Azkals stay solid sans key players

By Olmin Leyba

Manila, Philippines - Philippine men�s football team coach Michael Weiss believes the Azkals will be able to form a pretty solid side against Malaysia in their coming Fifa friendly despite the absence of key players Neil Etheridge (suspension) and Phil and James Younghusband (previous commitment).

Weiss said four Fil-Germans who missed the Azkals� bronze medal campaign in the AFC Challenge Cup will be on hand to reinforce Phl XI for the June 1 match against host Malaysia. They are midfielder Stephan Schr�ck of Bundesliga first division squad TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, midfielder Manny Ott of Ingolstadt II, striker Denis Wolf of 1. FC Magdeburg, and keeper Roland M�ller of MSV Duisburg.

The Azkals mentor is also excited with the entry of homegrown custodian Patrick Deyto of UFL side Green Archers United Globe.

�We�ll have Schr�ck coming over, Ott coming over, Wolf probably playing on top and M�ller will be in goal. We�ve also invited a new talent from Green Archers, a very promising Filipino keeper, Patrick Deyto, � Weiss said in an interview on �The Football Connection� radio program yesterday.

�We have a good, wide variety between the post and other positions; we have a bigger pool where we can easily swap players and then give others a chance. It will test Muller in a good competition and we�ll see how Wolf will harmonize with Schr�ck and Ott. We�ll have a very good team,� he added.

Etheridge will serve a one-game suspension for �violating� Article 57 of the AFC Disciplinary Code while watching on the sidelines the Azkals� Challenge Cup third-place match against Palestine last March 19 in Nepal while the Younghusbands have a previous commitment that conflicts with the friendly in Kuala Lumpur.

Etheridge, and Phil and James will be rejoining the Azkals in their next two matches, against Indonesia on June 5 in Manila and versus Guam on June 12 in Bacolod.

Weiss said more reinforcements are due after the Malaysia fixture, with fancied Fil-Dutch Dennis Cagara of FSV Frankfurt and Jerry Lucena of AGF Aarhus planing in.

�I expect the team to be very strong against Indonesia because all the players will be at that match,� said Weiss, thrilled with the prospect of assembling �probably one of the strongest lineups Phl has ever seen.�
The core of the Azkals, those who are based in Phl like Chieffy Caligdong, Angel Guirado, and Carli de Murga along with young prospects, will go on a training camp in San Carlos City on May 21-24 to be followed by a similar session in Bacolod on May 25-28. Two exhibition matches are being arranged for the camp designed to kick off the Azkals� preparations for the three international friendlies.

Philstar