New recruits to boost Azkals

By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta Jr. and national team manager Dan Palami broke the news during an interview at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night in the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel last Saturday. They confirmed that three recruits will reinforce the Azkals in the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in Yangon, Myanmar, on March 21, 23 and 25, assuming the Philippines dumps Mongolia in their qualifying series.

The recruits are led by Spanish-born Angel Aldeguer Guirado, a Fil-Spanish striker who has played for the Spanish Division III team Deportivo Ronda in Malaga. He cuts an imposing figure on the pitch because of his 6-2 frame. Guirado, 26, is a first cousin of Caloy Garcia, Rain Or Shine assistant coach in the PBA. His mother Angela Aldeguer is the sister of Garcia’s mother Gloria and father Juan is Spanish. The Garcias trace their roots to Ilagan, Isabela. Guirado has worked out with the Azkals but is not eligible to play in the Azkals’ second leg match against Mongolia in Ulan Bator on March 15 because he’s not in the lineup submitted to the AFC.

“Angel was in Manila five years ago,” said Garcia’s mother Gloria. “He will leave for Spain tomorrow and rejoin the team in Myanmar. It’s a pity he can’t play in Mongolia because his name was not included. The coach (Michael Weiss) is happy with him.”

Guirado, who speaks only Spanish, now has a Philippine passport. In Spain, the mother’s maiden name is used by children to follow the father’s surname so that the Azkals’ latest recruit is known as Angel Guirado-Aldeguer or Angel Guirado y Aldeguer. It’s the same in Cuba where former Philippine boxing coach Raul Fernandez is known as Raul Fernandez-Liranza or Raul Fernandez y Liranza as his mother’s maiden name is Liranza.

The two other Azkal recruits are Fil-German Stefan Schrock and Fil-Danish Jerry Lucena. Schrock, 24, plays for the German Division II club Greuther Furth. His mother is Filipina and father, German. Lucena, 30, was born in Esbjerg, Denmark, to a Filipino father and a Danish mother. He plays for the Danish Division I club AGF Aarhus.

Schrock showed up at the PSA Awards Night walking with crutches. He’s in town to apply for his Filipino passport.

Also at the PSA Awards Night were goalkeeper Neil Etheridge’s parents Martin and Merlinda Dula of Concepcion, Tarlac. Etheridge was not permitted to take a leave from his English club Fulham to play in Ulan Bator. His parents are in town for a two-week holiday.

The Philippines will advance to the group stage in Myanmar if it beats Mongolia in their qualifying two-game series on an aggregate goal basis. Awaiting the Philippines-Mongolia winner in Group A are host Myanmar, Bangladesh and Palestine. The top two finishers in Group A will join the top two placers in three other groups to play in the eight-team Challenge Cup finals where the winner qualifies to compete in the AFC Asian Cup.


Philstar