Philippine Football

[dxjayrock2008]

From mb.com.ph

To Azkals fans: Wear white shirts

By FRANCIS SANTIAGO
February 3, 2011, 7:24pm
MANILA, Philippines — Stand up, wear white and be counted as a Philippine Azkals fan.
To gather strong support for the Azkals who will be battling the Mongolians in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match on Feb. 9, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is enjoining the fans to wear white shirts.
PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said white will be the theme since the Azkals, beefed up by Fil-foreigners, will be donning white uniforms in the first of the home-and-away duel set at the 15,500-seater Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
Araneta, also the Iloilo Football Association head, said the unity in colors will play a great factor in the match just like when
Brazilian fans wear yellow or Japanese fans wear blue in World Cup matches.
“Seeing a sea of fans in white will certainly fire up our players,” said Araneta, a former national player from University of the Philippines Iloilo.
Following the Azkals’ amazing semifinal finish in the AFF Suzuki Cup last Dec., the popularity of the sport and the team zoomed to unprecedented heights, making next week’s match a sure-fire blockbuster.
“It (the match) could be our biggest crowd in the history of Philippine football,” said Araneta, adding that the tickets, 10,000 of which are free of charge, will be available for distribution today.
Meanwhile, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia said preparations are on track for the match, saying locker rooms and shower stalls have already been repaired, and the field is ready and currently being used for training.
At presstime, around 1,200 lights are being transferred from the Paglaum Stadium to Panaad Stadium to make the venue fit for international standards.
People in Bacolod are also in festive mood for the upcoming match, with students swarming the Azkals even inside the hotels after practice, Azkals asst. coach Edzel Bracamonte said.
The Mongolians are set to arrive on Monday. —With a report from Kristel Satumbaga

[dxjayrock2008]

Thursday, February 3, 2011

PFF to meet JFA amidst wellspring of support

This appears in the Friday February 4, 2010 edition of the Business Mirror.

PFF to meet JFA amidst wellspring of support
by rick olivares

The pace of life in the Philippine Football Federation nowadays resembles the frenetic pace of the beautiful game. There’s a method to the madness and craziness of these days. But to PFF President Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, he wouldn’t have it any other way.


It is always better to be busy than not at all,” he smiled behind his desk at the PFF office.


This Saturday, Araneta along with the PFF’s General Secretary Chito Manuel, and Grassroots Development head Richard Montayre of Cebu will meet with Joel Lopa of Tao Chemicals and Tsuyoshi Kitazawa of the Japan Football Federation to discuss the JFA’s participation in the grassroots development of the Philippines.


In Kitazawa’s 14-year career, he scored 55 goals while playing for Honda, Yomiuri, Verdy Kawasaki, and Tokyo Verdy 1969. He also notched 58 international caps while scoring thrice. The JFA pledged US $20,000 to help organize the PFF’s grassroots program.


“We saw how Japan recently won in the Asian Cup,” said Manuel. “Malayo na rin ang narating nila sa international competitions. In a recently friendly match with Japan’s Under-16 team and the Philippines, their players ran rings around us. Iba yung skill level. So they are doing something right with their football program and we are only glad for their assistance.”


The Land of the Rising Sun isn’t the only country helping out. Araneta also confirmed that Bahrain has offered the use of its facilities for football camps for the national team use.


Aside from the upcoming February 9 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup match with Mongolia in Panaad, Bacolod, and the PFF leadership are looking to get started on that field that will be put up Tambo, Paranaque on 4.5-hectare area that will be leased for 25 years to the PFF by Mike Velarde of the El Shaddai Movement. “It is a very generous offer considering it is rent free,” beamed Araneta.


The field, which is an initiative of the FIFA Goal Project that already provided the PFF House of Football in Oranbo, Pasig City, also provides for the construction of a technical facility that is on par with international football standards. The field will make use of artificial turf while the grounds will house an office space as well as a dormitory for players.


“A facility like that will be of big help for our national teams. We are also looking to expand the Panaad pitch with the help of the Philippine Sports Commission,” revealed Araneta on the subject of the proposed football stadium. “Of course we are also at the Manila facilities such as the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium which can be fully renovated for international standards. There’s a lot of work and there are costs. Fortunately for us, it is a good time for football as there is money pouring in. Before we had all these projects but not enough money to implement them. Now, we have a chance to significantly improve the quality of our game and international standing in FIFA as well as the region.”


The PFF President also disclosed the Smart Communications-sponsored National Club Championship where teams from all over the country will battle it out for the eight slots (two each from Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao-National Capital Region) in tournament finals. “This should begin after the college football season and the finals will also be televised on ABC 5,” added Araneta who himself was a former national player. “There will also be the Under 16, Under-19, and Under-23 competitions. The latter is important because we will be forming a team to compete in the Southeast Asian Games later this year in Indonesia.”

Posted by Rick Olivares

[FilWelsh]

More Fil-foreign players join Team AzkalsComment| More |
Thursday, February 3, 2011
GEARED towards building a tougher and a powerhouse Philippine football squad to be a top contender in the Asian Region and in the world, four more Fil-foreign players are expected to suit up for the Azkals as the team draws closer to its battle against the Mongolian squad for the 2012 AFC-Challenge Cup qualifying match on February 9 at Panaad Stadium.


Team coordinating officer Patrick Ace Bright confirmed yesterday that Fil-Scottish siblings with roots from Cauayan, Negros Occidental, will be joining the Azkals, together with two other Filipino-Dutch booters in the upcoming AFC-sanctioned tournament.


Greet your friends and families this Sinulog season. Sun.Star covers Sinulog 2011 live!

James and Ryan Alonte Garrucho Hall, along with their Scottish father James Sr., are reportedly leaving England today and will arrive in the Manila tomorrow night to possibly join the Azkals this weekend.


The Hall siblings are the fourth and fifth children of James Sr. and Lori, a native of Cauayan town. The family, along with their eldest son Paul (28), Maria (25) and Maggie (23), who is an actress and model in London, left the province 18 years ago after Ryan's birth but often visit their hometown during holidays.


James, now 20, is playing as midfielder for Everton Football Club in the Premier League in England while Ryan, 18, is a right wing striker of Queen's Park Rangers FC after moving in last December from Preston North End. The contracts of the brothers with their respective teams expire this summer.


On the other hand, their father, James Sr., was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He is a retired professional football coach in Scotland.


Meanwhile, the two Fil-Dutch who are also expected to suit up for the national team are Jerry Ruben Lucena and Dennis Mengoy Cagara.


Thirty-year-old Lucena, son of a Filipino father and a Dane mother, plays as defender and midfielder of Aarhus Gymnastikforening (AGF) in Danish Superliga after moving from Esbjerg fB, where he scored 18 goals in 245 team matches.


On the other hand, Cagara was born in Glostrup, Netherlands to a Filipino father and a Danish mother. He plays as a left-sided defender at FC Nordsjælland.


Cagara started playing youth football at Brøndby IF where he was discovered and where he made his international debut playing for the Danish under-16 national team in November 2000.


He played full time at the 2002 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and went on to score five goals in 43 games for various Danish youth national teams until March 2006.


When he turned 18, he moved abroad to play for Hertha where he played the last eight games of Football-Bundesliga in the 2003/04 season.


However, Bright said that both Lucena and Caraga had to secure their Philippine passports to able to officially suit up for the Azkals while the Hall brothers are most likely to play for the March 15 scheduled second leg in Mongolia

links : http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/sp...in-team-azkals


Though James Hall is contracted with Everton FC, the club put him only in their Reserve team as he is lingering with injuries. While the younger Ryan actually played a single match for Queens Park Rangers in Championship league, the 2nd tier division of English football behind EPL. . . These Scots are really talented and a great addition to the growing bunch of Fil-foreign talents in Azkals training pool. . .

[donmar]

More Fil-foreign players join Team AzkalsComment| More |
Thursday, February 3, 2011
GEARED towards building a tougher and a powerhouse Philippine football squad to be a top contender in the Asian Region and in the world, four more Fil-foreign players are expected to suit up for the Azkals as the team draws closer to its battle against the Mongolian squad for the 2012 AFC-Challenge Cup qualifying match on February 9 at Panaad Stadium.


Team coordinating officer Patrick Ace Bright confirmed yesterday that Fil-Scottish siblings with roots from Cauayan, Negros Occidental, will be joining the Azkals, together with two other Filipino-Dutch booters in the upcoming AFC-sanctioned tournament.


Greet your friends and families this Sinulog season. Sun.Star covers Sinulog 2011 live!

James and Ryan Alonte Garrucho Hall, along with their Scottish father James Sr., are reportedly leaving England today and will arrive in the Manila tomorrow night to possibly join the Azkals this weekend.


The Hall siblings are the fourth and fifth children of James Sr. and Lori, a native of Cauayan town. The family, along with their eldest son Paul (28), Maria (25) and Maggie (23), who is an actress and model in London, left the province 18 years ago after Ryan's birth but often visit their hometown during holidays.


James, now 20, is playing as midfielder for Everton Football Club in the Premier League in England while Ryan, 18, is a right wing striker of Queen's Park Rangers FC after moving in last December from Preston North End. The contracts of the brothers with their respective teams expire this summer.


On the other hand, their father, James Sr., was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He is a retired professional football coach in Scotland.


Meanwhile, the two Fil-Dutch who are also expected to suit up for the national team are Jerry Ruben Lucena and Dennis Mengoy Cagara.


Thirty-year-old Lucena, son of a Filipino father and a Dane mother, plays as defender and midfielder of Aarhus Gymnastikforening (AGF) in Danish Superliga after moving from Esbjerg fB, where he scored 18 goals in 245 team matches.


On the other hand, Cagara was born in Glostrup, Netherlands to a Filipino father and a Danish mother. He plays as a left-sided defender at FC Nordsjælland.


Cagara started playing youth football at Brøndby IF where he was discovered and where he made his international debut playing for the Danish under-16 national team in November 2000.


He played full time at the 2002 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and went on to score five goals in 43 games for various Danish youth national teams until March 2006.


When he turned 18, he moved abroad to play for Hertha where he played the last eight games of Football-Bundesliga in the 2003/04 season.


However, Bright said that both Lucena and Caraga had to secure their Philippine passports to able to officially suit up for the Azkals while the Hall brothers are most likely to play for the March 15 scheduled second leg in Mongolia

links : http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/sp...in-team-azkals


Though James Hall is contracted with Everton FC, the club put him only in their Reserve team as he is lingering with injuries. While the younger Ryan actually played a single match for Queens Park Rangers in Championship league, the 2nd tier division of English football behind EPL. . . These Scots are really talented and a great addition to the growing bunch of Fil-foreign talents in Azkals training pool. . .

I've been waiting for James Hall to join the Azkals for about two years now... he got better chances to crack Everton's First Team and play in EPL than Etheridge in Fulham (simply because of the position.. goalies doesn't get replace or injure in the middle of the match)... this is great news indeed...

[b3lowzro]

Cagara and Lucena ain't Dutch, they're freaking Danish!!!

I always wondered why James Hall couldn't fly in for our team.

in other news

[RFM]

Azkals coach says no to superstars

By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star) Updated February 05, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (16)


Michael Weiss
| Zoom BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Philippine national football team coach Michael Weiss said yesterday he won’t waste time dealing with players demanding money and acting like superstars as the Azkals continue their twice-a-day workouts in preparation for the Feb. 9 opener of a home-and-away Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifier against Mongolia at the Panaad Stadium here.

“They can stay where they are,” said Weiss, referring to overseas Filipino or Fil-foreign players more interested in a contract than representing the country. “We’re inviting players who want to play for their country. It doesn’t matter if they’re half-Filipinos or full-Filipinos for as long as they’re Filipinos. It’s not right to distinguish a half-Filipino from a full-Filipino. I’m married to a Japanese woman. I wouldn’t like to refer to our children as half-Japanese or half-German.”

Weiss said the important thing is players on the national team respect each other for what they bring to the field. “The idea is to get everyone to play together as a unit,” said Weiss who was assigned here on a grant from the German Football Association. “We’ve got players coming from overseas with different backgrounds. They’re welcome to join. We’re opening the doors to players who can contribute. We’re a heterogeneous group but we’re learning to play as a team. We’re discovering new players like William Espinosa who’s from the local leagues. We want the best players who will be proud to represent the country.”

Weiss, 45, said he’s not inclined to recruit a naturalized player like a Christian Gonzales, a Uruguayan who plays for Indonesia. “I don’t think it will work to bring a foreigner into the national team,” he said. “Chemistry is critical and I’m not sure if there will be good chemistry if a foreigner comes to play for the national team.”

The other night, Weiss coached the Azkals to a 4-1 win over a Korean squad reinforced by two locals who are students of Central Philippine University in Iloilo City. West Negros’ Eduard Sacapano, 30, was the Azkals goalkeeper in place of Neil Etheridge who is expected to arrive from England tomorrow. The Azkals’ goals were scored by Simon Greatwich, Aly Borromeo, Ian Araneta and Espinosa. Korean Gyung Sik Choi slipped in a goal off Sacapano with a grounder to the deep right corner coming from the left flank as the linesmen ignored an off-side trap by Borromeo.

Hundreds of fans stormed the pitch in a mob scene to snap photos after the Azkals won and shrieking teen-aged girls waved adoringly at their idols, including Weiss, as the team sped away in a bus to the Luxur Hotel, the former Bacolod Convention Center. Azkalmania has swept the city like an epidemic.

An additional 300 lux capacity was installed for the match to bring up the level to 800 lux which was the lighting for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup matches in Vietnam last year. The lights were brought in from the nearby Paglaum Stadium, said Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Monico Puentevella who watched the match from the stands.

“We’re 60 to 70 percent ready,” said Weiss. “We still need some fine-tuning. We’re getting used to playing together, getting comfortable with each other and the stiff pitch. Success won’t come overnight. It takes a plan, a strategy, patience, money, support, hard work and many tears before we can move ahead. I’ve been in the country only three weeks and I like it. I’m here for two years. My goal is to take the team to top form for the 2012 Suzuki Cup.

We’ll go as far as we can in the Challenge Cup. I think we should be able to beat Mongolia and perhaps, finish in the best eight. I’m not sure about the World Cup qualifiers because that may be too soon. I’ll work with two teams, the other is the under-23 selection for the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia this year. I hope we’ll be competitive for the Southeast Asian Games and I’m told if we get even a bronze, it’ll be a big accomplishment.”

Weiss said it will take “brutal hard work” to even come close to the level of a Japan or Korea.

“Right now, I think we could be at the top of South Asia,” he said. “We’ll test our team against Middle East countries like Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates and see how we do against them in the coming months. Then, we’ll find out where we stand against other Asian countries. What the team needs is a clear tactical plan and an organizational set-up. It won’t do running in counters which is suicide football. The players are technically very good with a good understanding of the game. We have speed and I want to develop fast passes, big movements and switching positions to surprise opponents. I want an attacking team with a lot of speed. Our players are just getting used to practicing twice a day when before, it was twice a week which won’t get you very far. If the Philippines ever hopes to be like a Japan or Korea or even Bahrain, it will take a lot of time and effort. It will take putting up big football centers, maybe in six or seven years. But we’ve got to make the big first step now.”

Weiss said the signs are encouraging for the future. With the Azkals’ recent showing in the Suzuki Cup, they’ve become instant national heroes. “If President Aquino comes out to watch the team and show his support, it will inspire more Filipinos to follow and support us,” he said. “There’s a lot of hard work to do. I think what we need is not talk but action.”

Weiss coached the Rwanda under-17 team for four years and now the squad has matured to finish second in the African Cup. He was previously an assistant coach with the China under-20 selection and the Kyoto Purple Sanga in the Japanese league. Weiss, a sports science and management graduate of the University of Mainz, has served internships with Real Madrid, Arsenal, Kaiserslautern and River Plate.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=654618&publicationSubCategoryId=69

[donmar]

Azkals coach says no to superstars

By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star) Updated February 05, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (16)


Michael Weiss
| Zoom BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Philippine national football team coach Michael Weiss said yesterday he won’t waste time dealing with players demanding money and acting like superstars as the Azkals continue their twice-a-day workouts in preparation for the Feb. 9 opener of a home-and-away Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifier against Mongolia at the Panaad Stadium here.

“They can stay where they are,” said Weiss, referring to overseas Filipino or Fil-foreign players more interested in a contract than representing the country. “We’re inviting players who want to play for their country. It doesn’t matter if they’re half-Filipinos or full-Filipinos for as long as they’re Filipinos. It’s not right to distinguish a half-Filipino from a full-Filipino. I’m married to a Japanese woman. I wouldn’t like to refer to our children as half-Japanese or half-German.”

Weiss said the important thing is players on the national team respect each other for what they bring to the field. “The idea is to get everyone to play together as a unit,” said Weiss who was assigned here on a grant from the German Football Association. “We’ve got players coming from overseas with different backgrounds. They’re welcome to join. We’re opening the doors to players who can contribute. We’re a heterogeneous group but we’re learning to play as a team. We’re discovering new players like William Espinosa who’s from the local leagues. We want the best players who will be proud to represent the country.”

Weiss, 45, said he’s not inclined to recruit a naturalized player like a Christian Gonzales, a Uruguayan who plays for Indonesia. “I don’t think it will work to bring a foreigner into the national team,” he said. “Chemistry is critical and I’m not sure if there will be good chemistry if a foreigner comes to play for the national team.”

The other night, Weiss coached the Azkals to a 4-1 win over a Korean squad reinforced by two locals who are students of Central Philippine University in Iloilo City. West Negros’ Eduard Sacapano, 30, was the Azkals goalkeeper in place of Neil Etheridge who is expected to arrive from England tomorrow. The Azkals’ goals were scored by Simon Greatwich, Aly Borromeo, Ian Araneta and Espinosa. Korean Gyung Sik Choi slipped in a goal off Sacapano with a grounder to the deep right corner coming from the left flank as the linesmen ignored an off-side trap by Borromeo.

Hundreds of fans stormed the pitch in a mob scene to snap photos after the Azkals won and shrieking teen-aged girls waved adoringly at their idols, including Weiss, as the team sped away in a bus to the Luxur Hotel, the former Bacolod Convention Center. Azkalmania has swept the city like an epidemic.

An additional 300 lux capacity was installed for the match to bring up the level to 800 lux which was the lighting for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup matches in Vietnam last year. The lights were brought in from the nearby Paglaum Stadium, said Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Monico Puentevella who watched the match from the stands.

“We’re 60 to 70 percent ready,” said Weiss. “We still need some fine-tuning. We’re getting used to playing together, getting comfortable with each other and the stiff pitch. Success won’t come overnight. It takes a plan, a strategy, patience, money, support, hard work and many tears before we can move ahead. I’ve been in the country only three weeks and I like it. I’m here for two years. My goal is to take the team to top form for the 2012 Suzuki Cup.

We’ll go as far as we can in the Challenge Cup. I think we should be able to beat Mongolia and perhaps, finish in the best eight. I’m not sure about the World Cup qualifiers because that may be too soon. I’ll work with two teams, the other is the under-23 selection for the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia this year. I hope we’ll be competitive for the Southeast Asian Games and I’m told if we get even a bronze, it’ll be a big accomplishment.”

Weiss said it will take “brutal hard work” to even come close to the level of a Japan or Korea.

“Right now, I think we could be at the top of South Asia,” he said. “We’ll test our team against Middle East countries like Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates and see how we do against them in the coming months. Then, we’ll find out where we stand against other Asian countries. What the team needs is a clear tactical plan and an organizational set-up. It won’t do running in counters which is suicide football. The players are technically very good with a good understanding of the game. We have speed and I want to develop fast passes, big movements and switching positions to surprise opponents. I want an attacking team with a lot of speed. Our players are just getting used to practicing twice a day when before, it was twice a week which won’t get you very far. If the Philippines ever hopes to be like a Japan or Korea or even Bahrain, it will take a lot of time and effort. It will take putting up big football centers, maybe in six or seven years. But we’ve got to make the big first step now.”

Weiss said the signs are encouraging for the future. With the Azkals’ recent showing in the Suzuki Cup, they’ve become instant national heroes. “If President Aquino comes out to watch the team and show his support, it will inspire more Filipinos to follow and support us,” he said. “There’s a lot of hard work to do. I think what we need is not talk but action.”

Weiss coached the Rwanda under-17 team for four years and now the squad has matured to finish second in the African Cup. He was previously an assistant coach with the China under-20 selection and the Kyoto Purple Sanga in the Japanese league. Weiss, a sports science and management graduate of the University of Mainz, has served internships with Real Madrid, Arsenal, Kaiserslautern and River Plate.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=69

I like the bolded part... thats coming from someone born in a very developed society.. we need that kind of mentality in the Philippines and stop distinguishing the half-Filipinos from the full-blooded Filipinos.. we need to step away from the racist mentality that many Filipinos possessed but not aware of...

[TOTOY-MOLAH]

I like the bolded part... thats coming from someone born in a very developed society.. we need that kind of mentality in the Philippines and stop distinguishing the half-Filipinos from the full-blooded Filipinos.. we need to step away from the racist mentality that many Filipinos possessed but not aware of...

Exactly.........go PNOY go....

[ultimate_baller24]

I've been waiting for James Hall to join the Azkals for about two years now... he got better chances to crack Everton's First Team and play in EPL than Etheridge in Fulham (simply because of the position.. goalies doesn't get replace or injure in the middle of the match)... this is great news indeed...

I actually like their sister more:Maggie hall. .
Commercial model and actress in UK.
Ebidensya!

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=144217462303923&set=a.144214715637531.28299.100001470107134&pid=272063&id=100001470107134

[ultimate_baller24]

Jerry Lucena and dennis cagara both are Filipino based in Denmark are here to Process their PHL passport and also Trainig w/ the azkals in bacolod.. .while the HALL brothers are here training w/ the Azkals. .but i dont think they will play on Feb.9 against Mongolia. .but there's still a chance they will play on the group stage!

http://www.facebook.com/PhilippineAzkals?ref=ts#!/album.php?fbid=10150099592976705&id=117666606704&aid=271066

[kaiziken_pinas]

Wardy, thank you.

you made my day with that link

[FilWelsh]

Fil- Danish duo Dennis Cagara and Jerry Lucena and Fil-Scottish Hall brothers James and Ryan arrived in P.I. yesterday and are currently practicing with the Azkals in Negros. . .

Cagara and Lucena are there! ! I'm very glad. . . Not long time ago, sometime last week of December last year, I think Dec. 29. I chatted to Dan Stephen Palami expressing my concern about the urgency of getting the services of these Danes to play for Azkals. Few days later in the first week of New Year, I read in the news that Dan Palami flied to Frankfurt to talk to them and other European-based football players. That's a swift, timely act of Mr. Dan Palami. . . In contrast, when I mentioned regarding initiating negotiations with some US-based basketball players to one of the ranking SBP official last June 2010. There's no action from that senior SBP official until now. . .

[FilWelsh]

In their match against Mongolia, I think manager Michael Weiss will employ a 4- 3 -3 formation as this favors more attacking options. . .

Back 4 will be Borromeo, Del Rosario, Jonsson and Gier


In the midfield will be Simon Greatwich, De Jong and James Younghusband


In this offensive-oriented formation, he will be fielding three strikers in Espinosa-Guerridon, Araneta and Phil Younghusband.


Etheridge will keep his position at no.1.

[b3lowzro]

The Mongol Horde awaits for the 9th of February

Mongolia here for Azkals match
By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star) Updated February 07, 2011 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Mongolia is due to arrive today in Bacolod City, probably the first time the Philippine Azkals can sort of size up the opponent they hardly saw or knew.

“I myself don’t have an idea about them (Mongolia), except that we’re ranked higher than them and that they lost to Guam previously,” said veteran forward Ian Araneta in a radio interview yesterday.

The Mongolians have apparently been inactive, their last international tournament being the AFC Challenge Cup qualifier against Macau back in 2009. Ranked 182nd against the Philippines’ 152nd, the visiting booters also had the shameful reputation of losing to Guam, one of the world’s weakest football nations, 0-1, in 2009.

Other than this, the Azkals hope they also could get scouting reports from the Mongolians’ stint in Guangzhou, China, where they trained in and played four matches in preparation for the opener of their AFC Challenge Cup tie with the hosts.

But one thing going for the Azkals, team manager Dan Palami offered, is the likelihood that the Mongolians might not have sufficient training for Wednesday’s match set at the Panaad Stadium.

“It’s too cold in Mongolia and they could not really practice as well as they wanted to. It was only in Guangzhou where they were able to practice properly,” Palami said.

In contrast, he said the Azkals had a good training program under new coach Michael Weiss, not to mention having more firepower than the crew that reached the semis of last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup.

“I’m quite confident we’ll have a good result in our home game (against Mongolia),” Palami said.

The Azkals are nearly complete for the match with the arrival of Fil-Icelandic left back Ray Anthony Jonsson Saturday night and Fil-British keeper Neil Etheridge yesterday.

Fil-British defender Rob Geir, the remaining Azkal abroad, is set to plane in today to hook up with Phil and James Younghusband, Simon Greatwich, Anton del Rosario, Jason de Jong and the rest of the team.

Under Weiss, the Azkals will employ a more aggressive style of play.

“Our (current) new system is more on pressing, playing aggressive football and doing a lot of passing as our new coach does not favor direct football and long ball. He has confidence in our ability to hold the leather, pass it around and rotate,” said Araneta, who along with Phil Youngbushand, has been tasked to “dictate the tempo of the game” for Phl

source

.

[dxjayrock2008]

Let's give the descendants of Genghis Khan a warm welcome.