By Karlo Sacamos
SOME of the Philippines’ finest homegrown footballers team up to vie for honors in the Asean Football Federation Under-16 Championship kicking off on Tuesday in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.
Twenty teenagers were picked from Metro Manila, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Cebu, Oroquieta, Dumaguete, Masbate, and Bukidnon, and one from the US to form the Little Azkals.
Striker Jeremiah “JB” Borlongan is expected to lead the squad, along with midfielders Mark Winhoffer and Darius Diamante, and defender Josh Miller — players whom head coach Anto Gonzales believes could make it to the Azkals’ roster in the future.
Michael Asong, Marco Casambre, Harel Dayan, Jed Delariarte, Major Ebarle, Brian Haim, Dimitri Limbo, Jovan Marfiga, Chester Pabualan, Ivan Palmero, Sebastian Patangan, John Saldivar, James Sambalod, Ray Sanciangco, and Orlan Togores complete the roster.
The Little Azkals’ first assignment is Malaysia on Wednesday. The Filipinos then take on Indonesia on Friday, Singapore on Sunday, and Laos next Tuesday.
Group A is made up of the host country, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, and newcomer Australia.
The top two teams from each group advance to the crossover semifinals, beginning August 31.
The core of the squad last participated in the Fam-Frenz Asean Championship in June, finishing fifth among six teams in Group B with three victories in 10 games.
Gonzales will be assisted by Jose Maria Aberasturi, with Anthony Albao as goalkeeping coach. Maja Año (team coordinator) and Audrey Mariano (physiotherapist) complete the team staff.
spin
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This coach broke the core of the former Little Azkals who partcipated in Italy and Japan last year. Only 9 players are left from them since the group formed in 2011 the 11 are new entries as Anto Gonzales was now the new head coach.
ReplyDeleteSo what if he broke the core? Did you actually think that the players would follow each others progression and that they would make it into the mens national team together, in the future? Very very unlikely.
DeleteAgree.
DeleteOnly fil-foreign for azkals.
Hindi na tayo dapat mangarap pa na manalo against Singapore, Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailand , Vietnam and Japan kung palaging palit ng palit sila ng mga players sa youth teams. Ok lng sa senior team na iba- iba yung players dahil nakikita ng coach kung sino ang good performers sa mga club nila like UFL at sa europe pero hindi dapat sa mga kabataang national teams.
DeleteNagtataka lng ako sa PFF kung bakit gusto nilang manalo pero palagi naman silang nagpapalit ng coaching staff sa kanilang mga youth teams? Ang nangyayari tuloy ay nasisira ang team work ng buong team dahil napapalitan ang mga players kada taon. Hindi mo rin masisisi na i bash sila ng mga Football purists dahil yung mga close nilang players ang ipapalit lalo na't mayaman ang mga ito.
ReplyDelete