Greatwich out for Kuwait match; Mulders likely back

FIL-BRITISH Chris Greatwich is out while Fil-Dutch Paul Mulders, earlier reported as unlikely to make it due to his commitments with his club, might just be back.

So goes the game of musical chairs on the roster of the Philippine Azkals as they brace for their showdown with Kuwait in the second round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers on July 23 in Kuwait City.

"Chris won’t be able to play because his club team and the team that he coaches in the US have both reached the finals," said national team manager Dan Palami of the 27-year-old midfielder who plays for the Morris County Colonials in New Jersey.

Best remembered for scoring the second goal in the Filipino booters’ 2-0 upset of Vietnam in last year’s Suzuki Cup group qualifiers, Greatwich also coaches the Colonials’ Under-20 team.

Palami added they would ask special permission from Mulders’ Dutch First Division side Ado den Haag to enable him play in the two-match series against the Kuwaitis.

"I believe there is a good chance that we might be able to get Paul back," he said.

Mulders, 30, made his debut for the nationals in the first round of the World Cup qualifiers against Sri Lanka as a left back, replacing Fil-Icelander Ray Jonsson, who skipped both matches because of team commitments in Iceland.

With Jonsson back in harness, Mulders will likely be moved back to his regular spot as a midfielder.

He is expected to join a sturdy midfield composed of Chieffy Caligdong, Fil-German Manuel Ott, James Younghusband and Fil-Danish Jerry Lucena in German coach Michael Weiss’ projected "4-5-1" formation in the first leg.

Palami also had good news about the status of striker Phil Younghusband, who suffered a strained right hamstring in the second match against Sri Lanka last July 3 and was expected to be sidelined during the team’s training camp in Bahrain.

"The first prognosis was that he (Phil) might not be able to rigorously train in Bahrain because of the strained hamstring," Palami said.

Malaya