The Philippine Azkals seek to establish themselves as the “top dog” among ASEAN teams in terms of Fifa world rankings, something they hope to achieve with a strong showing in the AFF Suzuki Cup.
“We hope to be No. 1 in Southeast Asia before the end of the year,” said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.
In the October world rankings released by the Fifa, Phl is at 147th overall, its best standing ever, and third among ASEAN nations behind Thailand (139th) and Vietnam (140th).
The Azkals are poised to rise further when the Fifa publishes its new rankings on Wednesday, largely due to their scoreless draw against fancied Bahrain in a friendly last Oct. 12.
According to projections by the Football Rankings website, Phl is likely to move up to 143rd with projected ranking points of 184. This will propel the Azkals to No. 2 in the region, next only to Vietnam (projected at 139th). Thailand is projected to slip to 152nd.
Palami had marvelled at how over the last two years the Azkals have kept themselves busy and scaled new heights in the Fifa world rankings, where the country once stood at low 195th (September 2006).
“We’re at a catching-up phase with our neighbors in Southeast Asia. If you look at the calendar of the Azkals, we’re one of the busiest teams but this has allowed us to develop the team further,” he said.
“In 2010, we were 33rd in Asia; now we’re 22nd and poised to be 21st. We were No. 9 or 10 in Southeast Asia, now we’re No. 3 and hopefully in the next release of the Fifa world rankings, we’ll be No. 2. Again, it will be our highest ranking,” he added.
The Azkals aim to at least make the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup set Nov. 24-30 in Bangkok, where they are bracketed with Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar.
“Hopefully with the Suzuki Cup result we hope to achieve, we’ll open doors to stronger tournaments for the Azkals and result to better ranking for us,” he said.
“Hopefully with the Suzuki Cup result we hope to achieve, we’ll open doors to stronger tournaments for the Azkals and result to better ranking for us,” he said.
philstar
It's funny. Palami always seems to be obsessed with the fifa ranking and i doubt if he even knows how the ranking works. It's based on heavily flawed, partially illogical and unstable mechanism, every footballing countries know that, and i've never seen any football powerhouse countries setting a goal regarding the ranking like "we will be no.X till .. blah blah".
ReplyDeleteOK, whatever, so if Phil becomes no.1 of SEA should we celebrate it ? What if we drop 30 places back a few months later ? Look Vietnam. They were around no.90 a few months ago, the absolute no.1 of SEA, but now they are only around 140 and no.2 of SEA. This roller-coaster ride happened because they made big fifa points by three wins in WCQ tournaments last year and those points lost its weightings as a year had passed since then. So, you can always drop back to lower spots, then what next? Should we set a goal again to reclaim the no.1 spot of SEA ? How ridiculously pointless.
In fact, our current fifa status was massively helped by AFC Challenge Cup this year. It was officially regarded as a Continental Cup qualifier and therefore our three wins there gave us x2.5-weighted points. But our major SEA rivals couldn't take advantage of it as they are not eligible in the Challenge Cup. They should instead go through the official Asian Cup qualification which will start next year. Though they have to face much tougher opponents, if they manage to do well there, they will be given huge points as we got in the Challenge Cup and in the meantime our Challenge Cup points will start to lose its weightings. Then it's possible to see us dropping back to no.5 or 6 of SEA in next year's fifa rankings.
So? Forget all this stupid ranking goal campaign! It's just pointless and stupid. When we do consistently well enough, especially in major events like WCQ and Asian Cup, we will naturally be rewarded by consistent higher spot someday. At this moment, it's completely meaningless to make a big deal out of monthly changes of the fifa ranking.
By the way, here's an instant example. Myanmar, who just dominated minnows in the Suzuki Cup qualification, will skyrocket to no.4 of SEA in the upcoming november ranking. This is how fifa ranking mechanism sucks.
Well, genius. Can you please share how we will measure our success if we will not use rankings, or numbers.
DeleteDo you mean Spain's ranking number is flawed too? Do you have other means of ranking countries that is better than what it is now?
DeleteI didn't say we shouldn't give a fuck to the ranking. Well, i personally don't, but it's fine if you guys and Palami take it seriously.
DeleteWell i think it doesn't take a genius to understand the point of my comment.
"It's meaningless to SET A SHORT-TERM GOAL in regards of the fifa ranking and make a big deal out of monthly changes"
This ranking is also a basis of other top countries and none other at this point.
ReplyDeleteIt's flawed yes of course but it is the only institution that measures the ranking of a certain country's football progress.
On the field, wherein the NT has been well since we went to the final four of the Suzuki Cup 2010. You can definitely see the improvement.
Anon 03:23 is dead right. So are all the others.
ReplyDeleteMost FIFA points are awarded for performance over the last ten years. Emerging football nations like PHI can rise or fall a bunch of places based on a single result, even if they're not involved in that game.
Real fans don't need mathematics to know if their team is improving.
Well. The management needs it as a basis for their decision. Kung ang training nga scientific na, pano pa kaya ang decision making. The numbers do not lie ..... Mas mahirap ang titingin lang sa hangin at manghuhula
DeleteJust a factual correction. Fifa points reflect last four years performance, not ten.
DeleteNo intention to extend the issue above, but let me show you guys some theoretically funny sides of the fifa ranking.
ReplyDelete1. If we, in the last 4 years, brought only Guam or Macau to Rizal 5 times a year, 20 times in total, won it all, and didn't play any other official matches, our fifa point now would have been exactly 258 pts, way higher than our current actual points, and that would have already achieved Palami's goal, the no.1 in AFF.
2. If we, in the last 12 months, played only the five games in the AFC Challenge Cup and didn't play any more official matches, our current fifa point would have been 331 pts, which could made us no.105 World and no.12 Asia.
3. Our November fifa points is gonna be 184 pts, six points higher than October points. So one might think that our performance in the middle east helped us on the fifa points. But logically it's not the case. If we didn't play Bahrain and Kuwait, our November points could have been 197 pts.
wow thats another way of looking at it. and you are right... it is kinda funny!
DeleteFully agree with Anonymous 3 November 2012 03:23. I'll take it even further.
ReplyDeletePalami needs to learn to STFU, he really does!! This is also why I would really like to see new management for the national team! Mind you, Palami is already the head of the national teams committee AND president of a regional FA (Leyte). There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for him to be traveling around everywhere as team manager and mindlessly yapping like an attention whore about how he wants this and that.
Yes, Palami has done some good and we all thank him for that, but all of what he has done for the national team was NOT an obligation! Therefore nothing in return (at least not directly) should be expected! But all of these little obsessions and these constant cries for how he wants this and that is like him indirectly saying that he wants something in return for all that he has done and it's quite ridiculous! You don't see Manny Pangilinan appointing himself as team manager of the national basketball team and traveling everywhere they go while saying how he wants this and that every now and again.
So you want Martinez to be back at PFF??? WTF...........
Deletelolz!! WTF does Martinez have to do with anything?!? Or what does the PFF presidency have to do with anything I said?!? Clearly you're a dumb ass... wtf! lol!!
Deleteholy crap you are such one big noisy wannabe! your arguments show how dumb you really are, to say the least! haha you want to see a new management? haha i know where you're coming from dude. halatang gago ka talaga. only after Araneta, Palami and the rest of the current staff of PFF held the team napunta tayo sa ganito and now gusto mo na palitan? unggoy ka ba! haha if you are one disgruntled player,parent, or just somebody na may ulterior motive, gumawa ka ng sariling team mo gago ka! hahaha halata ka na kung sino ka!
DeleteGuys Volcanoes just booked a ticket in Rugby World Cuo 7's without any fanfare. Kesa arguin on this useless topic/ Just focus on helping the team
ReplyDeleteIf you want to discuss rugby, go do that somewhere else!! And if you want to be a goody-two-shoes, again, go somewhere else!!
DeleteFIFA Ranking: November 2012 preview (II)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.football-rankings.info/2012/10/fifa-ranking-november-2012-preview-ii.html
PURO KAYO SATSAT, NAG MAMAGALING WALA NAMAN KAYONG MAITUTULONG... EH, KUNG SA TINGIN MO MAGALING KAYO DI E RECOMENDA NYO SARILI NYO....HAY... PINOY KAHIT KAYLAN... MAPAPANIRA,,,,,MABUTI NG MANGARAP AT MAY KASAMANG GINAGAWA...KAYSA PURO DALDAL....PWE....
ReplyDeleteOFW- MIDDLE EAST
Ayan nanaman yung mga bugok katulod mo!! Walang ginawa kundi mag reply ng "eh di irecomenda nyo sarili nyo", o kaya, "ikaw pala magaling, bat di ka mag laro". Katarantaduhan!!! STFU!!!!!
Deletehaha bat wala ka mahirit? kasi totoo. puro kayo salita! tignan mo reaction mo oh! hahahaha
DeleteWow. A lot of Palami haters here. I say FIFA Rankings help. It helps me see where the team is at the moment.
ReplyDeleteHATERS ? BA KAMO ? hayaan mo yan wala kayong mapapala kung papatulan nyo yan....yan ang mga UTAK TALANKA.....BOOOOOMMMM.... wagas...
Delete@ Ben
DeleteThat's just really poor and quite funny at the same time! You actually need the help of the FIFA ranking to help you assess where the team is. lol!!!!!!!!