Azkals reveal World Cup list

THE fate of the Philippines in the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers now lies on the shoulders of the 23 players who were named to the PHL Azkals team by head coach Hans Michael Weiss last Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The shortlisted players will attend the two-week training camp in Germany and will face Sri Lanka in the first round of the World Cup Qualifiers on June 29.

Familiar names made it to the list plus several new players as well.


The team will welcome new Azkals Fil-Am Nate Burkey, Fil-Iranian Misagh Bahadoran, Fil-Dutch Paul Mulders and US-based James Rochlitz, a 20-year-old midfielder from Los Angeles who tried out last April.

Fil-Brit Neil Etheridge will be the keeper with Edward Sacapano as the reserve.

Team Captain Aly Borromeo will be leading the pack of defenders along with Rob Gier, Stephan Schrock, Roel Gener, Anton Del Rosario, Ray Jonsson, Jason Sabio and Dennis Cagara.

Emilio ‘Chieffy’ Caligdong, James Younghusband and Jerry Lucena will man the midfield with Manuel Ott, Jerry Lucena, Ricardo Becite and Nestorio Margarse.

Completing the list are forwards Ian Araneta, Phil Younghusband and Angel Guirado.

Missing in the list is Simon Greatwich, who according to team manager Dan Palami will focus on the Under-23 national team that will represent the country in the Southeast Asian Games this November.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on June 09, 2011.