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.