Monday 14 February 2011

Two Indonesian clubs woo Azkals� skipper

Cedelf P. Tupas

Two Indonesian football clubs have expressed interest in tapping the services of Philippine team skipper Aly Borromeo.

The 27-year-old Borromeo, who plays central defense for the Azkals, told the Inquirer that Semarang United and the Medan Chiefs have contacted him for a possible deal to play in the Indonesian Premiere League.

�I�m still negotiating right now and if the league is a go and the offer is something I can�t refuse then I�ll do it for a few years,� said Borromeo, who currently plays for Kaya FC in the United Football League.

Borromeo has also been invited to try out with a few teams in League 1, the third-tier league in English football. Among the teams are Plymouth and Brighton, he said.

But Borromeo is intrigued by the offer to play in Indonesia since the �money is better.�

Phil and James Younghusband, who are Borromeo�s teammates in the national team, have also been offered a contract to play with Jakarta FC in the IPL, considered by the Indonesian Football Federation as a �rebel league.�

But the deal has been stalled because of concerns that the brothers could be sanctioned for playing in a league not sanctioned by the International Football Federation (Fifa).

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano �Nonong� Araneta yesterday said he will ensure that the national players will be protected when they play in Indonesia.

�We want to look after the interests of our players,� said Araneta. �We know there is a problem in Indonesia but it�s an internal problem. We want to make sure that our players can still play for the national team.�

Borromeo said that the league set to be put up by PFF sponsor Smart Communications is �promising.�

�However, I also have to concentrate on my own career and clubs abroad are interested,� Borromeo said.

�The support towards football abroad is still far from our local league. Hopefully in the near future we can make a comfortable living playing locally.�


inquirer.net

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