By FRANCIS SANTIAGO - Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines — Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and attacking midfielder Marcus Stephan Schrock are unlikely to join the Philippine football team when it sees action in the Long Teng Cup slated in Kaohsiung, Taiwan late next month.
The four-nation tourney is the first of many lined up for the Azkals following their elimination in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers last July.
The presence of the two players, who shone against the Kuwaitis during the qualifiers, will surely strengthen the Azkals’ chances, but team manager Dan Palami said he may just tap their services for a more important competition in the future.
The 6-foot-2 Fil-British Etheridge, 21, is set to be promoted as regular reliever on the first team of Fulham, which competes in the Premiere League, while the 5-foot-5 Fil-German Schrock is busy with his ballclub Greuther Furth playing in the German second division.
“It’s unlikely that he (Etheridge) will play. For Schorck, may be not also,” Palami said in a recent interview.
“We want to preserve our relationship with their teams, so we bring in the players only when it’s absolutely necessary,” continued Palami, who left for Europe Wednesday to scout possible reinforcements for the Azkals.
Palami, though, said the Under-23 pool preparing for the Southeast Asian Games in November will join the Azkals in the event, where they are bidding to improve on their second place finish behind Hong Kong last year.
The Sept. 28-Oct. 6 competition will have competing teams from Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong and Philippines although Philippine Football Federation chief Mariano ‘Nonong’ Araneta Jr said the organizers plan to expand the cast to six.
Last year, the Philippines finished with a 1-1-1 record in the competition, thumping Macau, (5-0) drawing with Taiwan (1-1) and bowing to Hong Kong (4-2).
Showing posts with label Etheridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Etheridge. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2011
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)