The Azkals and the State of Philippine Football: Hopeless or Hopeful?

By: Sherwin Redondo


Football is the game of the masses and should be played by the masses. That is a known truth globally. But in a basketball-crazy archipelago (thanks to Uncle Sam), that flushes 300 plus years of Spanish influence down a filthy LTO toilet including playing "the beautiful game" - fútbol el juego bonito. Pinoys have the biological make up to be great footballers: not too tall, can burst with speed, and are born athletic.

Funny how those idiotic know-it-all PBA commentators and analysts have given us false hopes that a Johnny A or a Japeth Aguilar would be breaking ground in the NBA. Pathetic. Football is the avenue where we can get the much coveted glory and the silverware. Or can we?

Honestly, I realized my cynical interest in bashing the football scene locally when I first heard my nieces talk and giggle about how gorgeous the Younghusbands, Guirados, Greatwichs of the Azkals are. Imagine that, having these Fil-Foreign players come in brotherly pairs; why not throw in their fathers as well and maybe he can play manager or coach?


I slowly made a DIY immersion of who the Azkals were and how they were performing. Slowly I realized the many cracks in their glamorous poster boy facades. Do they really think that sourcing out the offspring of our OFW heroes and immigrants abroad who play decent football can actually put 'Las Islas Filipinas' in the global football map? The Philippine Football Federation's bucket list is to mix up local homegrown players and Fil-Foreign players in an all-out effort to boost success of the national team.. Let's see -- they've got Fil-European players: Spain (Guirados, De Murga, Patino), Germany (Shrock, Ott, Cagara, Muller), Iceland (Jonnson), and England (Younghusbands, Gier). Pinoys are by nature into that foreigner-with-Pinoy-blood "hugot" system. Especially in sports. Remember the Fil Shams in the PBA? Since we're at it, why not look for the Fil-Brazilians, Argentinians, Mexicans, and Africans, right?

First, though, a little trivia about where the Philippines ranks in football worldwide as per its supreme governing body FIFA. The worst ever Pinoy FIFA ranking was during the World Cup in Germany 2006, where the Philippines ranked at a hilarious 195th. With the resurgence of the sport supported by the media hype and the frequent so-so performance in friendlies and tourneys, we improve to a rank of 145th. Big deal. It reminds me so much of Bruce Willis' music career – it just would not take off! The last time we had a big win internationally was against Japan, with a score line of 15-2, but that was way back when the US declared war against Germany in WW1. This is why I feel the Azkals recent win over Cambodia, a team ranked 185th, is no reason for a big celebration. Cambodia would have trouble finding success in our own local league, the United Football League.


No, don't get me wrong. I'm not a hater. I just cannot completely accept a National Team that is prematurely hyped and celebrated already as champions and media darlings, with only a few home grown true blooded Pinoys in its lineup. But to be fair to football fans, and to give credit where credit is due, let's dissect the anatomy of these sporting "heroes."

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