MANILA, Philippines � Philippine national football team manager Dan Palami said the Azkals are not getting any younger and will need to replenish their lineup for future competitions.
Palami, who appeared on ANC�s Hardball sports show, cited as an example the Azkals' first defensive unit.
�We have Ray Jonsson, who is about 32; we have Rob Gier, who is 30 years old; we have Aly [Borromeo], 28; and Anton [del Rosario] is 29. So we really need to replenish the back 4,� he said.
Although the team's veterans still have a lot of playing years ahead of them, Palami said the team needs younger footballers who will fill their boots.
More foreign-trained players
He added that while the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is building up the country�s grassroots program, the team management is scouting more overseas-based players who can potentially help the Azkals in future tournaments.
�We are concurrently trying to get the interest of good players outside the Philippines and get them to play for us,� he said.
Palami admitted that it is too early for the Azkals to rely solely on local players.
�In fact when I started managing the team, the first thing I did was to look for locally based players,� he said.
�Unfortunately, our grassroots program had been dormant for a few decades so it will take a while before we get locals. [But] it will probably happen in 4 years,� added Palami.
Among the European-based players reportedly eyed by the team management is Alphonse Areola, an 18-year-old goalkeeper who currently plays for the Paris Saint-Germain football club in France.
ABS CBN News
No comments:
Post a Comment