ABS-CBNnews.com
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals improved their rank a notch higher in the latest FIFA world rankings.
The Azkals are now ranked No. 156, which is an improvement from their No. 157 rank last January.
They accumulated a total of 139 points and are ranked ahead of No. 157 Bangladesh (138 points).
Spain remained on the No. 1 spot with a total of 1566 points.
The Azkals’ recent 3-1 victory over Qatar professional football club Al Ahli may have hiked the Nationals’ standing in the FIFA list.
The Filipino squad are currently training in Dubai as part of their preparations for the 2012 Challenge Cup this coming March.
They are set to face Australia’s Qantas Under-23 team in a friendly match on Thursday.
Showing posts with label FIFA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FIFA. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Azkals jump eight places in FIFA world rankings
ROY MOORE, GMA News
The Philippine Azkals jumped eight places based on the latest FIFA world rankings released on Wednesday.
The Azkals, behind a 4-0 win over Nepal in a friendly last week and their surprising second-place finish in the 2011 Long Teng Cup, climbed from 166th to 158th in the world.
The Azkals showed great improvement as they went unbeaten in the 2011 Long Teng Cup and ended their season with a pair of friendly matches—a 2-0 loss to Singapore and a victory against Nepal, which dropped nine places to 144th.
FIFA rankings take into account the previous four years of international football; taking 20 percent of a side’s points in 2008, 30 from 2009, 50 from 2010 and 100 in 2011 to calculate its total score to compare against other nations.
Based on the above formula, the Philippines now have 127 points as the Azkals jump past teams such as Mongolia, whom they have beaten 3-2 on aggregate to qualify for the Challenge Cup Qualifying Group Stage; Palestine, whom they held to a scoreless draw in that stage; as well as nations such as India, the Maldives and Nicaragua.
The Michael Weiss-mentored squad also placed 29th in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), just behind two-time Long Teng Cup champion Hong Kong, a team that they held to a 3-3 draw in the 2011 tournament.
The Azkals are also the most improved footballing nation in the world based on the latest football ELO ratings, FIFA ranking’s competitor.
Spain retains its number one spot in the world winning all eight of their Euro 2012 qualifying games to qualify for the main tournament next year.
As the reigning Euro Cup and World Cup champions they continue to dominate other countries through their possession play and famed tiki-taka brand of football, which uses quick, short passes to break down the defensive line with movement and pace.
The Philippines have been adopting some aspects of this style in recent games, showing good movement off the ball and shorter passes in contrast with their previous long-ball strategy and defensive “parking the bus" style.
The Netherlands and Germany occupy second and third place while Uruguay and Brazil completing the top five. Unsurprisingly, the top 10 nations are still all from either South America or Europe.
Greece, surprisingly after suffering from severe economic problems, has made the top 10 this time at eighth in the world. It seems that this archipelago still continues to punch above its weight in the football world, something the Philippines will hope to rival in the future.
Bermuda was the top gainer climbing 57 spots from 187th to 132nd. Cyprus, Moldova and Bolivia share the less honorable prize for the worst movers as all three nations dropped 34 four places down the rankings.
It is rare for teams to climb or drop so many places and so the Azkals are hoping to be consistent going into next year’s Challenge Cup and Suzuki Cup. With a good showing throughout they can be expected to keep climbing the rankings and begin to earn a place as not only one of South East Asia’s elite but rivaling the Asian powerhouses.
This year may be over for the Senior team but the Azkals Under-23 team will be in action in the SEA Games, from November 3.
The Philippines is drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Timor Leste and Myanmar.
Confident of being able to compete well, their stiffest tests will come against Vietnam and Myanmar.
If the Philippines can repeat their heroics last year, however, when they beat Vietnam 1-0 in the 2010 Suzuki Cup and even improve on their 1-1 draw with Myanmar, who hosted the Challenge Cup’s group stages, the team has a great shot at winning a medal.
The Philippine Azkals jumped eight places based on the latest FIFA world rankings released on Wednesday.
The Azkals, behind a 4-0 win over Nepal in a friendly last week and their surprising second-place finish in the 2011 Long Teng Cup, climbed from 166th to 158th in the world.
The Azkals showed great improvement as they went unbeaten in the 2011 Long Teng Cup and ended their season with a pair of friendly matches—a 2-0 loss to Singapore and a victory against Nepal, which dropped nine places to 144th.
FIFA rankings take into account the previous four years of international football; taking 20 percent of a side’s points in 2008, 30 from 2009, 50 from 2010 and 100 in 2011 to calculate its total score to compare against other nations.
Based on the above formula, the Philippines now have 127 points as the Azkals jump past teams such as Mongolia, whom they have beaten 3-2 on aggregate to qualify for the Challenge Cup Qualifying Group Stage; Palestine, whom they held to a scoreless draw in that stage; as well as nations such as India, the Maldives and Nicaragua.
The Michael Weiss-mentored squad also placed 29th in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), just behind two-time Long Teng Cup champion Hong Kong, a team that they held to a 3-3 draw in the 2011 tournament.
The Azkals are also the most improved footballing nation in the world based on the latest football ELO ratings, FIFA ranking’s competitor.
Spain retains its number one spot in the world winning all eight of their Euro 2012 qualifying games to qualify for the main tournament next year.
As the reigning Euro Cup and World Cup champions they continue to dominate other countries through their possession play and famed tiki-taka brand of football, which uses quick, short passes to break down the defensive line with movement and pace.
The Philippines have been adopting some aspects of this style in recent games, showing good movement off the ball and shorter passes in contrast with their previous long-ball strategy and defensive “parking the bus" style.
The Netherlands and Germany occupy second and third place while Uruguay and Brazil completing the top five. Unsurprisingly, the top 10 nations are still all from either South America or Europe.
Greece, surprisingly after suffering from severe economic problems, has made the top 10 this time at eighth in the world. It seems that this archipelago still continues to punch above its weight in the football world, something the Philippines will hope to rival in the future.
Bermuda was the top gainer climbing 57 spots from 187th to 132nd. Cyprus, Moldova and Bolivia share the less honorable prize for the worst movers as all three nations dropped 34 four places down the rankings.
It is rare for teams to climb or drop so many places and so the Azkals are hoping to be consistent going into next year’s Challenge Cup and Suzuki Cup. With a good showing throughout they can be expected to keep climbing the rankings and begin to earn a place as not only one of South East Asia’s elite but rivaling the Asian powerhouses.
This year may be over for the Senior team but the Azkals Under-23 team will be in action in the SEA Games, from November 3.
The Philippines is drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Timor Leste and Myanmar.
Confident of being able to compete well, their stiffest tests will come against Vietnam and Myanmar.
If the Philippines can repeat their heroics last year, however, when they beat Vietnam 1-0 in the 2010 Suzuki Cup and even improve on their 1-1 draw with Myanmar, who hosted the Challenge Cup’s group stages, the team has a great shot at winning a medal.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Azkals most improved in the world based on ELO
ROY MOORE, GMA News
The latest football ELO ratings show that the Philippines is the most improved country in the world this year. Jumping 22 places from 201st to 179th in the world, the Azkals have increased their rating by 170 points, more than any other nation.
ELO ratings are considered by footballing enthusiasts to be often more reliable than FIFA rankings. Devised by a chess grandmaster the ELO ratings take into account the quality of the opposition as teams get more points for a win over a tougher team.
Teams can even earn points if they lose against a team ranked much higher than them, such as when Kuwait beat the Philippines 2-1 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. The Philippines gained three points despite the loss because they were expected to lose by a much heavier scoreline against Kuwait, who are ranked 61st in the world.
Most successful year
Philippine football, this year, experienced one of its most successful years in decades. The Azkals have made remarkable progress this year, making history on several occasions.
The Philippines' campaign began at the end of 2010 when they reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup. The Azkals beat Vietnam and drew with Singapore in the group stages to clinch a Final Four berth.
After the controversy of having to play their home leg of the semi finals in Indonesia rather than in the Philippines, the Azkals still managed to use that experience as a platform to improve more than any other country in the world.
Challenge Cup
The Philippines (166) had to beat Mongolia (163), a team rated higher in the FIFA rankings, in the qualifiers in order to clinch a berth in the Group stages of the Challenge Cup.
The Azkals defeated Mongolia, 2-0, in the first leg in Bacolod before dropping a 3-2 decision in an away match in Ulan Bator. The Philippines won 3-2 on aggregate to qualify.
After qualifying for the first group stage, the Philippines drew to hosts Burma and eventual group winners Palestine, needing to beat Bangladesh in the final game of the group to reach the final stage.
The Azkals dominated Bangladesh, 3-0, to show how well they could play even though they had little time to work together and build the right communication. Unbeaten in the group stage they now go to the final stage in March 2012 looking to play and get a result against such highly-ranked teams as North Korea (121), Tajikistan (124) and Turkmenistan (141).
World Cup Qualification
The Azkals then focused their attention to the World Cup Qualification. With no realistic chance of making the 2014 finals, the goal was to get as far as possible, given the Philippines had never even won a match in a World Cup Qualification before. That statistic was broken in emphatic style as after a disappointing first leg against Sri Lanka, a 1-1 draw in Colombo, the Azkals tore apart their opponents' defense to win 4-0 in the second leg.
The Philippines were drawn against Kuwait in the second round. A powerhouse of Asian football, they are the most successful team ever in the Gulf Cup of Nations and the reigning champions since 2010. Ranked 99th in the world by FIFA they are even higher in ELO rankings, rated at 61st in the world according to probably the more accurate ratings.
The Philippines, therefore, were expected to lose massively to them and after a 3-0 loss in the first leg they led 1-0 going into the second half, eventually losing 2-1, and 5-1 on aggregate.
That may have ended the Azkals' World Cup Qualification campaign but they certainly grew in popularity from then on. Moreover fans began to realize that losing a game of football didn't mean the team were bad, they were just playing against another country who is much better rated.
The most important factor in progress is the rate at which a team learns and improves; officially the Philippines are now second to none in that regard.
Long Teng Cup and friendlies
Following the World Cup Qualification the Philippines competed in the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan. Like in the Challenge Cup they first drew Hong Kong (156) and hosts Taiwan (172) and came out in the final game with a 2-0 win over Macau (191) to remain unbeaten since joining last year's tournament.
Not quite reaching the same heights as previously they still showed some potential and it was Chieffy Caligdong who stole the show finishing top scorer with four goals in three games to clinch the Golden Boot Award. Ian Araneta was the 2010 Golden Boot awardee.
The team had no time to rest, though, as they headed straight to Singapore (136) for a friendly. Losing 2-0, Singapore got their revenge from the stunning 1-1 draw which helped knocked Singapore out in the group stages of the AFC Suzuki Cup. Ranked 30 places above them in the FIFA rankings, the Azkals didn't really get going in the game and only had one good chance to score throughout 90 minutes.
However, just four days later they were playing at home against Nepal (135), who are ranked one place higher than Singapore and will also be participating in the final stage of the 2012 Challenge Cup in March
In front of the Philippine fans at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the Azkals destroyed Nepal, 4-0, capping the year by showing their true potential. The cliff-hanger, however, will be how much better can the team be once Stephan Schrock and Angel Guirado return after injuries had kept them both out of the games against Singapore and Nepal.
A P-League
Always evolving, the team have seen players who grew up in Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the United States and other nations join the ranks of the Azkals. Most promising, however, is how these players are now filtering into the UFL with Jason Sabio, Nate Burkey and Lexton Moy joining Kaya; Angel Guirado joining Global; and the Younghusband brothers joining the Hartmann siblings at Loyola.
With TV investment the domestic league is growing more professional and this will help local talent develop to supply the National team a host of players.
With talk of stadiums and growing infrastructure to support the demand coming from the growing number of football fans, the Philippines could soon see the UFL become the Philippines' P-League, to compare with Singapore's S-League, the J-League of Japan or the Vietnam's V-League.
Next for the Azkals
The future looks bright for the Azkals, who still have a lot of room for improvement. With manager Dan Palami and coach Michael Weiss always looking to help the squad develop they may very well keep climbing the rankings and be the most improved nation in 2012.
The next competitive international games for the Azkals will be the Challenge Cup in March.
Split into two groups of four teams the Challenge Cup will provide great competition for the Philippines to build on this success. Until then, the Under 23s will be competing in the Southeast Asian Games starting November 3.
The Under-23 squad will include the likes of recent additions Jeff Christiaens, goalkeeper Roland Müller and Jinggoy Valmayor, who recently scored the first hat-trick of the UFL Cup, alongside regulars Simon Greatwich, Jason De Jong and Manny Ott.
The Azkals continue to get better and with the right domestic infrastructure and experience for younger players they can only keep progressing. For the senior players, international football may have ended for 2011 but they've gone straight back into action in the UFL Cup.
With free entrance at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, fans can see their favorite Azkals alongside the up and coming youth players as Philippine football looks better than ever.
The latest football ELO ratings show that the Philippines is the most improved country in the world this year. Jumping 22 places from 201st to 179th in the world, the Azkals have increased their rating by 170 points, more than any other nation.
ELO ratings are considered by footballing enthusiasts to be often more reliable than FIFA rankings. Devised by a chess grandmaster the ELO ratings take into account the quality of the opposition as teams get more points for a win over a tougher team.
Teams can even earn points if they lose against a team ranked much higher than them, such as when Kuwait beat the Philippines 2-1 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. The Philippines gained three points despite the loss because they were expected to lose by a much heavier scoreline against Kuwait, who are ranked 61st in the world.
Most successful year
Philippine football, this year, experienced one of its most successful years in decades. The Azkals have made remarkable progress this year, making history on several occasions.
The Philippines' campaign began at the end of 2010 when they reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup. The Azkals beat Vietnam and drew with Singapore in the group stages to clinch a Final Four berth.
After the controversy of having to play their home leg of the semi finals in Indonesia rather than in the Philippines, the Azkals still managed to use that experience as a platform to improve more than any other country in the world.
Challenge Cup
The Philippines (166) had to beat Mongolia (163), a team rated higher in the FIFA rankings, in the qualifiers in order to clinch a berth in the Group stages of the Challenge Cup.
The Azkals defeated Mongolia, 2-0, in the first leg in Bacolod before dropping a 3-2 decision in an away match in Ulan Bator. The Philippines won 3-2 on aggregate to qualify.
After qualifying for the first group stage, the Philippines drew to hosts Burma and eventual group winners Palestine, needing to beat Bangladesh in the final game of the group to reach the final stage.
The Azkals dominated Bangladesh, 3-0, to show how well they could play even though they had little time to work together and build the right communication. Unbeaten in the group stage they now go to the final stage in March 2012 looking to play and get a result against such highly-ranked teams as North Korea (121), Tajikistan (124) and Turkmenistan (141).
World Cup Qualification
The Azkals then focused their attention to the World Cup Qualification. With no realistic chance of making the 2014 finals, the goal was to get as far as possible, given the Philippines had never even won a match in a World Cup Qualification before. That statistic was broken in emphatic style as after a disappointing first leg against Sri Lanka, a 1-1 draw in Colombo, the Azkals tore apart their opponents' defense to win 4-0 in the second leg.
The Philippines were drawn against Kuwait in the second round. A powerhouse of Asian football, they are the most successful team ever in the Gulf Cup of Nations and the reigning champions since 2010. Ranked 99th in the world by FIFA they are even higher in ELO rankings, rated at 61st in the world according to probably the more accurate ratings.
The Philippines, therefore, were expected to lose massively to them and after a 3-0 loss in the first leg they led 1-0 going into the second half, eventually losing 2-1, and 5-1 on aggregate.
That may have ended the Azkals' World Cup Qualification campaign but they certainly grew in popularity from then on. Moreover fans began to realize that losing a game of football didn't mean the team were bad, they were just playing against another country who is much better rated.
The most important factor in progress is the rate at which a team learns and improves; officially the Philippines are now second to none in that regard.
Long Teng Cup and friendlies
Following the World Cup Qualification the Philippines competed in the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan. Like in the Challenge Cup they first drew Hong Kong (156) and hosts Taiwan (172) and came out in the final game with a 2-0 win over Macau (191) to remain unbeaten since joining last year's tournament.
Not quite reaching the same heights as previously they still showed some potential and it was Chieffy Caligdong who stole the show finishing top scorer with four goals in three games to clinch the Golden Boot Award. Ian Araneta was the 2010 Golden Boot awardee.
The team had no time to rest, though, as they headed straight to Singapore (136) for a friendly. Losing 2-0, Singapore got their revenge from the stunning 1-1 draw which helped knocked Singapore out in the group stages of the AFC Suzuki Cup. Ranked 30 places above them in the FIFA rankings, the Azkals didn't really get going in the game and only had one good chance to score throughout 90 minutes.
However, just four days later they were playing at home against Nepal (135), who are ranked one place higher than Singapore and will also be participating in the final stage of the 2012 Challenge Cup in March
In front of the Philippine fans at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the Azkals destroyed Nepal, 4-0, capping the year by showing their true potential. The cliff-hanger, however, will be how much better can the team be once Stephan Schrock and Angel Guirado return after injuries had kept them both out of the games against Singapore and Nepal.
A P-League
Always evolving, the team have seen players who grew up in Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the United States and other nations join the ranks of the Azkals. Most promising, however, is how these players are now filtering into the UFL with Jason Sabio, Nate Burkey and Lexton Moy joining Kaya; Angel Guirado joining Global; and the Younghusband brothers joining the Hartmann siblings at Loyola.
With TV investment the domestic league is growing more professional and this will help local talent develop to supply the National team a host of players.
With talk of stadiums and growing infrastructure to support the demand coming from the growing number of football fans, the Philippines could soon see the UFL become the Philippines' P-League, to compare with Singapore's S-League, the J-League of Japan or the Vietnam's V-League.
Next for the Azkals
The future looks bright for the Azkals, who still have a lot of room for improvement. With manager Dan Palami and coach Michael Weiss always looking to help the squad develop they may very well keep climbing the rankings and be the most improved nation in 2012.
The next competitive international games for the Azkals will be the Challenge Cup in March.
Split into two groups of four teams the Challenge Cup will provide great competition for the Philippines to build on this success. Until then, the Under 23s will be competing in the Southeast Asian Games starting November 3.
The Under-23 squad will include the likes of recent additions Jeff Christiaens, goalkeeper Roland Müller and Jinggoy Valmayor, who recently scored the first hat-trick of the UFL Cup, alongside regulars Simon Greatwich, Jason De Jong and Manny Ott.
The Azkals continue to get better and with the right domestic infrastructure and experience for younger players they can only keep progressing. For the senior players, international football may have ended for 2011 but they've gone straight back into action in the UFL Cup.
With free entrance at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, fans can see their favorite Azkals alongside the up and coming youth players as Philippine football looks better than ever.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Azkals prospect Areola extends PSG contract
by Jojo Malig, abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Azkals prospect Alphonse Areola has extended his contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) up to 2016.
The 18-year-old goalkeeper, which is being reportedly eyed by Azkals team manager Dan Palami to challenge Neil Etheridge as the Philippines' No. 1, joined PSG through its youth academy.
Areola signed a professional contract at the age of 16, the youngest to turn pro in French football history.
PSG did not disclose the financial terms of his new contract.
The deal is seen as PSG's effort to secure Areola to a long-term deal following reported interest on the teen by English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Areola has yet to make his first-team debut for PSG and is currently second choice behind the team's new Italian goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.
He has earned 4 international caps with France's under-18 side. He has been tipped to become both PSG's and France's future No. 1, according to French media.
Under FIFA rules, Areola can play for the Philippine Azkals as long as he is not yet capped for the senior Les Bleus.
The Clairefontaine-trained goalkeeper had an impressive pre-season with PSG, notching clean sheets in the team's wins over Italian side AS Roma (3-0) and Argentinian giants Boca Juniors (3-0).
PSG are being tipped as one of the title favorites in the French top league in the coming season.
The club was recently bought by Qatar Sports Investments, which has brought in cash and 7 new players including the 42-million-euro Argentinian playmaker Javier Pastore.
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Azkals prospect Alphonse Areola has extended his contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) up to 2016.
The 18-year-old goalkeeper, which is being reportedly eyed by Azkals team manager Dan Palami to challenge Neil Etheridge as the Philippines' No. 1, joined PSG through its youth academy.
Areola signed a professional contract at the age of 16, the youngest to turn pro in French football history.
PSG did not disclose the financial terms of his new contract.
The deal is seen as PSG's effort to secure Areola to a long-term deal following reported interest on the teen by English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Areola has yet to make his first-team debut for PSG and is currently second choice behind the team's new Italian goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.
He has earned 4 international caps with France's under-18 side. He has been tipped to become both PSG's and France's future No. 1, according to French media.
Under FIFA rules, Areola can play for the Philippine Azkals as long as he is not yet capped for the senior Les Bleus.
The Clairefontaine-trained goalkeeper had an impressive pre-season with PSG, notching clean sheets in the team's wins over Italian side AS Roma (3-0) and Argentinian giants Boca Juniors (3-0).
PSG are being tipped as one of the title favorites in the French top league in the coming season.
The club was recently bought by Qatar Sports Investments, which has brought in cash and 7 new players including the 42-million-euro Argentinian playmaker Javier Pastore.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Azkals manage sensitivities
THE GAME OF MY LIFE By Bill Velasco (The Philippine Star)
Philippine Azkals manager Dan Palami is off, with Brussels, Belgium as the first stop on a working tour of Europe, searching for more football players of Filipino lineage to lure to the national cause. Some of the veteran Fil-foreign players on the Azkals are playing bigger roles with their mother clubs in Europe, and are going to be less available as the seasons wear on. Some of them may not even be released by their pro teams, at all.
When asked how he was going to attract these players, and if the job was easier now with the team’s relative fame, Palami had a standard-issue answer.
“What’s my pitch going to be? It’s going to be the same as it was with guys like Rob Gier, when nobody knew – or cared – about the Azkals,” explained Palami. “It’s a chance to play for flag and country.”
What the general public does not realize (particularly those who have biases against the inclusion of “half-Filipino” players), is that it is often a great financial sacrifice for these young men to come to the Philippines at the cost of jobs with limited slots in the soccer hotbeds in Europe. Some of our players receive $10,000-$20,000 salaries to play professionally in Europe, which is no mere pittance. Yet, many of them have risked their professional careers and taken leaves of absence to suit up for matches wearing the Philippine flag.
Managing sensitivities on the issue of race is also something the Philippine Football Federation is now conscious of. Bear in mind that the huge sums being given as sponsorship money to the Azkals actually go to the coffers of the PFF for grassroots development. With the sport’s development having been “dormant for decades” as Palami says, it will “take four years” or so before we develop another Chieffy Caligdong. In the meantime, the team needs the technology transfer and seasoned talent of Fil-foreign players who are willing to don the flag.
There are a lot of big tournaments awaiting the Azkals, who are also part of the United Football League individually, and to some extent, members of the Under-23 team. The Southeast Asian Games involves the younger Azkals, while the Suzuki Cup and AFC are slated for next year. These major tournaments coincide with breaks in major European leagues, as FIFA avoided the overlap between national and club teams. In the meantime, there are more diamonds in the rough home and away, waiting to be discovered.
* * * *
A new resort in Laguna is positioning itself as a sports destination for both ends of the action spectrum: extreme adventure seekers and the more relaxed, casual sports participant.
Grand Villa Resort and Butterfly Centre sits on 15 hectares at the foot of Mount Makiling, and invites those who have the high energy for outdoor activities as well as those who want more contemplative release from stress. The resort’s Adventure Kamp has high and low ropes courses, a paintball field and wall-climbing facilities, as well as an Olympic-sized swimming pool and covered pools to provide a safe but physically-challenging setting.
“Grand Villa has the space to provide you privacy, and the facilities to give you your adventure fix,” says special projects consultant Niña Castro, who has also helped promote internationally famous destinations like Ocean Adventure in Subic Bay for years. “We have a lot of accommodations that can suit anyone who has an active lifestyle, or just looking for a place to unwind.
Grand Villa also has accommodations for groups from entire families to dorms for those who prefer to rough it. For the more contemplative, the butterfly farm has 10 species of butterflies bred on location. It is a serene experience hard to find elsewhere. But if you’re looking to keep to yourself, the resort also has 12 spa rooms so you can have it all without moving at all, any time you want.
And if you literally prefer a different view, there are four tree houses to choose from, and a floating nipa hut.
“The resort was designed to provide an environment that both stimulates and relaxes,” Castro adds. “We are also planning to host sporting competitions and a pageant, aside from the usual corporate functions, planning and team-building seminars. We want to attract serious sports people, as well.”
For more information, visit www.grandvillaresort.ph.
Philippine Azkals manager Dan Palami is off, with Brussels, Belgium as the first stop on a working tour of Europe, searching for more football players of Filipino lineage to lure to the national cause. Some of the veteran Fil-foreign players on the Azkals are playing bigger roles with their mother clubs in Europe, and are going to be less available as the seasons wear on. Some of them may not even be released by their pro teams, at all.
When asked how he was going to attract these players, and if the job was easier now with the team’s relative fame, Palami had a standard-issue answer.
“What’s my pitch going to be? It’s going to be the same as it was with guys like Rob Gier, when nobody knew – or cared – about the Azkals,” explained Palami. “It’s a chance to play for flag and country.”
What the general public does not realize (particularly those who have biases against the inclusion of “half-Filipino” players), is that it is often a great financial sacrifice for these young men to come to the Philippines at the cost of jobs with limited slots in the soccer hotbeds in Europe. Some of our players receive $10,000-$20,000 salaries to play professionally in Europe, which is no mere pittance. Yet, many of them have risked their professional careers and taken leaves of absence to suit up for matches wearing the Philippine flag.
Managing sensitivities on the issue of race is also something the Philippine Football Federation is now conscious of. Bear in mind that the huge sums being given as sponsorship money to the Azkals actually go to the coffers of the PFF for grassroots development. With the sport’s development having been “dormant for decades” as Palami says, it will “take four years” or so before we develop another Chieffy Caligdong. In the meantime, the team needs the technology transfer and seasoned talent of Fil-foreign players who are willing to don the flag.
There are a lot of big tournaments awaiting the Azkals, who are also part of the United Football League individually, and to some extent, members of the Under-23 team. The Southeast Asian Games involves the younger Azkals, while the Suzuki Cup and AFC are slated for next year. These major tournaments coincide with breaks in major European leagues, as FIFA avoided the overlap between national and club teams. In the meantime, there are more diamonds in the rough home and away, waiting to be discovered.
* * * *
A new resort in Laguna is positioning itself as a sports destination for both ends of the action spectrum: extreme adventure seekers and the more relaxed, casual sports participant.
Grand Villa Resort and Butterfly Centre sits on 15 hectares at the foot of Mount Makiling, and invites those who have the high energy for outdoor activities as well as those who want more contemplative release from stress. The resort’s Adventure Kamp has high and low ropes courses, a paintball field and wall-climbing facilities, as well as an Olympic-sized swimming pool and covered pools to provide a safe but physically-challenging setting.
“Grand Villa has the space to provide you privacy, and the facilities to give you your adventure fix,” says special projects consultant Niña Castro, who has also helped promote internationally famous destinations like Ocean Adventure in Subic Bay for years. “We have a lot of accommodations that can suit anyone who has an active lifestyle, or just looking for a place to unwind.
Grand Villa also has accommodations for groups from entire families to dorms for those who prefer to rough it. For the more contemplative, the butterfly farm has 10 species of butterflies bred on location. It is a serene experience hard to find elsewhere. But if you’re looking to keep to yourself, the resort also has 12 spa rooms so you can have it all without moving at all, any time you want.
And if you literally prefer a different view, there are four tree houses to choose from, and a floating nipa hut.
“The resort was designed to provide an environment that both stimulates and relaxes,” Castro adds. “We are also planning to host sporting competitions and a pageant, aside from the usual corporate functions, planning and team-building seminars. We want to attract serious sports people, as well.”
For more information, visit www.grandvillaresort.ph.
Azkals target Areola set for PSG debut
by Jojo Malig, abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines - A fast-rising goalkeeper being eyed by the Philippine Azkals as their next marquee player could become the first Filipino to see action in the French top flight football.
Alphonse Areola, who was tagged by Azkals manager Dan Palami as one of the team's possible future members, is expected to be named on Paris St. Germain's (PSG) starting XI when they face Lorient in their season-opening home match Saturday.
The 18-year-old, who has Filipino parents, is currently second-choice goalkeeper in the club but was thrust into the spotlight after PSG's new shotstopper, Nicolas Douchez, was injured.
FIFA.com confirmed Friday that Douchez remains sidelined by his ankle injury and is unavailable for the Saturday clash, which will allow the teenager Areola to make his French Ligue 1 debut.
The Clairefontaine-trained Areola had an impressive pre-season with PSG, notching clean sheets in the team's wins over other clubs such Italian side AS Roma (3-0) and Argentinian giants Boca Juniors (3-0).
Although Areola also has played for France's national youth football teams, the 6'2" wonderkid has the choice to play for the Philippine Azkals, as long as he is not yet capped for the French senior team, according to FIFA rules.
Read more: Alphonse Areola: Azkals or Les Bleus?
PSG has offered to extend the youngster's contract to until 2015, even as Areola is allegedly a transfer target for English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
PSG are being tipped as one of the title favorites in the French top league in the coming season.
The club was recently bought by Qatar Sports Investments, which has brought in cash and 7 new players including the 42-million-euro Argentinian playmaker Javier Pastore.
MANILA, Philippines - A fast-rising goalkeeper being eyed by the Philippine Azkals as their next marquee player could become the first Filipino to see action in the French top flight football.
Alphonse Areola, who was tagged by Azkals manager Dan Palami as one of the team's possible future members, is expected to be named on Paris St. Germain's (PSG) starting XI when they face Lorient in their season-opening home match Saturday.
The 18-year-old, who has Filipino parents, is currently second-choice goalkeeper in the club but was thrust into the spotlight after PSG's new shotstopper, Nicolas Douchez, was injured.
FIFA.com confirmed Friday that Douchez remains sidelined by his ankle injury and is unavailable for the Saturday clash, which will allow the teenager Areola to make his French Ligue 1 debut.
The Clairefontaine-trained Areola had an impressive pre-season with PSG, notching clean sheets in the team's wins over other clubs such Italian side AS Roma (3-0) and Argentinian giants Boca Juniors (3-0).
Although Areola also has played for France's national youth football teams, the 6'2" wonderkid has the choice to play for the Philippine Azkals, as long as he is not yet capped for the French senior team, according to FIFA rules.
Read more: Alphonse Areola: Azkals or Les Bleus?
PSG has offered to extend the youngster's contract to until 2015, even as Areola is allegedly a transfer target for English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
PSG are being tipped as one of the title favorites in the French top league in the coming season.
The club was recently bought by Qatar Sports Investments, which has brought in cash and 7 new players including the 42-million-euro Argentinian playmaker Javier Pastore.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
PHL drops to 162 in FIFA rankings on eve of Azkals match against Kuwait
By Earl Victor Rosero with Renee Fopalan - GMA News
On the eve of the toughest match of the men's national football team, the Philippines saw its FIFA World Ranking slip three rungs to 162 from 159 based on the tally released on Wednesday.
The latest tally included the result of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) match where the Philippines suffered a 3-0 defeat to Kuwait, which climbed seven notches to 95th from 102nd in the ranking. The highest ranking Kuwait ever reached was 24th in 1998.
A comparison of the rankings of Kuwait and the Philippines over the past six months showed the Al-Azraq on a slightly rising path while the Azkals slightly lost ground, while picking up 12 FIFA points.
The Philippines' current rank is also partly the result of gains other countries made in recent tournaments. Bahamas moved up 45 places to 152. Maldives, with a population of only about 300,000 is at 160. Mongolia rose 16 places to 163 and Aruba advanced 32 spots to 168.
Kuwait respects Azkals
Rick Olivares, media officer of the WCQ local organizing committee, who was in Kuwait to witness that away match at the Qadsia Club Stadium, said some fans of the Al-Azraq expected a much worse outcome, like a 10-0 win, against the Philippine team.
Goran Tefugdzic, coach of the Kuwait side, said at the pre-match news conference Wednesday at the Rizal stadium, that coming from Sunday's match he now has "respect for the Filipino team."
The Serbian coach had acknowledged back in Kuwait that the Philippine Azkals exploited gaps in the formation of the Al-Azraq in the early part of the Round 2 WCQ match.
Olivares added some of the respect Kuwaitis have for the Azkals is partly the result of the strong support Filipino expatriates showed at the Qadsia Stadium. He said that "conservatively" 65 percent of the some 26,000 people who packed the venue were Filipinos.
Olivares recalled the goosebumps he felt when those thousands of Filipinos sung the Philippine national anthem in unison.
Reality bites
Azkals coach Michael Weiss acknowledged that they were "punished" for some lapses against the more experienced Al-Azraq, but he promised that Thursday's second duel with Kuwait will be different with the return of team captain Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock.
Weiss expects Borromeo to give stability to the backline and Schrock to create opportunities with his "pro-active" offense. Schrock is a second division Bundesliga midfielder in Germany while Borromeo is a veteran member of the national team.
The German coach had glowing praise for Neil Etheridge although the ball went past him and into the goal three times. Weiss recalled Kuwait's "unusual" second goal and admitted that the Azkals were "tired" by the time the Al-Azraq dealt the third blow.
Weiss again appealed for understanding and said he is open to criticism, which he got a lot of during and after the away match in Kuwait.
He got some of it in the form of a question about whether he will consider sending in substitutes so fresh legs can match up against the Al-Azraq. Weiss said it will depend on how Thursday's match develops.
Weiss explained that it will take years for the Philippine team to reach the level Kuwait is at now. He assured that the Azkals' morale is high and "they get along very well."
Weiss has said whatever the outcome Thursday, the Azkals will prepare for more international matches in the months ahead.
The Azkals have never made it this far in a World Cup cycle while Kuwait has played in the main draw of the FIFA World Cup, qualifying in the 1982 edition in Spain.
The Azkals won their eight home games since 2006 while Kuwait has won its last eight matches.
Rain falls on Rizal stadium
"The main storm will be at kick-off," Azkals captain Aly Borromeo said alluding to the intensity the team intends to bring onto the pitch against Kuwait.
"I did take some notes," Borromeo said, referring to his having to sit at the grandstand to observe the away match because he had to serve the one-game suspension he got from Round 1 of the WCQ.
Borromeo said the perspective he got will certainly influence how he will play Thursday night.
The stormy weather that has battered Metro Manila has been one of the top-of-mind concerns of the competing teams, their fans and the media who will cover the Round 2 WCQ match.
Olivares said that the referee coordinator and the match commissioner will decide on the condition of the pitch. "If the match will be abandoned, it will be played the next day."
The Al-Azraq's coach discounted the weather factor. He said his team is familiar with downpours. "We have two to three months of rain in Kuwait," said Tefugdzic.
No more tickets, raincoat advisory
Olivares said no more tickets will be available because they are all sold out. Some fans said on Facebook said they will just watch the game on television.
For the lucky ones who got the coveted tickets, the WCQ local organizing committee stressed that "no umbrellas will be allowed inside" the stadium during the game.
To avoid getting drenched again, Olivares said spectators ought to bring raincoats when they troop to the Rizal stadium Thursday.
Last July 3, thousands of Azkals fans seated in the bleachers sections got soaked when passing dark clouds dumped rain during the match between national teams of the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Both umbrellas and laser pens are on the list of banned items at football matches. The complete list is on the website of the PFF ticket retailer, TicketWorld.
On the eve of the toughest match of the men's national football team, the Philippines saw its FIFA World Ranking slip three rungs to 162 from 159 based on the tally released on Wednesday.
The latest tally included the result of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) match where the Philippines suffered a 3-0 defeat to Kuwait, which climbed seven notches to 95th from 102nd in the ranking. The highest ranking Kuwait ever reached was 24th in 1998.
A comparison of the rankings of Kuwait and the Philippines over the past six months showed the Al-Azraq on a slightly rising path while the Azkals slightly lost ground, while picking up 12 FIFA points.
The Philippines' current rank is also partly the result of gains other countries made in recent tournaments. Bahamas moved up 45 places to 152. Maldives, with a population of only about 300,000 is at 160. Mongolia rose 16 places to 163 and Aruba advanced 32 spots to 168.
Kuwait respects Azkals
Rick Olivares, media officer of the WCQ local organizing committee, who was in Kuwait to witness that away match at the Qadsia Club Stadium, said some fans of the Al-Azraq expected a much worse outcome, like a 10-0 win, against the Philippine team.
Goran Tefugdzic, coach of the Kuwait side, said at the pre-match news conference Wednesday at the Rizal stadium, that coming from Sunday's match he now has "respect for the Filipino team."
The Serbian coach had acknowledged back in Kuwait that the Philippine Azkals exploited gaps in the formation of the Al-Azraq in the early part of the Round 2 WCQ match.
Olivares added some of the respect Kuwaitis have for the Azkals is partly the result of the strong support Filipino expatriates showed at the Qadsia Stadium. He said that "conservatively" 65 percent of the some 26,000 people who packed the venue were Filipinos.
Olivares recalled the goosebumps he felt when those thousands of Filipinos sung the Philippine national anthem in unison.
Reality bites
Azkals coach Michael Weiss acknowledged that they were "punished" for some lapses against the more experienced Al-Azraq, but he promised that Thursday's second duel with Kuwait will be different with the return of team captain Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock.
Weiss expects Borromeo to give stability to the backline and Schrock to create opportunities with his "pro-active" offense. Schrock is a second division Bundesliga midfielder in Germany while Borromeo is a veteran member of the national team.
The German coach had glowing praise for Neil Etheridge although the ball went past him and into the goal three times. Weiss recalled Kuwait's "unusual" second goal and admitted that the Azkals were "tired" by the time the Al-Azraq dealt the third blow.
Weiss again appealed for understanding and said he is open to criticism, which he got a lot of during and after the away match in Kuwait.
He got some of it in the form of a question about whether he will consider sending in substitutes so fresh legs can match up against the Al-Azraq. Weiss said it will depend on how Thursday's match develops.
Weiss explained that it will take years for the Philippine team to reach the level Kuwait is at now. He assured that the Azkals' morale is high and "they get along very well."
Weiss has said whatever the outcome Thursday, the Azkals will prepare for more international matches in the months ahead.
The Azkals have never made it this far in a World Cup cycle while Kuwait has played in the main draw of the FIFA World Cup, qualifying in the 1982 edition in Spain.
The Azkals won their eight home games since 2006 while Kuwait has won its last eight matches.
Rain falls on Rizal stadium
"The main storm will be at kick-off," Azkals captain Aly Borromeo said alluding to the intensity the team intends to bring onto the pitch against Kuwait.
"I did take some notes," Borromeo said, referring to his having to sit at the grandstand to observe the away match because he had to serve the one-game suspension he got from Round 1 of the WCQ.
Borromeo said the perspective he got will certainly influence how he will play Thursday night.
The stormy weather that has battered Metro Manila has been one of the top-of-mind concerns of the competing teams, their fans and the media who will cover the Round 2 WCQ match.
Olivares said that the referee coordinator and the match commissioner will decide on the condition of the pitch. "If the match will be abandoned, it will be played the next day."
The Al-Azraq's coach discounted the weather factor. He said his team is familiar with downpours. "We have two to three months of rain in Kuwait," said Tefugdzic.
No more tickets, raincoat advisory
Olivares said no more tickets will be available because they are all sold out. Some fans said on Facebook said they will just watch the game on television.
For the lucky ones who got the coveted tickets, the WCQ local organizing committee stressed that "no umbrellas will be allowed inside" the stadium during the game.
To avoid getting drenched again, Olivares said spectators ought to bring raincoats when they troop to the Rizal stadium Thursday.
Last July 3, thousands of Azkals fans seated in the bleachers sections got soaked when passing dark clouds dumped rain during the match between national teams of the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Both umbrellas and laser pens are on the list of banned items at football matches. The complete list is on the website of the PFF ticket retailer, TicketWorld.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Asian World Cup qualifier result
Agence France-Presse
HONG KONG—First-leg results from round two of Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup on Saturday:
In Kunming
China 7 (Yang Xu 45+2, 54, 73, Chen Tao 52, 88, Hao Junmin 81, 90+1-pen) Laos 2 (Soukaphone Vongchiengkham 5, Visay Phaphouvanin 31)
In Buriram
Thailand 1 (Kaewprom Jakkaphan 18) Palestine 0
In Singapore
Singapore 5 (Aleksander Duric 8, 81, Qiu Li 22, Mustafic Fahrudin 44, Shi Jiayi 45+1) Malaysia 3 (Mohd Safee Bin Mond Sali 1, 71, Abdul Hadi Bin Yahaya 70)
In Beirut
Lebanon 4 (Hassan Maatouk 16, Mahmoud El Ali 27, Ali Al Saadi 55, Tarek El Ali 64) Bangladesh 0
In Ashkhabad
Turkmenistan 1 (Krendelev Vyaceslav 12) Indonesia 1 (Muhammad Ilham 30)
In Tashkent
Uzbekistan 4 (Geynrikh Alexander 28, Bikmaev Marat 48, Djeparov Server 55, Bakaev Ulugbek 90+2) Kyrgyzstan 0
In Arbil
Iraq 2 (Hawar Mulla Mohammed 9, Azam Abdul Kharra 63) Yemen 0
In Tehran
Iran 4 (Karim Ansari Fard 4, Mohammad Reza Khalatbari Limaki 62, Ali Karimi 67, Saeid Daghighi Masouleh 87) Maldives 0
In Amman
Syria 2 (George Mourad 45+1, Raja Rafe 77) Tajikistan 1 (Saidov Kamil 47)
In Amman
Jordan 9 (Hasan Abdel Mahmoud 10, 74, 82, 90+3, Amer Deeb 23, 57, Ahmad Hayel 32, 68, Abdullah Deeb 45+1) Nepal 0
In Kuwait City
Kuwait 3 (Yousef Al Sulaiman 16, Mesaed Al Enezi 68, Fahad Al Ebrahim 84) Philippines 0
In Muscat
Oman 2 (Amad Ali 22, Ismail Al Ajmi 79) Myanmar 0
In Doha
Qatar 3 (Mohamed Kasoula 6, Meshel Mubarak 51, Yousef Ahmad Ali 68) Vietnam 0
In Al Ain
United Arab Emirates 3 (Ismail Hamdan 21-pen, Mohamed Al Shehhi 29-pen, Ismail Al Hammadi 82) India 0
HONG KONG—First-leg results from round two of Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup on Saturday:
In Kunming
China 7 (Yang Xu 45+2, 54, 73, Chen Tao 52, 88, Hao Junmin 81, 90+1-pen) Laos 2 (Soukaphone Vongchiengkham 5, Visay Phaphouvanin 31)
In Buriram
Thailand 1 (Kaewprom Jakkaphan 18) Palestine 0
In Singapore
Singapore 5 (Aleksander Duric 8, 81, Qiu Li 22, Mustafic Fahrudin 44, Shi Jiayi 45+1) Malaysia 3 (Mohd Safee Bin Mond Sali 1, 71, Abdul Hadi Bin Yahaya 70)
In Beirut
Lebanon 4 (Hassan Maatouk 16, Mahmoud El Ali 27, Ali Al Saadi 55, Tarek El Ali 64) Bangladesh 0
In Ashkhabad
Turkmenistan 1 (Krendelev Vyaceslav 12) Indonesia 1 (Muhammad Ilham 30)
In Tashkent
Uzbekistan 4 (Geynrikh Alexander 28, Bikmaev Marat 48, Djeparov Server 55, Bakaev Ulugbek 90+2) Kyrgyzstan 0
In Arbil
Iraq 2 (Hawar Mulla Mohammed 9, Azam Abdul Kharra 63) Yemen 0
In Tehran
Iran 4 (Karim Ansari Fard 4, Mohammad Reza Khalatbari Limaki 62, Ali Karimi 67, Saeid Daghighi Masouleh 87) Maldives 0
In Amman
Syria 2 (George Mourad 45+1, Raja Rafe 77) Tajikistan 1 (Saidov Kamil 47)
In Amman
Jordan 9 (Hasan Abdel Mahmoud 10, 74, 82, 90+3, Amer Deeb 23, 57, Ahmad Hayel 32, 68, Abdullah Deeb 45+1) Nepal 0
In Kuwait City
Kuwait 3 (Yousef Al Sulaiman 16, Mesaed Al Enezi 68, Fahad Al Ebrahim 84) Philippines 0
In Muscat
Oman 2 (Amad Ali 22, Ismail Al Ajmi 79) Myanmar 0
In Doha
Qatar 3 (Mohamed Kasoula 6, Meshel Mubarak 51, Yousef Ahmad Ali 68) Vietnam 0
In Al Ain
United Arab Emirates 3 (Ismail Hamdan 21-pen, Mohamed Al Shehhi 29-pen, Ismail Al Hammadi 82) India 0
FIFA: Azkals Borromeo, Schrock will not play in away match vs Kuwait
EVR/RAF/OMG, GMA News
FIFA officially barred Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock from playing against Kuwait in the 2014 World Cup qualifying match this Sunday (Manila time).
The football world-governing body rendered its decision against Borromeo and Schrock despite the Asian Football Federation's (AFC) recommendation to let the Filipinos play.
Borromeo, via his Twitter account, said: "Disheartening news for me that I can't be on the pitch with the boys tomorrow.. But I trust the boys will step up and represent!"
The AFC, through its General Secretary Alex Soosay, sent a letter to FIFA Legal Affairs Director Marco Villiger dated July 18, 2011, recommending that the cautions (yellow cards) dealt to Borromeo and Schrock be cancelled. This was done by the AFC as a response to the Philippine Football Federation's (PFF) appeal based on Article 37 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code:
1. Upon its own initiative or at the request of a confederation, the Disciplinary Committee may cancel cautions that have not resulted in an expulsion so as to restore the balance among several teams that have not played the same number of matches during the first round of a competition, or in other exceptional circumstances.
2. In any case, the committee may do this only once in any competition.
3. The Disciplinary Committee’s decision is final.
The PFF hoped that the football governing bodies would let the two Filipinos play "in the spirit of fair play", given Kuwait is ranked 102nd to the Philippines' 159th.
The decision came Friday, in a letter sent by AFC General Secretary Alex Soosay to Ramon Manuel, General Secretary of the PFF. The letter states:
"Kindly be informed that we were adviced by FIFA to which we agree that Article 37 of the FDC applied only to cautions that have not resulted in an expulsion. Your request however is in regards to the following players; Alexander Borromeo and Stephan Schrock who had received two cautions in two different matches in the first round of the said Qualifiers (against Sri Lanka on 29 June 2011 and 03 July 2011 respectively). This warrants an automatic suspension for the match against Kuwait on 23 July 2011. FIFA had sent out the confirmation letter to your good Federation informing the suspension of the two above-mentioned players.
Therefore Article 37 of the FDC is not applicable in the instant case. As such the two cautions received by each of the above-mentioned players cannot be cancelled and they are suspended for the match against Kuwait on 23 July 2011."
"Unfortunately, we did not get the result we desired. Nevertheless, our team will continue to fight to win and represent the country in a way that will make us all proud to be Filipinos," said Philippine Football Federation Treasurer Bonnie Ladrido.
Borromeo's absence means Chieffy Caligdong will act as captain. Possible replacements are Ray Jonsson, Manuel Ott and Jason de Jong, according to Borromeo. --
FIFA officially barred Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock from playing against Kuwait in the 2014 World Cup qualifying match this Sunday (Manila time).
The football world-governing body rendered its decision against Borromeo and Schrock despite the Asian Football Federation's (AFC) recommendation to let the Filipinos play.
Borromeo, via his Twitter account, said: "Disheartening news for me that I can't be on the pitch with the boys tomorrow.. But I trust the boys will step up and represent!"
The AFC, through its General Secretary Alex Soosay, sent a letter to FIFA Legal Affairs Director Marco Villiger dated July 18, 2011, recommending that the cautions (yellow cards) dealt to Borromeo and Schrock be cancelled. This was done by the AFC as a response to the Philippine Football Federation's (PFF) appeal based on Article 37 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code:
1. Upon its own initiative or at the request of a confederation, the Disciplinary Committee may cancel cautions that have not resulted in an expulsion so as to restore the balance among several teams that have not played the same number of matches during the first round of a competition, or in other exceptional circumstances.
2. In any case, the committee may do this only once in any competition.
3. The Disciplinary Committee’s decision is final.
The PFF hoped that the football governing bodies would let the two Filipinos play "in the spirit of fair play", given Kuwait is ranked 102nd to the Philippines' 159th.
The decision came Friday, in a letter sent by AFC General Secretary Alex Soosay to Ramon Manuel, General Secretary of the PFF. The letter states:
"Kindly be informed that we were adviced by FIFA to which we agree that Article 37 of the FDC applied only to cautions that have not resulted in an expulsion. Your request however is in regards to the following players; Alexander Borromeo and Stephan Schrock who had received two cautions in two different matches in the first round of the said Qualifiers (against Sri Lanka on 29 June 2011 and 03 July 2011 respectively). This warrants an automatic suspension for the match against Kuwait on 23 July 2011. FIFA had sent out the confirmation letter to your good Federation informing the suspension of the two above-mentioned players.
Therefore Article 37 of the FDC is not applicable in the instant case. As such the two cautions received by each of the above-mentioned players cannot be cancelled and they are suspended for the match against Kuwait on 23 July 2011."
"Unfortunately, we did not get the result we desired. Nevertheless, our team will continue to fight to win and represent the country in a way that will make us all proud to be Filipinos," said Philippine Football Federation Treasurer Bonnie Ladrido.
Borromeo's absence means Chieffy Caligdong will act as captain. Possible replacements are Ray Jonsson, Manuel Ott and Jason de Jong, according to Borromeo. --
Thursday, July 21, 2011
2 suspended Azkals may get to play vs Kuwait
With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
AFC requests FIFA to rescind Azkals' suspensions
MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – The Philippine Azkals received some good news amid their arrival in Kuwait, as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has requested FIFA to rescind the suspensions of team captain Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock.
"Pursuant to Article 37 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code governing the cancellation of caution, AFC would like to request to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to cancel the aforesaid cautions that were received by the said players," said AFC General Secretary Alex Soosay in a letter addressed to FIFA Director of Legal Affairs Marco Villiger.
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Nonong Araneta said that while Borromeo and Schrock have not yet been cleared to play by FIFA, the endorsement showed that AFC is supporting PFF's request.
“At least the AFC is supporting us,” Araneta said.
Araneta explained that the PFF initially wrote AFC to ask them to allow Borromeo and Schrock to play. But AFC advised them to write to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
Upon writing to FIFA, the PFF was informed that their request will have to be endorsed by AFC.
“We wrote to AFC and they wrote an appeal to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to lift the sanction,” Araneta said. “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will make the final decision.”
Azkals now in Kuwait
After 2 practice games in Bahrain, the Azkals arrived in Kuwait on Wednesday for the 1st leg of their 2nd round World Cup Qualifier.
The Azkals will play the Kuwaiti team, the Al-Azraq, on Saturday, but they arrived in the Middle East early to acclimate themselves to the intense heat.
Despite losing both tune-up games against Bahrain’s Under-23 Olympic team, the Azkals were able to prepare for their upcoming match against Kuwait.
"Gagawin namin lahat, hindi kami basta-basta magpapatalo," said Azkals co-captain Chieffy Caligdong. "Kailangan ipakita natin sa kanila na iba yung football sa Pilipinas."
The team is still not yet complete as Neil Etheridge and Ray Johnsson have yet to arrive in Kuwait. Defender Rob Gier arrived Wednesday morning.
But Paul Mulders and Jerry Lucena will also be unable to play in the 1st leg.
Team manager Dan Palami has also expressed his gratitude to the Filipino fans who have come out to support the Azkals.
"Nagpapasalamat kami sa pinakikitang suporta ng mga kababayan natin, first in Bahrain and then in Kuwait," said Palami.
AFC requests FIFA to rescind Azkals' suspensions
MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – The Philippine Azkals received some good news amid their arrival in Kuwait, as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has requested FIFA to rescind the suspensions of team captain Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock.
"Pursuant to Article 37 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code governing the cancellation of caution, AFC would like to request to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to cancel the aforesaid cautions that were received by the said players," said AFC General Secretary Alex Soosay in a letter addressed to FIFA Director of Legal Affairs Marco Villiger.
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Nonong Araneta said that while Borromeo and Schrock have not yet been cleared to play by FIFA, the endorsement showed that AFC is supporting PFF's request.
“At least the AFC is supporting us,” Araneta said.
Araneta explained that the PFF initially wrote AFC to ask them to allow Borromeo and Schrock to play. But AFC advised them to write to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
Upon writing to FIFA, the PFF was informed that their request will have to be endorsed by AFC.
“We wrote to AFC and they wrote an appeal to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to lift the sanction,” Araneta said. “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will make the final decision.”
Azkals now in Kuwait
After 2 practice games in Bahrain, the Azkals arrived in Kuwait on Wednesday for the 1st leg of their 2nd round World Cup Qualifier.
The Azkals will play the Kuwaiti team, the Al-Azraq, on Saturday, but they arrived in the Middle East early to acclimate themselves to the intense heat.
Despite losing both tune-up games against Bahrain’s Under-23 Olympic team, the Azkals were able to prepare for their upcoming match against Kuwait.
"Gagawin namin lahat, hindi kami basta-basta magpapatalo," said Azkals co-captain Chieffy Caligdong. "Kailangan ipakita natin sa kanila na iba yung football sa Pilipinas."
The team is still not yet complete as Neil Etheridge and Ray Johnsson have yet to arrive in Kuwait. Defender Rob Gier arrived Wednesday morning.
But Paul Mulders and Jerry Lucena will also be unable to play in the 1st leg.
Team manager Dan Palami has also expressed his gratitude to the Filipino fans who have come out to support the Azkals.
"Nagpapasalamat kami sa pinakikitang suporta ng mga kababayan natin, first in Bahrain and then in Kuwait," said Palami.
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.
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