said.
The tournament though has three girls teams contesting the girls 17-Under title. These are Queen City United, Aroroy FC of Masbate and the USC-TC.
Participating teams in the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC) 11th National Interclub Football Cup will have an added incentive in vying for the championships.
The Philippine national football team more famously known as the Azkals will be awarding the champions of the tournament during its closing ceremonies on May 29 at the football field of the University of San Carlos Technological Center (USC-TC). The tournament kicks off today in various football pitches in Cebu City.
In a final coaches meeting last Thursday night, CAFC president Glenn Quisido urged all teams to go for the title as they will not only have the privilege to be awarded by the Azkals but will also have the chance to share the stage with them and have their photos taken with the national team.
The Azkals will be having their one-week team bonding here in Cebu City as part of their preparation for the World Cup qualifiers. According to Quisido, they will arrive on May 25 and will immediately start their training.
Quisido said he was grateful that the Azkals agreed to spare the CAFC one day. In exchange, the club will be partly supporting the national team’s stay in Cebu. The CAFC will also help the Azkals in their fund-raising activity by selling official Azkals shirts during the week-long tournament.
The CAFC will put up booths in the three playing venues—USC-TC, San Roque football field and Paref Springdale and sell the shirts starting today until May 29.
The tournament, considered one of the biggest outside Manila, has gathered teams from the Manila Soccer Academy, San Carlos City, Masbate, Iloilo, Ormoc, Bohol and Northern Samar.
In an effort to make the tournament flow more smoothly, CAFC has decided to schedule only two games in the morning and two games in the afternoon in all playing venues.
And just like in the previous years, Quisido lamented the scarcity of girls teams in the tournament.
“We have encouraged them to join the tournament, however, most refused because they said they cannot come up with 11 members to compromise a team,” Quisido said.
The tournament though has three girls teams contesting the girls 17-Under title. These are Queen City United, Aroroy FC of Masbate and the USC-TC.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Tickets for Azkals vs Sri Lanka at Rizal Memorial won’t go for a song
By Cedelf P. Tupas Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Watch the Azkals in action—in prime seats at the Rizal Memorial Stadium—won’t come cheap.
The Philippine Football Federation released on Thursday the ticket prices for the Azkals home game against Sri Lanka on July 3 with the most expensive seats costing P3, 000 and the most affordable at P200.
Bonnie Ladrido, chair of the tie’s organizing committee, said they needed to price the 5,000 seats at the main grandstand at P3, 000 and P2, 000 to help cover the expenses incurred for renovating the Rizal stadium.
The tickets will go on sale starting June 3 through Ticketworld.
Ladrido, who is also PFF treasurer, said the federation would need to spend at least P6 million for the installation of the seats at the grandstand and the construction of the stadium’s dressing and media rooms.
Ladrido said the PFF would spend for the refurbishing of the grandstand after talks with San Miguel Corp. fell through.
“The prices reflect the fact that the PFF will be footing the bill for refurbishing the stadium,” Ladrido said.
Eight thousand tickets will be sold at P200 each, while 4,950 tickets will be sold at P300, according to Ladrido. The P200 ticket holders will be seated at the bleachers area behind the two goals, while the P300 rated tickets will offer seats near the middle of the non-covered bleachers area.
The P3, 000 tickets will be for the lower level of the main grandstand, while the P2,000 tickets is for the upper level.
Unlike in the Azkals’ home match against Mongolia last Feb. 9 at the Panaad Stadium, Ladrido said there would be no more open seating policy for the bleachers section.
“There is no need to line up too early to be guaranteed a seat,” Ladrido said.
MANILA, Philippines — Watch the Azkals in action—in prime seats at the Rizal Memorial Stadium—won’t come cheap.
The Philippine Football Federation released on Thursday the ticket prices for the Azkals home game against Sri Lanka on July 3 with the most expensive seats costing P3, 000 and the most affordable at P200.
Bonnie Ladrido, chair of the tie’s organizing committee, said they needed to price the 5,000 seats at the main grandstand at P3, 000 and P2, 000 to help cover the expenses incurred for renovating the Rizal stadium.
The tickets will go on sale starting June 3 through Ticketworld.
Ladrido, who is also PFF treasurer, said the federation would need to spend at least P6 million for the installation of the seats at the grandstand and the construction of the stadium’s dressing and media rooms.
Ladrido said the PFF would spend for the refurbishing of the grandstand after talks with San Miguel Corp. fell through.
“The prices reflect the fact that the PFF will be footing the bill for refurbishing the stadium,” Ladrido said.
Eight thousand tickets will be sold at P200 each, while 4,950 tickets will be sold at P300, according to Ladrido. The P200 ticket holders will be seated at the bleachers area behind the two goals, while the P300 rated tickets will offer seats near the middle of the non-covered bleachers area.
The P3, 000 tickets will be for the lower level of the main grandstand, while the P2,000 tickets is for the upper level.
Unlike in the Azkals’ home match against Mongolia last Feb. 9 at the Panaad Stadium, Ladrido said there would be no more open seating policy for the bleachers section.
“There is no need to line up too early to be guaranteed a seat,” Ladrido said.
Injuries plague Philippine Azkals
Peter Atencio Manila Standard Today
THE Philippine Azkals football team’s conditioning coach Joseph Malinay said yesterday that injuries may prevent the Azkals from practicing as a team.
Malinay said injured players Ian Araneta, Paolo Pascal and Edward Sacapano have yet to fully recover, and he’s doing all he can to speed up their recovery in time for the team’s stint in the Asian Football Confederation group stages in Myanmar slated two months from now.
“Hindi pa sila nakakasali sa practice dahil sa injuries nila. Pero nandiyan na sila,” said Malinay, who is tasked to monitor the fitness and conditioning of the Azkals.
Araneta, who is recuperating from a hip injury, has been doing light training exercises, while the rest of the Azkals did their daily workout at the newly renovated pitch of the Rizal Memorial Track Football Stadium starting last Monday.
The 29-year-old Araneta, who scored one of the Azkals’ three goals when they beat the Bangladesh Bengals, 3-0, said he could be back in training as early as next week.
Striker Phil Younghusband, who has fully recovered from a hamstring injury he suffered two months ago, and teammate Chllieffy Caligdong, have joined the team’s scrimmages at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex football pitch.
Caligdong reported for practice after missing last week’s training session, when he took part in the Philippine Air Force Youth Olympics at the Mactan Air Base.
The Azkals are slated to undergo a series of training camps in the provinces next week. They will be in Tacloban on May 21 to 22, Iloilo on May 23 to 25, and at the Plantation Bay in Cebu City on May 25 to 30.
THE Philippine Azkals football team’s conditioning coach Joseph Malinay said yesterday that injuries may prevent the Azkals from practicing as a team.
Malinay said injured players Ian Araneta, Paolo Pascal and Edward Sacapano have yet to fully recover, and he’s doing all he can to speed up their recovery in time for the team’s stint in the Asian Football Confederation group stages in Myanmar slated two months from now.
“Hindi pa sila nakakasali sa practice dahil sa injuries nila. Pero nandiyan na sila,” said Malinay, who is tasked to monitor the fitness and conditioning of the Azkals.
Araneta, who is recuperating from a hip injury, has been doing light training exercises, while the rest of the Azkals did their daily workout at the newly renovated pitch of the Rizal Memorial Track Football Stadium starting last Monday.
The 29-year-old Araneta, who scored one of the Azkals’ three goals when they beat the Bangladesh Bengals, 3-0, said he could be back in training as early as next week.
Striker Phil Younghusband, who has fully recovered from a hamstring injury he suffered two months ago, and teammate Chllieffy Caligdong, have joined the team’s scrimmages at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex football pitch.
Caligdong reported for practice after missing last week’s training session, when he took part in the Philippine Air Force Youth Olympics at the Mactan Air Base.
The Azkals are slated to undergo a series of training camps in the provinces next week. They will be in Tacloban on May 21 to 22, Iloilo on May 23 to 25, and at the Plantation Bay in Cebu City on May 25 to 30.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
De Jong ready to join national team to SEAG
By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star)
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine football team has not closed its doors on Jason de Jong, the Fil-Dutch midfielder who was dropped from the Azkals crew for disciplinary reasons.
Coach Michael Weiss said the 21-year-old De Jong could return to the Phl fold, albeit not as a member of the Azkals seniors squad yet but via the under-23 team being formed for the Southeast Asian Games.
The defensive specialist has earlier fallen out of Weiss’ graces after he failed to show up in the Azkals’ second leg against Mongolia in the AFC Challenge Cup playoffs and the succeeding group stages last March. He belatedly told Azkals officials that his commitment to Indonesian club Persiba Balikpapan kept him from playing for Phl in the said competitions.
But after getting sacked by the Indon club for “breach of contract” early this month, De Jong has expressed his interest to suit up for Phl again.
“De Jong is out of the team now, he goes back to Holland and he comes back to train with (Phl) Under-23 (pool),” Weiss said during a break in the Azkals’ practices at the Rizal Memorial pitch.
“He’s taking a step back (in the U-23) and if he can prove himself and correct himself a little bit in his attitude, he can come back,” he added.
De Jong’s possible comeback, though, won’t happen in the Azkals’ next outing, the Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifiers against Sri Lanka on June 29 and July 3. But he may carry the country’s colors in the SEAG in Indonesia, where he’s still eligible under the meet’s age limit of 23, and help win Phl’s first ever medal in men’s football.
“In the Under-23, yes but in the men’s team (Azkals)? Not now. Maybe later,” said Weiss, who will also handle coaching chores for Phl in the Indonesia SEA Games.
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine football team has not closed its doors on Jason de Jong, the Fil-Dutch midfielder who was dropped from the Azkals crew for disciplinary reasons.
Coach Michael Weiss said the 21-year-old De Jong could return to the Phl fold, albeit not as a member of the Azkals seniors squad yet but via the under-23 team being formed for the Southeast Asian Games.
The defensive specialist has earlier fallen out of Weiss’ graces after he failed to show up in the Azkals’ second leg against Mongolia in the AFC Challenge Cup playoffs and the succeeding group stages last March. He belatedly told Azkals officials that his commitment to Indonesian club Persiba Balikpapan kept him from playing for Phl in the said competitions.
But after getting sacked by the Indon club for “breach of contract” early this month, De Jong has expressed his interest to suit up for Phl again.
“De Jong is out of the team now, he goes back to Holland and he comes back to train with (Phl) Under-23 (pool),” Weiss said during a break in the Azkals’ practices at the Rizal Memorial pitch.
“He’s taking a step back (in the U-23) and if he can prove himself and correct himself a little bit in his attitude, he can come back,” he added.
De Jong’s possible comeback, though, won’t happen in the Azkals’ next outing, the Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifiers against Sri Lanka on June 29 and July 3. But he may carry the country’s colors in the SEAG in Indonesia, where he’s still eligible under the meet’s age limit of 23, and help win Phl’s first ever medal in men’s football.
“In the Under-23, yes but in the men’s team (Azkals)? Not now. Maybe later,” said Weiss, who will also handle coaching chores for Phl in the Indonesia SEA Games.
Azkals drop anew in FIFA standings
abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Azkals went down a notch in the world standings, according to FIFA.
From 155th place, the Philippines dropped to 156th based on FIFA's ranking table as of May 18, 2011.
Last April, the Philippines fell from 151st place to 155th because of its performances against lower ranked teams in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
The Azkals are currently preparing for their FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Sri Lanka.
The first game, scheduled to take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka will take place on June 29.
The home game will be staged at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila on July 3.
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Azkals went down a notch in the world standings, according to FIFA.
From 155th place, the Philippines dropped to 156th based on FIFA's ranking table as of May 18, 2011.
Last April, the Philippines fell from 151st place to 155th because of its performances against lower ranked teams in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
The Azkals are currently preparing for their FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Sri Lanka.
The first game, scheduled to take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka will take place on June 29.
The home game will be staged at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila on July 3.
Azkals happy with Rizal football field makeover
– With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Members of the Philippine Azkals are pleased with the renovation of the Rizal Memorial Football field where their home game against Sri Lanka in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers will take place.
“I’ve been playing here since I was 10 years old… this is the first time I’ve ever played in these kind of conditions… this is so good,” Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo said.
The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) worked on the rehabilitation of the 77-year-old stadium for the Philippines vs Sri Lanka home game on July 3.
The PFF had the holes in the old pitch filled to prevent the players from being injured. Even the grass on the field has been trimmed.
Borromeo said that he and his team are eager to play in front of their countrymen now that the stadium has been repaired.
“We think about it everyday… we're so excited,” he said.
Before the home game, the Azkals will be playing Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 29.
Filipino-British striker Phil Younghusband is also exited to rejoin his team after rehabbing his injury.
He joined the Azkals’ practice at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.
Younghusband hadn't been with the team since March 15 after suffering a torn hamstring.
“[I’m] so happy… I’ll be getting stronger,” said Younghusband.
The PFF is now mapping out the seating plan in the football stadium in preparation for the home game.
The stadium, which can accommodate up to 30,000 people, has played host to several international football games.
MANILA, Philippines – Members of the Philippine Azkals are pleased with the renovation of the Rizal Memorial Football field where their home game against Sri Lanka in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers will take place.
“I’ve been playing here since I was 10 years old… this is the first time I’ve ever played in these kind of conditions… this is so good,” Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo said.
The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) worked on the rehabilitation of the 77-year-old stadium for the Philippines vs Sri Lanka home game on July 3.
The PFF had the holes in the old pitch filled to prevent the players from being injured. Even the grass on the field has been trimmed.
Borromeo said that he and his team are eager to play in front of their countrymen now that the stadium has been repaired.
“We think about it everyday… we're so excited,” he said.
Before the home game, the Azkals will be playing Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 29.
Filipino-British striker Phil Younghusband is also exited to rejoin his team after rehabbing his injury.
He joined the Azkals’ practice at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.
Younghusband hadn't been with the team since March 15 after suffering a torn hamstring.
“[I’m] so happy… I’ll be getting stronger,” said Younghusband.
The PFF is now mapping out the seating plan in the football stadium in preparation for the home game.
The stadium, which can accommodate up to 30,000 people, has played host to several international football games.
Some Azkals distracted by showbiz?
FUNFARE UPDATE By Ricardo F. Lo - The Philippine Star
A story in The STAR’s Sports section yesterday should serve as an eye-opener for some Azkals who are “distracted” from training for the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier match with Sri Lanka in June and July.
Writer Olmin Leyba mentioned that Azkals coach Michael Weiss lamented how tired most of the players are “due to a number of things, from commitments to clubs and other ongoing competitions, to other non-football stuff,” with some of the more popular ones “moonlighting in product endorsements and modeling.”
And, I should add, being, as a venerable sports writer put it, “showbiz na showbiz.”
Without naming names, he was obviously referring to Phil Younghusband who is savoring his second wind in showbiz in which he was already “burned” during his first venture into it when he cried unabashedly on national television when he lost in the GMA “talent” search Celebrity Duets and parted with his manager Joyce Ramirez under unsavory circumstances.
The cramps that he’s reportedly suffering from hasn’t seemed to stop showbiz-crazy Phil from hogging the showbiz limelight which he shares with a ready-and-willing-and-able Angel Locsin who continues to insist that she’s “happily single” even if Phil insists that they are “exclusively dating.” Now, who between the two should the public believe? Are they perhaps taking us gullible showbiz-watchers for a joyride?
“Football is getting to be popular in the Philippines only now at sayang naman kung mabubulilyaso pa,” added the sports writer, adding that Phil (singled out because he’s the one who is “showbiz na showbiz”) should concentrate on football like his brother James “who is focused on the game. Maybe Phil is enjoying his new-found popularity because it’s profitable. I heard that, thanks to his ‘showbiz connection,’ he’s now charging a sizeable amount per personal appearance.”
Well and good. Make hay while the sun shines.
“But he and some of the other Azkals should take care of football because that’s the source of whatever perks they are enjoying now,” advised the sports writer.
Come to think of it, maybe Angelica Panganiban was right after all when she gave Phil Younghusband the unsolicited but friendly advice to lie low from showbiz and focus on football.
My ‘frozen’ middle finger
I didn’t know that the computer can be harmful to your health until I experienced difficulty with my middle finger which cracked when bent and took time to be straightened. Ouch!!!
“It’s called Trigger Finger,” said the doctor, “caused by too much computer-typing. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is more serious; also caused by too much use of computer. Your hand becomes numb and you can’t use it. Surgery is needed to correct it.”
I was resigned to living with my Trigger Finger until I paid my sister (who underwent gall-bladder laparoscopy) at the Metropolitan Hospital (on Masangkay St., Sta. Cruz, Manila). My friends, Drs. Welson Yap, Wilson Lim and Danny Chua told me not to worry.
In a jiffy, I was ushered to the Operating Room. Dr. Ramon Lao performed the surgery which was facilitated by Dr. Robert Lim, with OR manager Cecille Dumlao assisting.
In barely 10 minutes, it was over.
Goodbye, Trigger Finger. Good riddance!
Now I can work normally with my middle finger again — sans pain.
A story in The STAR’s Sports section yesterday should serve as an eye-opener for some Azkals who are “distracted” from training for the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier match with Sri Lanka in June and July.
Writer Olmin Leyba mentioned that Azkals coach Michael Weiss lamented how tired most of the players are “due to a number of things, from commitments to clubs and other ongoing competitions, to other non-football stuff,” with some of the more popular ones “moonlighting in product endorsements and modeling.”
And, I should add, being, as a venerable sports writer put it, “showbiz na showbiz.”
Without naming names, he was obviously referring to Phil Younghusband who is savoring his second wind in showbiz in which he was already “burned” during his first venture into it when he cried unabashedly on national television when he lost in the GMA “talent” search Celebrity Duets and parted with his manager Joyce Ramirez under unsavory circumstances.
The cramps that he’s reportedly suffering from hasn’t seemed to stop showbiz-crazy Phil from hogging the showbiz limelight which he shares with a ready-and-willing-and-able Angel Locsin who continues to insist that she’s “happily single” even if Phil insists that they are “exclusively dating.” Now, who between the two should the public believe? Are they perhaps taking us gullible showbiz-watchers for a joyride?
“Football is getting to be popular in the Philippines only now at sayang naman kung mabubulilyaso pa,” added the sports writer, adding that Phil (singled out because he’s the one who is “showbiz na showbiz”) should concentrate on football like his brother James “who is focused on the game. Maybe Phil is enjoying his new-found popularity because it’s profitable. I heard that, thanks to his ‘showbiz connection,’ he’s now charging a sizeable amount per personal appearance.”
Well and good. Make hay while the sun shines.
“But he and some of the other Azkals should take care of football because that’s the source of whatever perks they are enjoying now,” advised the sports writer.
Come to think of it, maybe Angelica Panganiban was right after all when she gave Phil Younghusband the unsolicited but friendly advice to lie low from showbiz and focus on football.
My ‘frozen’ middle finger
I didn’t know that the computer can be harmful to your health until I experienced difficulty with my middle finger which cracked when bent and took time to be straightened. Ouch!!!
“It’s called Trigger Finger,” said the doctor, “caused by too much computer-typing. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is more serious; also caused by too much use of computer. Your hand becomes numb and you can’t use it. Surgery is needed to correct it.”
I was resigned to living with my Trigger Finger until I paid my sister (who underwent gall-bladder laparoscopy) at the Metropolitan Hospital (on Masangkay St., Sta. Cruz, Manila). My friends, Drs. Welson Yap, Wilson Lim and Danny Chua told me not to worry.
In a jiffy, I was ushered to the Operating Room. Dr. Ramon Lao performed the surgery which was facilitated by Dr. Robert Lim, with OR manager Cecille Dumlao assisting.
In barely 10 minutes, it was over.
Goodbye, Trigger Finger. Good riddance!
Now I can work normally with my middle finger again — sans pain.
Weiss rues Azkals lack of focus
By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star)
MANILA, Philippines - Coach Michael Weiss longs for the day when he can put the Azkals on a tighter leash and make them 100 percent focused on training for their Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifier match with Sri Lanka in June and July.
Weiss, who supervised the Azkals’ first day of training at the Rizal Memorial pitch, lamented how tired most of the players are due to a number of things, from commitments to clubs and other ongoing competitions, to other non-football stuff.
“We need to get the players in, we need to get better organized. We need especially the help of the clubs because there are too many matches now, so the players are distracted and exhausted because there’s no time for relaxment (relaxation),” Weiss said.
As the team goes on its second week of training, some of the Azkals regulars and Azkals aspirants are playing in tournaments like the Club Championships, Under-23 and Under 19 tournaments. Some of the popular ones are moonlighting in product endorsements and modelling. Co-skipper Chieffy Caligdong, an Air Force man was summoned to headquarters in Cebu, while some are still hurting like Ian Araneta (hips), goalies Paolo Pascual (hamstring) and Edward Sacapano (MCL), and Phil Younghusband (cramps).
“(Too many) matches, one player is called today by a general, other players have commercials whatever, (team is) not 100 percent professional so far,” Weiss noted.
“We have to think camps in the future and stay off too much distraction,” he added.
The team will not be in training camp stage until next week when they hold team-building sessions in Cebu and Iloilo and by June 12 when they encamp in Duren, Germany for what Weiss called “ a real camp with matches.”
For now, though, the German mentor requests self-discipline from his players.
“We are not in camp yet. Everybody goes home to his place so he needs to discipline himself. Most of the players are disciplined but there’s a lot of temptation in a big city like Manila. I cannot be behind every player, that would be difficult,” he said.
Joining Day 1 regulars Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario, James Younghusband and Roel Gener at the Rizal pitch were returning Fil-foreigners Chad Gould and Leigh Gunn and new recruits Nathan Burkey, James Rochlitz, Neil Ignacio and Alvin Sarmiento.
MANILA, Philippines - Coach Michael Weiss longs for the day when he can put the Azkals on a tighter leash and make them 100 percent focused on training for their Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifier match with Sri Lanka in June and July.
Weiss, who supervised the Azkals’ first day of training at the Rizal Memorial pitch, lamented how tired most of the players are due to a number of things, from commitments to clubs and other ongoing competitions, to other non-football stuff.
“We need to get the players in, we need to get better organized. We need especially the help of the clubs because there are too many matches now, so the players are distracted and exhausted because there’s no time for relaxment (relaxation),” Weiss said.
As the team goes on its second week of training, some of the Azkals regulars and Azkals aspirants are playing in tournaments like the Club Championships, Under-23 and Under 19 tournaments. Some of the popular ones are moonlighting in product endorsements and modelling. Co-skipper Chieffy Caligdong, an Air Force man was summoned to headquarters in Cebu, while some are still hurting like Ian Araneta (hips), goalies Paolo Pascual (hamstring) and Edward Sacapano (MCL), and Phil Younghusband (cramps).
“(Too many) matches, one player is called today by a general, other players have commercials whatever, (team is) not 100 percent professional so far,” Weiss noted.
“We have to think camps in the future and stay off too much distraction,” he added.
The team will not be in training camp stage until next week when they hold team-building sessions in Cebu and Iloilo and by June 12 when they encamp in Duren, Germany for what Weiss called “ a real camp with matches.”
For now, though, the German mentor requests self-discipline from his players.
“We are not in camp yet. Everybody goes home to his place so he needs to discipline himself. Most of the players are disciplined but there’s a lot of temptation in a big city like Manila. I cannot be behind every player, that would be difficult,” he said.
Joining Day 1 regulars Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario, James Younghusband and Roel Gener at the Rizal pitch were returning Fil-foreigners Chad Gould and Leigh Gunn and new recruits Nathan Burkey, James Rochlitz, Neil Ignacio and Alvin Sarmiento.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Philippine Azkals to play in Iloilo
RCJ, GMA News
The Philippine Azkals football team is going to Iloilo to play in an exhibition from May 23 to 24.
This was confirmed by Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta Jr.
“It is more of a practice match," Araneta said, according to a report on Iloilo-based The Daily Guardian (http://thedailyguardian.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24181&Itemid=1).
The Azkals team is now undergoing training for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, which is scheduled in June and July.
The team will face Sri Lanka in a two-leg qualifying match. The first game will be held in Sri Lanka on June 29 and while the second will be staged at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on July 3.
During their visit, the Azkals are expected to show their collective strength and agility as they play the CPU International Football Team in Barotac Nuevo on May 24.
While most of the Azkals are Ilonggos, this will be the first time the team will play in Iloilo after the team’s historic run in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
Among those Iloilo-based players include co-captain Emilio “Chieffy" Caligdong, striker Ian Araneta, Mark Ferrer, Joebel Bermejo, Nestorio Margase, Roel Gener, Yanti Barsales, and Richard Becite III.
Araneta said Iloilo Rep. Ferj Biron had asked if the Azkals could play in Barotac Nuevo, considered as the Philippine football capital.
He urged the Ilonggos to watch and support the national team.
“We should rally behind them and be proud that majority of them are Ilonggos," he said.
The Azkals are expected to arrive in Iloilo on May 23 and will hold a half-day practice in the town of Sta. Barbara before playing in Barotac Nuevo.
The Philippine Azkals football team is going to Iloilo to play in an exhibition from May 23 to 24.
This was confirmed by Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta Jr.
“It is more of a practice match," Araneta said, according to a report on Iloilo-based The Daily Guardian (http://thedailyguardian.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24181&Itemid=1).
The Azkals team is now undergoing training for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, which is scheduled in June and July.
The team will face Sri Lanka in a two-leg qualifying match. The first game will be held in Sri Lanka on June 29 and while the second will be staged at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on July 3.
During their visit, the Azkals are expected to show their collective strength and agility as they play the CPU International Football Team in Barotac Nuevo on May 24.
While most of the Azkals are Ilonggos, this will be the first time the team will play in Iloilo after the team’s historic run in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
Among those Iloilo-based players include co-captain Emilio “Chieffy" Caligdong, striker Ian Araneta, Mark Ferrer, Joebel Bermejo, Nestorio Margase, Roel Gener, Yanti Barsales, and Richard Becite III.
Araneta said Iloilo Rep. Ferj Biron had asked if the Azkals could play in Barotac Nuevo, considered as the Philippine football capital.
He urged the Ilonggos to watch and support the national team.
“We should rally behind them and be proud that majority of them are Ilonggos," he said.
The Azkals are expected to arrive in Iloilo on May 23 and will hold a half-day practice in the town of Sta. Barbara before playing in Barotac Nuevo.
Angel's movie awes Phil Younghusband
report from Barry Viloria, abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines - Azkals heartthrob Phil Younghusband could not be more proud of his rumored sweetheart, actress Angel Locsin, for her outstanding performance in her latest film, "In The Name of Love."
Though he failed to attend the movie's red carpet premiere on Tuesday, Younghusband made sure to catch the romance-drama flick the next day, as his way to support Locsin.
In his official Twitter account, Younghusband revealed that he already watched the film.
"Nanuod ako ng #inthenameoflove kagabi. Sobrang ganda. Magaling si @143redangel, si kuya Aga at si jake. Manuod po kayo!" he posted.
When asked what he felt after watching the film, Younghusband told abs-cbnNEWS.com via Blackberry Messenger: "I thought she (Locsin) was amazing. I was really impressed."
The 23-year-old striker is trying to win Locsin's heart since February.
In a recent interview, he revealed that he and Locsin are now exclusively dating .
MANILA, Philippines - Azkals heartthrob Phil Younghusband could not be more proud of his rumored sweetheart, actress Angel Locsin, for her outstanding performance in her latest film, "In The Name of Love."
Though he failed to attend the movie's red carpet premiere on Tuesday, Younghusband made sure to catch the romance-drama flick the next day, as his way to support Locsin.
In his official Twitter account, Younghusband revealed that he already watched the film.
"Nanuod ako ng #inthenameoflove kagabi. Sobrang ganda. Magaling si @143redangel, si kuya Aga at si jake. Manuod po kayo!" he posted.
When asked what he felt after watching the film, Younghusband told abs-cbnNEWS.com via Blackberry Messenger: "I thought she (Locsin) was amazing. I was really impressed."
The 23-year-old striker is trying to win Locsin's heart since February.
In a recent interview, he revealed that he and Locsin are now exclusively dating .
Ex-national players, Fil-Ams boost Azkal training camp
BY BONG PEDRALVEZ (Malaya)
FORMER national players Leigh Gunn and Chad Gould were among those who reported as the Philippine Azkals opened their training camp at the Alabang Country Club inside Ayala Alabang in Muntilupa City last Tuesday, according to national team manager Dan Palami.
Aside from the two veterans bidding to play for flag and country in the Asian World Cup opening round series against Sri Lanka on June 29 in Colombo, some Fil-am prospects also reported for the camp, Palami said yesterday.
After being washed out by typhoon "Bebeng" last Monday, the camp-cum-tryouts began with Fil-Ams Nathaniel Burkey and Neil Ignacio also joining the group.
A native of Sydney, Australia, Gunn, 30, began his national team stint in 1999 playing under then national coach Juan Cutillas in the qualifiers of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and again in the 2006 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying tournament.
Although he wants to play upfront, Gunn, who played for Fraser Park in the Australian League, was often used as a defender by Cutillas.
Gould, 28, a Fil-British, last played for the Philippines in the 2009 AFC Challenge Cup in the Maldives with a team mentored by Aris Caslib.
A native of Croydon, England, Gould’s most memorable outing for the Azkals was during the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying competition in Iloilo where he scored a goal in the nationals’ 3-0 rout of Bhutan.
In that tourney, the Filipinos wound up with two wins and a draw–a fight-marred scoreless standoff against then defending Challenge Cup champion Tajikistan–but failed to advance to the next round. Tajikistan advanced on better goal difference.
Burkey, 26, and striker Ignacio, a United States Development Academy trainee, were among those picked by national team co-captain Aly Borromeo and defender Anton del Rosario when they held tryouts in Daly City last April 9 and 10.
Ignacio, 17, saw action for the LA Galaxy Academy team that toured England in 2010. That tour was highlighted by a 1-2 loss to the Manchester City developmental team led by Frederic Vesseli, skipper of the national side that won the 2009 Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria.
"It’s still too early to tell how those trying out will fare," said Palami, who was pleased by the showing of 24-year-old Fil-Iranian Misagh Bahadoran, a member of the Global Smartmatic squad that competes in the United Football League.
"Misagh impressed (us) with his dribbling skills but it is still premature to say if he will make it all the way."
A no-show was Fil-Dutch defender Jason de Jong, who reportedly is keen on rejoining the team despite straining his relationship earlier with national coach Hans Michael Weiss, who was displeased with his attitude.
FORMER national players Leigh Gunn and Chad Gould were among those who reported as the Philippine Azkals opened their training camp at the Alabang Country Club inside Ayala Alabang in Muntilupa City last Tuesday, according to national team manager Dan Palami.
Aside from the two veterans bidding to play for flag and country in the Asian World Cup opening round series against Sri Lanka on June 29 in Colombo, some Fil-am prospects also reported for the camp, Palami said yesterday.
After being washed out by typhoon "Bebeng" last Monday, the camp-cum-tryouts began with Fil-Ams Nathaniel Burkey and Neil Ignacio also joining the group.
A native of Sydney, Australia, Gunn, 30, began his national team stint in 1999 playing under then national coach Juan Cutillas in the qualifiers of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and again in the 2006 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying tournament.
Although he wants to play upfront, Gunn, who played for Fraser Park in the Australian League, was often used as a defender by Cutillas.
Gould, 28, a Fil-British, last played for the Philippines in the 2009 AFC Challenge Cup in the Maldives with a team mentored by Aris Caslib.
A native of Croydon, England, Gould’s most memorable outing for the Azkals was during the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying competition in Iloilo where he scored a goal in the nationals’ 3-0 rout of Bhutan.
In that tourney, the Filipinos wound up with two wins and a draw–a fight-marred scoreless standoff against then defending Challenge Cup champion Tajikistan–but failed to advance to the next round. Tajikistan advanced on better goal difference.
Burkey, 26, and striker Ignacio, a United States Development Academy trainee, were among those picked by national team co-captain Aly Borromeo and defender Anton del Rosario when they held tryouts in Daly City last April 9 and 10.
Ignacio, 17, saw action for the LA Galaxy Academy team that toured England in 2010. That tour was highlighted by a 1-2 loss to the Manchester City developmental team led by Frederic Vesseli, skipper of the national side that won the 2009 Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria.
"It’s still too early to tell how those trying out will fare," said Palami, who was pleased by the showing of 24-year-old Fil-Iranian Misagh Bahadoran, a member of the Global Smartmatic squad that competes in the United Football League.
"Misagh impressed (us) with his dribbling skills but it is still premature to say if he will make it all the way."
A no-show was Fil-Dutch defender Jason de Jong, who reportedly is keen on rejoining the team despite straining his relationship earlier with national coach Hans Michael Weiss, who was displeased with his attitude.
Monday, May 9, 2011
8 Fil-foreign booters to join Azkals’ tryouts
Peter Atencio Manila Standard
EIGHT Fil-foreign booters are coming to Manila within the month to try out for spots in in the Philippine Azkals national football team.
National team manager Dan Palami said the players will arrive from the United States, Germany and Sweden as the Azkals start to gear up this week for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying matches.
The Azkals start their climb to the World Cup with a match against Sri Lanka on June 28.
“We have invited these players from the US and Europe. They are coming over for inspection and to try it out for the team,” said Palami.
The Filipino-German players include those whom coach Hans Weiss spotted when he attended the recent Nagold Cup tournament in Germany.
Weiss identified the Fil-German players as Patrick Reichelt, a striker from the Cottbus second team who made a total of five goals in the kickfest; Oliver Poetschke and Kevin Ingreso, who is also the skipper of Hamburg’s Under-19 squad.
Weiss said there were a total of 21 Fil-Germans who saw action for the Philippine under-20 team, which placed second in the Nagold event.
The Fil-American players, on the other hand, include those who attended the tryouts conducted by team skipper Aly Borromeo and teammate Anton del Rosario in Daly City, California. Among them are OJ Porteria and James Rochilitz, who also showed interest in trying out for the national under-23 team.
Palami said if these players fail to make the cut for the World Cup qualifiers, they could be included in the national under-23 team, which will see action in the coming Southeast Asian Games in November.
The Azkals are set to begin practices this week at the pitch of the Alabang Country Club, before moving on to the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial pitch, where they will clash with Sri Lanka on July 3.
EIGHT Fil-foreign booters are coming to Manila within the month to try out for spots in in the Philippine Azkals national football team.
National team manager Dan Palami said the players will arrive from the United States, Germany and Sweden as the Azkals start to gear up this week for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying matches.
The Azkals start their climb to the World Cup with a match against Sri Lanka on June 28.
“We have invited these players from the US and Europe. They are coming over for inspection and to try it out for the team,” said Palami.
The Filipino-German players include those whom coach Hans Weiss spotted when he attended the recent Nagold Cup tournament in Germany.
Weiss identified the Fil-German players as Patrick Reichelt, a striker from the Cottbus second team who made a total of five goals in the kickfest; Oliver Poetschke and Kevin Ingreso, who is also the skipper of Hamburg’s Under-19 squad.
Weiss said there were a total of 21 Fil-Germans who saw action for the Philippine under-20 team, which placed second in the Nagold event.
The Fil-American players, on the other hand, include those who attended the tryouts conducted by team skipper Aly Borromeo and teammate Anton del Rosario in Daly City, California. Among them are OJ Porteria and James Rochilitz, who also showed interest in trying out for the national under-23 team.
Palami said if these players fail to make the cut for the World Cup qualifiers, they could be included in the national under-23 team, which will see action in the coming Southeast Asian Games in November.
The Azkals are set to begin practices this week at the pitch of the Alabang Country Club, before moving on to the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial pitch, where they will clash with Sri Lanka on July 3.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Cebuano-British Gould to rejoin Azkals
/CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON - Cebu Daily News
THE PHILIPPINE national football team, better known as the Azkals, is looking to fortify its roster for its World Cup qualifiers campaign with the return of Cebuano-British Chad Alesna Gould to the team's training pool.
His mother, Antoniette “Baby” Alesna Gould, confirmed that her son left London yesterday midnight and is scheduled to arrive in Manila today. He will immediately hit the pitch for the Azkals’ training camp tomorrow.
Gould was a member of the Philippine team since 2004 and is best noted for scoring the winning goal in the Azkals' 1-0 triumph over Bhutan in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in 2009.
He has also been actively supporting the grassroot programs in football in his mother's hometown in Boljoon town, southern Cebu.
Gould left the team last year because of his commitment as a professional beach soccer player of the England Club.
In an email, Gould said that he had wanted to re-join the Azkals when he got an invite from former PFF president Mari Martinez for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup last year. But he was not able to do so because of matters that were out of his control.
This year, Gould was once again invited for the AFC Challenge Cup by Azkals team manager Dan Palami. But since they still had to secure permission from his current club, he was not able to make it.
Gould wrote that it has been a dream of his to play for the Philippines at an international level, most especially in the World Cup.
Gould's return to the Philippine team comes with a high price as he was supposed to leave with the England beach football team for Mauritius on May 10 for the All-England Beach Soccer Tour.
According to his mother, Gould was extremely excited when he got an invite to join the Azkals in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers. But he also felt sad because joining the Azkals meant he would miss out on the tour.
Gould stated that his England manager understood his desire to play with the Azkals and that the door would always be open for him when he returns to England.
As part of the Philippine football team, Gould scored six international goals in 13 games before he left the team last year.
THE PHILIPPINE national football team, better known as the Azkals, is looking to fortify its roster for its World Cup qualifiers campaign with the return of Cebuano-British Chad Alesna Gould to the team's training pool.
His mother, Antoniette “Baby” Alesna Gould, confirmed that her son left London yesterday midnight and is scheduled to arrive in Manila today. He will immediately hit the pitch for the Azkals’ training camp tomorrow.
Gould was a member of the Philippine team since 2004 and is best noted for scoring the winning goal in the Azkals' 1-0 triumph over Bhutan in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in 2009.
He has also been actively supporting the grassroot programs in football in his mother's hometown in Boljoon town, southern Cebu.
Gould left the team last year because of his commitment as a professional beach soccer player of the England Club.
In an email, Gould said that he had wanted to re-join the Azkals when he got an invite from former PFF president Mari Martinez for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup last year. But he was not able to do so because of matters that were out of his control.
This year, Gould was once again invited for the AFC Challenge Cup by Azkals team manager Dan Palami. But since they still had to secure permission from his current club, he was not able to make it.
Gould wrote that it has been a dream of his to play for the Philippines at an international level, most especially in the World Cup.
Gould's return to the Philippine team comes with a high price as he was supposed to leave with the England beach football team for Mauritius on May 10 for the All-England Beach Soccer Tour.
According to his mother, Gould was extremely excited when he got an invite to join the Azkals in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers. But he also felt sad because joining the Azkals meant he would miss out on the tour.
Gould stated that his England manager understood his desire to play with the Azkals and that the door would always be open for him when he returns to England.
As part of the Philippine football team, Gould scored six international goals in 13 games before he left the team last year.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Azkals vs Sri Lanka live on Balls TV
abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines – ABS-CBN’s Balls TV will broadcast live the first leg of the FIFA World Cup qualifier between the Philippine Azkals and Sri Lanka on June 29.
The match, which will take place in Sri Lanka, will be aired locally at 5:30 p.m.
This will be followed by a replay on Studio 23 at 11:30 p.m.
The second leg, scheduled to take place at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, will be aired live by Studio 23 on July 3, 2011 at 2 p.m.
This will be followed by a replay at 9 p.m. on Balls TV.
The Azkals, which had a successful run in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup quarterfinals, will go through several rounds of qualifiers in a bid to make it to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
MANILA, Philippines – ABS-CBN’s Balls TV will broadcast live the first leg of the FIFA World Cup qualifier between the Philippine Azkals and Sri Lanka on June 29.
The match, which will take place in Sri Lanka, will be aired locally at 5:30 p.m.
This will be followed by a replay on Studio 23 at 11:30 p.m.
The second leg, scheduled to take place at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, will be aired live by Studio 23 on July 3, 2011 at 2 p.m.
This will be followed by a replay at 9 p.m. on Balls TV.
The Azkals, which had a successful run in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup quarterfinals, will go through several rounds of qualifiers in a bid to make it to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
PHL football officials satisfied with Rizal Memorial
Reuben Terrado, JVP, GMA News
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Chito Loyzaga said so far Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta and Azkals team manager are satisfied with the renovations being done at the Rizal Memorial football field.
Loyzaga said Araneta and Palami have already inspected the venue that will be used for the second leg of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers between the Azkals and Sri Lanka on July 3.
"Natutuwa sila at nagagandahan din sila sa field and I think the condition would pass the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) standards," said Loyzaga.
He added the PSC and PFF have already discussed the other repairs that need to be done inside the stadium, including the field and the stands.
The PSC is in the initial phase of renovating the Rizal football field.
So far, the goal posts have already been installed as the field is already being used by De La Salle University, which funded the renovation of the football field two years ago.
The Azkals, who have began their preparations for the World Cup qualifiers at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa, plan to also train at the Rizal Memorial so they can
Get used to the field conditions in time for the game.
GMA News learned that the PSC plans to close the surrounding roads of the Rizal Memorial football field during the match to control the crowd.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Chito Loyzaga said so far Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta and Azkals team manager are satisfied with the renovations being done at the Rizal Memorial football field.
Loyzaga said Araneta and Palami have already inspected the venue that will be used for the second leg of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers between the Azkals and Sri Lanka on July 3.
"Natutuwa sila at nagagandahan din sila sa field and I think the condition would pass the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) standards," said Loyzaga.
He added the PSC and PFF have already discussed the other repairs that need to be done inside the stadium, including the field and the stands.
The PSC is in the initial phase of renovating the Rizal football field.
So far, the goal posts have already been installed as the field is already being used by De La Salle University, which funded the renovation of the football field two years ago.
The Azkals, who have began their preparations for the World Cup qualifiers at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa, plan to also train at the Rizal Memorial so they can
Get used to the field conditions in time for the game.
GMA News learned that the PSC plans to close the surrounding roads of the Rizal Memorial football field during the match to control the crowd.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Ex-Azkals coach upset over unreturned items
By Barry Viloria, abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines – Former Azkals coach Simon McMenemy lashed out at his ex-wards,after the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) reportedly failed to ship his “possessions” back to him.
McMenemy, who coached the national booters in their ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup stint last year, vented on Twitter regarding the late delivery of his possessions.
“How difficult is it to forward someone's possessions? Was promised 4 months ago that they were sent. Azkals really letting me down,” he tweeted.
McMenemy, however, was apparently informed that his things will be returned sooner.
“Right, tomorrow I regain some of my possessions. Azkals better pull their finger out. Ruining my time there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Azkals team manager Dan Palami said actions have already been taken regarding McMenemy’s request.
“I have been informed that he asked that his stuff be shipped to Vietnam,” Palami told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
“All I know is that in January (the staff) already had his things inventoried and packed, and already gave the money for the shipping costs,” he added.
Palami, however, interpreted the incident as a "slight misunderstanding that will certainly be resolved in time."
McMenemey has been putting on a sour face after his coaching contract with the Azkals expired last December 31.
Feeling “disrespected,” the British coach ranted online on the PFF’s supposed failure to relay that he will no longer be coaching the team.
“No call, email, text, nothing. Been told by a friend who watched it on TV, this is not how to treat people,” he had tweeted.
The Azkals hired Hans Michael Weiss of Germany early this year to replace McMenemy.
MANILA, Philippines – Former Azkals coach Simon McMenemy lashed out at his ex-wards,after the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) reportedly failed to ship his “possessions” back to him.
McMenemy, who coached the national booters in their ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup stint last year, vented on Twitter regarding the late delivery of his possessions.
“How difficult is it to forward someone's possessions? Was promised 4 months ago that they were sent. Azkals really letting me down,” he tweeted.
McMenemy, however, was apparently informed that his things will be returned sooner.
“Right, tomorrow I regain some of my possessions. Azkals better pull their finger out. Ruining my time there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Azkals team manager Dan Palami said actions have already been taken regarding McMenemy’s request.
“I have been informed that he asked that his stuff be shipped to Vietnam,” Palami told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
“All I know is that in January (the staff) already had his things inventoried and packed, and already gave the money for the shipping costs,” he added.
Palami, however, interpreted the incident as a "slight misunderstanding that will certainly be resolved in time."
McMenemey has been putting on a sour face after his coaching contract with the Azkals expired last December 31.
Feeling “disrespected,” the British coach ranted online on the PFF’s supposed failure to relay that he will no longer be coaching the team.
“No call, email, text, nothing. Been told by a friend who watched it on TV, this is not how to treat people,” he had tweeted.
The Azkals hired Hans Michael Weiss of Germany early this year to replace McMenemy.
Indon team fires Azkals’ De Jong from club
MANILA, Philippines – Indonesian pro football club Persiba Balikpapan fired Jason de Jong for violating his contract with the Superleague club.
By Boyet Sison, ABS-CBN News Channel
According to MetroTV News Indonesia, Legal Division Newcastle chair Aberdeen Muhammad Mundar cited several grounds for De Jong’s removal from persiba Balikpapan.
"We were forced to fire Jason De Jong for having violated our contract agreement because he rarely attends practice and has made excuses about his physical condition which turned out to be a lie,” he said.
The Azkal was issued letters of reprimand thrice, according to Mundar, but the defensive midfielder did not take these seriously.
De Jong joined the team in February of 2011 for $80,000 that would have kept him with the club for the remainder of the 2010-2011 Indonesia Super League season.
According to Philippine Azkals team manager, Dan Palami, De Jong is still part of the team's training pool.
However, he said De Jong is not yet assured of a spot in the Azkals' upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Sri Lanka.
By Boyet Sison, ABS-CBN News Channel
According to MetroTV News Indonesia, Legal Division Newcastle chair Aberdeen Muhammad Mundar cited several grounds for De Jong’s removal from persiba Balikpapan.
"We were forced to fire Jason De Jong for having violated our contract agreement because he rarely attends practice and has made excuses about his physical condition which turned out to be a lie,” he said.
The Azkal was issued letters of reprimand thrice, according to Mundar, but the defensive midfielder did not take these seriously.
De Jong joined the team in February of 2011 for $80,000 that would have kept him with the club for the remainder of the 2010-2011 Indonesia Super League season.
According to Philippine Azkals team manager, Dan Palami, De Jong is still part of the team's training pool.
However, he said De Jong is not yet assured of a spot in the Azkals' upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Sri Lanka.
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