Scores join tryouts for U19 team

MANILA—The Azkal fever has helped attract a lot of promising players who joined the series of tryouts for RP national youth team that will see action in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Youth Championship in Myanmar in September.

More than 70 aspiring players from different clubs and colleges attended the tryouts for Metro Manila, while the Luzon trials attracted 112 in Tarlac on Wednesday.

“The outcome is an indication that there is talent in the grassroots level of Philippine football. It’s just a matter of finding the right players,” said team manager Charlie Cojuangco, who appointed Spanish-Uruguayan Mar Rozen to handle the team.

He said they are expecting more talents to display their wares when the tryouts will shift to the Visayas and Mindanao regions. After the Vis-Min tryouts the members of the national pool will be finalized.

Rozen will also have trials in Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Bukidnon and Cebu City.

The Cebu City trials will be held at the Aboitiz Sports Field on March 24 and 25. FCC
Tryouts for the Visayas leg will be held at Sta. Barbara and Barotac Nuevo plaza today and tomorrow and at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod this Saturday.

A similar tryout will also will be held at the Aboitiz Field in Cebu City on March 24and 25, while the Mindanao leg will be held at the Philips Football Field in Bukidnon on March 26 and March 27. Davao will also host a trial at the Tionko Field Bolton Riverside on March 28 and 29.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 17, 2011.