U-23 team needs help � Weiss

By FRANCIS SANTIAGOJuly 6, 2011, 8:23pmMANILA, Philippines � German coach Michael Weiss is urging the Philippine Football Federation to also focus its attention to the needs of the football team being formed for the 26th Southeast Asian Games slated in Indonesia.


The squad started its training two weeks ago at the Philsports Arena with Azkals midfielder Simon Greatwich leading some 20 aspirants who showed up.


But Weiss, who also handles the Philippine Azklas, rues the fact that the PFF failed to provide the players � some of them coming from the provinces � their basic needs to sustain their training.


�I hope the football enthusiasm will keep growing and corporate sponsors will keep stepping in so that we can finance all this because right now it�s still difficult,� Weiss, 46, said after steering the Azkals to a 4-0 victory against Sri Lanka in the first round of the World Cup qualifiers last Sunday.


�For example our U-23 team, they don�t have training place, they don�t have accommodation, food, whatever. (It�s) very pitiful.�


The team faces a Herculean task of winning the country�s first ever medal in the men�s football of the biennial event and Weiss said football officials should also pour in the same support to the team they provide with the Azkals.


�We also have many, many super talents there (Under-23 team) and still the focus is mostly on Azkals. So I wish that we can go now on the younger stage and field the young ones because these are the future,� Weiss said.


Reached for comment, PFF president Mariano �Nonong� Araneta said they are now addressing their needs.


�Some players are billeted there (Philsports Arena) and their quarters need some blankets and pillows and other stuffs. We are now coordinating with the Philippine Sports Commission to address the problems,� said Araneta, which said they intend to spend P8 million for the entire SEA Games preparation.


The biennial meet begins from Nov. 11 to 25 in Palembang and the capital city of Jakarta and the PFF has actually given the Under-23 team a shot in the arm following the appointment of veteran German coach Erich Rutemoller as its advisor.

Manila Bulletin