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.
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.
Middle East teams dominated Round 2 of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers in matches all over Asia Thursday including the Philippine Azkals' home game versus Kuwait, who have marked the Filipinos as a future football powerhouse in Asia.
Of the 15 Asian contingents that advanced to Round 3, 10 were West Asian countries. China leads the pack of 15 with a 13-3 aggregate score against Laos. Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore are the Southeast Asian countries that also moved forward into Round 3.
Coach Goran Tufegdzic and other officials of the Kuwaiti side were gracious victors at the post-match news conference. They said, judging by the "very good team" who foiled most of their goal attempts throughout the match, the Philippines will be "one of the top ten teams in Asia" in decades.
But Azkals coach Michael Weiss, undaunted after the loss, said the Philippines can be "a contender for the World Cup" in just four years with intensive training and support from all sectors. He has charted out a path.
Weiss said the national team can bring home a medal from the Southeast Asian Games later this year, follow-through on earlier wins in the AFC Challenge Cup, and try to secure a berth to the Asian Cup.
Team manager Dan Palami told GMA News Online the Azkals will have little time to rest because some of the Europe-based players have matches there in the coming months, the rest of the team will also join more tournaments.
The Azkals will have tune-up matches with several of their country's neighbors prior to the SEA Games in November. In September, the Philippines will compete in the Long Teng Cup to be hosted by Taiwan. Other competing teams are Macau and Hongkong. In October, four Southeast Asian nations meet for the Manila Beer Cup.
Palami said the Azkals will try to sneak in some downtime so they can relax a bit, probably with an out-of-town trip.
Weiss said the team will likely return to Bahrain for more training. He said he will also return to Germany soon to scout for players and entice more sponsors. He also expects the Japan Football Association (JFA) to help the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).
World-class football
It is not everyday that a world-class match of football gets played on Philippine soil.
Kuwait showed their Filipino foes and Rizal stadium spectators their battle-honed, training-polished moves and physical conditioning befitting a team that is in the top 100 of the world ranking. Kuwait is 95th in the latest FIFA ranking.
Even when they lost midfielder Fahed Al Ebrahim, who got sent off with a red card in the 60th minute, Kuwait played like they were not one player short.
Though the Azkals got eliminated, they did display some flashes of brilliance, the brightest of which was that rocket Stephan Schrock launched many yards from the left flank of their attack. The solitary goal made the 13,000 spectators at the Rizal Stadium roar, jump for joy and send shock waves via television to viewers nationwide and fans following the match via Facebook and Twitter.
Co-captain Emelio "Chieffy" Caligdong and Phil Younghusband tried several times to punch through the Al-Azraq defense line. Team captain Aly Borromeo and Angel Guirado also came close but missed their chances.
All too often two, three or four opponents surrounded Caligdong and the younger Younghusband or blocked their path. At other instances, no teammate was at the receiving end of their passes for the finishing header or kick near the goal.
Weiss said the most crucial point, in his view, was Younghusband's attempt in the 52nd minute of the match. The German coach said if that had gone through, it would have changed the complexion of the match.
Guirado tried not to show it but he was obviously not at 100 percent fighting form. He was the first Weiss substituted, though late in the second half. Weiss sent Misagh Bahadoran in Guirado's stead. Weiss said Schrock was also trying to shake off some jet lag, having planed in from Germany only two days before.
It was apparent that part of the strategy of Kuwait was to slow down the pace of the match since they already had a three-goal cushion from their home game last July 23.
That buffer widened further at the 63rd minute when midfielder Yousef Naser sneaked in a goal and when another midfielder Walied Ali lured Neil Etheridge away from the goal so his shot could slip by. Ray Jonsson tried to keep that shot from going in but he was several steps behind.
Tectonic Shift
Before 2011, only the sports of boxing, billiards and basketball had the proven drawing power and wide public appeal in the Philippines.
Football has joined their ranks as evidenced by capacity crowds and sold out tickets in Bacolod last February, the last two matches in Manila and the away game at the Qadsia Stadium in Kuwait.
The tectonic shift began when the Azkals shocked Vietnam in the Suzuki Cup of the ASEAN Football Federation. Vietnam was the higher-ranked team and defending champion.
Coach Weiss said it is crucial that various sectors come together to sustain the momentum football now has in the Philippines. He stressed the importance of having good infrastructure and strengthening of the country's grassroots program for homegrown talents.
While that endeavor waits for fruitful harvests, Weiss, Palami and the PFF will scout the globe for foreign-based Filipino talents. Weiss said the national team needs young and fast players.
The Azkals coach said recent discovery OJ Porteria, who had some playing time in the Middle East, is "fantastic" and will be part of the team the PFF will send to the SEA Games.
The PFF has two boys' teams, the Teen Azkals and Little Azkals, and the Under-23 junior men's national team training pool. There are also two women's teams, christened the Malditas.
Unlike other football nations in Asia, the Philippines has yet to formulate its national vision and strategic plan for the "beautiful game." Palami said he has an "initial draft" tucked away that he will review soon. - JVP, GMA News
MANILA, Philippines - Its FIFA World Cup dream dashed for now, the Philippines shifts its aspirations to the next big competitions in the region – the Southeast Asian Games in November for the Under-23 team and the AFC Challenge Cup next year for the Azkals senior’s side.
Taking off from the Azkals’ breakthrough second-round stint in the World Cup Asian Qualifiers, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) looks to win a first-ever medal in the SEAG in Indonesia, setting training camps abroad to hone up the squad.
“Coach Michael Weiss has already submitted a program so we’ll just be going to discuss the budget. There will be two camps abroad for the U-23. One in the Middle East and if the situation in Japan has already normalized, then we want to go to Japan,” PFF president Nonong Araneta said.
Some of the younger Azkals like Jason de Jong, Simon Greatwich and Manuel Ott will reinforce the U-23 side, boosting Phl’s drive to break into the medal picture in men’s football for the very first time in the biennial meet.
“We will definitely vie, work for that medal. We have a good chance, we’ve a good team and I think with the camp that we’re planning, with the training we’re preparing, the team will go a long way,” said Araneta.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge of Fulham is eligible at age 21, but he’s non-committal for the SEAG campaign as of now.
“I’m not sure (if I’ll be available). I still have to check my schedule (in England),” said the Fil-Britisth Azkals star.
Weiss said he will bring some of the youngsters with the Azkals senior team when they compete in the Long Teng Cup in Kaohsiung, Taiwan Sept. 28-Oct. 6 “to test their readiness for the SEA Games.” After this, an intensive four-week training is up, highlighted by camps in Dubai and Bahrain.
The Long Teng will also start off the Azkals’ buildup for the AFC Challenge Cup from March 3-8, 2012. The winner qualifies for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup finals, Asia’s premiere football meet where reigning champ Japan and powerhouses Australia and South Korea are already seeded.
“The Azkals’ main forcus will be the AFC Challenge Cup eight months from now. We’ll be trying to go directly to the Asian Cup so for this one, we have to get all players ready,” said Weiss.
The Azkals will take a monthlong break after their 1-5 loss to fancied Kuwait in the World Cup prelims, including a 1-2 heartbreaker at the Rizal pitch.
“This is an achievement even if we lost twice to Kuwait,” Weiss said. “We’re in a growing process and the team can only learn from these experiences.”
There is no denying the immense pride that the Philippine Azkals have when they play for flag and country. Regardless of where they have grown up or come from, they are one in expressing their heartfelt desire to see the country’s success in international football, regardless of how people label them according to their heritage.
What most people don’t know is that many of the so-called Fil-foreign players only belatedly came to know about the national team of their motherland, and sought out the Philippine Football Federation, offering their services.
“When I found out about the Philippine national team, I sent them an e-mail, with my resume, if you will,” says 30-year old fullback Rob Gier, who was already an experienced pro in his early 20s. “Not to brag or anything, but I was playing at a good level in England, and would they be interested in having me? I actually wish I had found out when I was a spring chicken.”
“I didn’t even know the Philippines had a national team, to be honest,” admits United Football League All-Star Nate Burkey, who is now based in the Philippines and headed in the lone goal against Sri Lanka. “But when I heard about it, I wanted to play, no question. It was a good chance to follow my roots.”
For the Greatwich brothers, it was their grandmother’s funeral seven years ago that provided the impetus for the three brothers Cris, Phil and Simon to all join the Azkals in turn. Simon, the youngest of the three and part of the Philippine under-23 team, even takes public transportation to get around.
“It’s a great feeling to have all this support,” says midfielder Greatwich. “I think the fans in the Philippines are great, and they’re behind us, no matter what.”
One niggling little notion that the mixed-race players want to dispel is the feeling that they are “less Filipino” than their teammates who grew up in the country and labored in obscurity for years, or that there is a discrimination in the treatment between them. To a man, they are adamant about their identity.
“I don’t understand when people ask us how ‘Filipino’ we feel,” explains Gier, who is expecting his first child in five weeks. “The blood that runs through us runs through our “homegrown” teammates. Just because we were born in another place or grew up in a different country doesn’t make us less Filipino. We feel Filipino every second of our lives.”
After a two-week break, the work continues, as the Azkals prepare for two tournaments in the last quarter of the year. They will also play big brothers to a fired-up under-23 team, and gear up for a return bout in the Suzuki Cup and other major tournaments next year.
“I hope that in the future, we will be able to field a starting line-up that is half homegrown and half Fil-foreigners,” says TV commentator Bob Guerrero. “The seeds have been planted. This team has brought the game to a whole other level. They’re a great bunch of guys.”
Perhaps the most touching comment was made by Gier, who recalls the years when he started with the Azkals and “nobody cared” about the team. His statement carries a lot of weight considering the fact that he has tasted high-level soccer in Europe.
“It was an unbelievable feeling (against Kuwait) for the fans to be supporting us because of football, not because we were famous, or good-looking or anything,” Gier declares. “The goal against Singapore was my proudest moment as a footballer. But that was eclipsed when Schrocki (Stephan Schrock) scored that goal against Kuwait, for us to be going into the half up 1-nil – and we deserved to be up 1-nil – against a team that is ranked 70 places higher than us in the world is a tremendous achievement.”
For one fleeting moment, Filipino-German Stephan Schrock gave the Filipino nation something to celebrate and more reasons to continue believing in the Philippine national men's football team, despite the 1-2 loss (1-5 on aggregate) against Kuwait last night in the second leg of their second round World Cup Qualifying at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila .
Everyone who saw the match, those who watched it live in Rizal and those who were glued to their television sets, stood up in their seats and cheered as Schrock's powerful strike went inside the goal just before the referee whistled the end of the first half.
Twice beaten by the Kuwaitis and down by four goals on aggregate, the Azkals bidded their World Cup bid goodbye, at least for now.
The intense display of determination, much improved defense and exposure to high-level game fortified the Azkals for upcoming matches. The team is set to see action in the Long Teng Cup in Taipei this September against Hongkong, Macau , and host Chinese Taipei.
In last night's game, Kuwait showed its dominance with Al Sulaiman's equalizer in the 62 nd minute and Jumah's attack in the 84 th that resulted to an own-goal by Ray Johnnson.
The Kuwaitis controlled the tempo in the first half, getting two corners in the first four minutes but the Azkals aggressively defended their side and were awarded the early free kicks.
Phil Younghusband had an opportunity to score in the 15 th minute as he chase the ball down against Kuwaiti's defenders but his marker was anticipated by Al Khaldi.
Neil Etheridge also pulled off outstanding saves, deflecting Kuwait 's shots several times, including the one from Al Ataiqi in the 33 rd minute which he tipped onto the goal post.
Despite the loss, the Azkals' persistence and dogged defense strengthened the Filipinos faith in them as the overflowing crowd at the Rizal Stadium cheered them one even after the final whistle was blown.
“We believe signs” were seen in the bleachers as the fans gave the Azkals a standing ovation as they leave the pitch.*NAB
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals will fly to Bahrain on Friday to begin their acclimatization process for their away game against Kuwait.
The Philippine team hopes that a few days training in Bahrain will help them get used to the scorching heat in Kuwait, where temperatures can go as high as 45 degrees Celsius.
The Azkals will have 2 friendly games in Bahrain, which is also among Asia’s football powerhouses.
“I'm excited, I've never been there,” said Azkals’ Nate Burkey. “I'm curious to see the country, what it would be like. Just ready to get focused on this game.”
The team’s conditioning coach already prepared things that they would need to help the Azkals get used to the heat in the Middle East.
“We're preparing icebags, sprays and sunglasses.... lahat,” said Joseph Malinay, the Philippine team’s conditioning coach.
Filipino-foreigners who were not present during the first phase of the Azkals’ training, like Neil Etheridge, Ray Jonsson and Rob Gier, will join the squad in Bahrain.
Azkals midfielder Jason de Jong is hopeful that they can pull off an upset even in hostile territory.
“You’ll never know. The ball's round... the last time we went to Suzuki Cup, they said we cannot beat Vietnam, but we beat them 2-0. So you never know,” he said.
The Azkals' away game versus the Kuwaiti Al-Azraq (The Blue) will take place at the Mohammed Al Hamad Stadium, Hawalli on July 23.
This will be followed by the home game at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on July 28.
Kuwait is 102nd in the FIFA world rankings while the Philippines is 159th. – With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
