MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals received a big blow after wrapping up their preparation for their AFC Challenge Cup campaign.
Denis Wolf, the Fil-German who scored the Azkals’ goal in the 1-1 draw against defending AFF Suzuki Cup and SEA Games champion Malaysia Tigers, will skip the competition due to passport concerns.
Wolf confirmed this to philstar.com during the post-match dinner at the Azkals Bar in Global City last night.
“I will fly out tomorrow (today) and will be back in June,” said Wolf, who is hoping to have his Philippine passport by that time.
That big blow was softened when the team’s co-captain Chieffy Caligdong confirmed that he will be available for the Nepal trip.
“Na-clear na ako ng doctor ko. I am one hundred percent ready for the AFC Challenge Cup. Gagawin namin ang lahat at lalaban kami para sa bayan,” Caligdong told philstar.com in a phone interview.
Caligdong skipped last night’s game against Malaysia to rest his left knee which is now fully recovered from LCL (lateral collateral ligament), MCL (medical collateral ligament) and partial ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury.
The Ilongo left winger sustained the injury when his club Air Force-Phoenix lost to Stallion Gilligan’s, 1-4, in the United Football League (UFL) last January.
In another development, the Azkals also received a big boost to their AFC Challenge Cup campaign as team coordinator Ace Bright confirmed that Paul Mulders will be available for the whole Nepal trip while Dennis Cagara and Stephan Shrock may play a match or two.
philstar
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3 days ago
Can a person with only German passport play a official International friendly for Philippines???
ReplyDeleteyeah, seems quite weird......what big boost? we need Schröck, Cagara etc. for the whole tournament and not just for 1 or 2 matches. what if we advance then to the semi finals and then suffer a defeat? It's then same like we are out in the group stage.....either they play a full tournament or nothing (and that won't be possible due to their club duties)...so better do it then without them and play with the players who will be available all the time there in Nepal
DeleteGreat... we just fielded an illegal player! lol. The match commissioner must have been Filipino (bias)... Its part of their job to know which players are eligible for the match they're the commissioner of.
DeleteAnyway....
must not be illegal....there's a possibility to issue a preliminary/ temporary passport in case the process for the real one is still going on. I guess it is also limited as far as the duration is concerned....so it's probably now expired and he can't go to Nepal then (to Nepal yes, but just with German passport and so not able to play for P NT)
Deletephilstar got it wrong again. chieffy was injured during the game vs army macziol, not vs stallion giligans. good thing chieffy is back though wolf is a big loss.
ReplyDeleteGood thing Caligdong is back?!?! Meh! He's so overrated its untrue!! Christiaens is fit again and has played in Torhout's last two fixtures. Would rather have him playing than Caligdong.
DeletePolitics. They purposefully delayed the processing of his passport so Chiefy can keep his spot. And also so Araneta and Gener won't be displaced. Wolf only had a visa.
ReplyDeleteGood lord Philippine media putting a lot of hype on Caligdong. He's not a good player.
ReplyDeleteopinion respected. and you obviously don't know your football. respect mine =p
DeletePls., pls, Filipinos... Caligdong may OR may not be a good player but he is the only pure blooded Filipino that can be fielded on the first XI. Because he's the only one who got the highest level of playing (as Pinas born). And this is where a Filipino stand in football level. So we have to accept some foreign base players will play for one or two matches because we really, really need them. If Wolf need a Phil passport, that can be settled easily at the Foreign Affairs office.
ReplyDeleteWhat does Caligdong being a local have to do with anything?!?! He's massively overrated and shouldn't even be a starter, let alone vice-captain!
DeleteCaligdong,the "massively overrated" player CAN SCORE and has been scoring, and that's what matters. nuff said.
DeleteGo Chieffy!!! Give your best!!!!
ReplyDeleteOn my POV they are all filipino, regardless where they where born, who their parent are or where they reside. They are all wearing our kit. Please people, grow-up, we are back on this kind of bullshit talk again? Start thinking outside the box, makitid mga utak nyo. As for Chieffy he is a big help if he is healthy, but Im not saying he is the best
ReplyDeletegood said Ben....stop this discuss about true or what else filipinos. All of them have filipino blood if they are born in europe, philippines or elsewhere.
Deleteif the basketball naturalizes player (with even no single filipino blood cell) also nobody complains....other countries do this also and they making not a big fuss of it. even when we would field 11 Spanish footballer (of course I exaggerate a bit here) that would be ok as long as they represent the country in a right manner
kaya tanggalin nu na c ian araneta...walang kwentang player yan...kng hindi lng malapit sa palayok hindi ppasa sa national team yan...
ReplyDelete