Studio 23 will air Azkals game in Long Teng Cup

Meanwhile, the Azkals games in the upcoming Long Teng Cup will be aired on Studio 23 and BALLS Channel.

The games will be aired on the following dates:

September 30
Philippines vs HongKong 4:30 p.m. (BALLS Channel)

October 2
Philippines vs Chinese Taipei 7 p.m. (Studio 23)

October 4
Philippines vs Macau (BALLS Channel - Airing time not available yet)

Neil, Schrocky may lead Azkals vs Singapore in friendly

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED/CORRECTED) – Key Azkals players Neil Etheridge and Stephan Schrock will be free for their team’s friendly game against Singapore in October.

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Nonong Araneta confirmed that the likes of Etheridge, Schrock, Paul Mulders, Jerry Lucena and Dennis Cagara may play versus Singapore because their October 7 playdate falls under FIFA calendar.

“Yes, the date falls under FIFA calendar,” he said in a text message sent to abs-cbnNEWS.com.

The Singapore Lions agreed to play against the Azkals, giving the Nationals the opportunity to hone their skills.

The game will also give the Azkals a chance to improve its FIFA World ranking.

Singapore is currently 129th in the world, while the Philippines is ranked 162nd.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Fil-Spanish joins Azkals

ANOTHER Fil-Spanish player joined the Philippine Azkals national football team when they resume practice Monday.

National team manager Dan Palami on Sunday confirmed that 22-year-old Carlos Alberto Martínez de Murga Olaivar will be around when the Azkals do their daily workouts at the Alabang Country Club pitch and at the Rizal Memorial football grounds.

The Azkals are preparing for the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan next month.

Olaivar is a right back, who plays for Tercera Racing Club Portuense in Spain. The club plays in the fourth level of the Spanish league system.

His presence here comes at a time when Fil-Spanish striker Angel Guirado takes a rest from his injuries.

He is one of two new faces in the team, the other being Roland Mueller, a Fil-German goalie, who plays for MSV Duisburg in the second division Bundesliga, was recently accepted by the Azkals.

Meanwhile, private funds will be used to renovate the football pitch at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said this after the PFF signed a long-term agreement with the Philippine Sports Commission last Wednesday.

Funds amounting to $500,000 (around P21.7 million) will be used to set up a brand new artificial pitch at the Philsports complex, according to an agreement Araneta signed with PSC chairman Richie Garcia.

Peter Atencio

The money will come from international soccer body FIFA’s Goal 2 Project, which will course the funding through the PFF.

Under the new agreement, funding will be provided for the next 25 years to keep the Philsports turf in top condition, under the management of the PFF.

The facelifting of the 10,000-seat facility will give the PFF’s numerous national teams a chance to practice at any given time. Peter Atencio

source: manilastandardtoday.com

Azkals eye friendly with Bangladesh, India

MANILA—The Philippine Football Federation is still keen on hosting higher-ranked countries Bangladesh or India at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Oct. 9 to play against the Philippine Azkals.

Although Pakistan has expressed interest in going to Manila to face the Azkals, PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said their preference remains Bangladesh (No. 139) or India (No. 158), where former national coach Des Bulpin is currently employed.
The PFF has already agreed with the Football Association of Singapore to stage a friendly pitting the Azkals and the Lions in Singapore on Oct. 6.

Ranked 33 places higher than the Azkals at No. 129 in the world, the Lions, who will use the game as a warm-up for their World Cup Qualifying clash on Oct. 11, will be facing a full-strength Philippine side that will include the likes of Europe-based Neil Etheridge, Paul Mulders and Ray Jonsson.

Because of this development, the Azkals may be flying straight to Singapore from Taipei, where they will play three matches in the Long Teng Cup from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4.

Despite the already busy schedule of the national team, Araneta said the PFF is determined to organize a home match for the Azkals to take advantage of the international break, which runs from Oct. 6 to 11.

If the home match pushes through, the Azkals could be playing five matches in 12 days.

Clubs are inclined to release their players for national team duties during the international break.

“We still want to showcase our best team in Manila,” said Araneta.

Araneta said they are even willing to write off the $22,000 debt of Bangladesh to the federation just for them to agree to play against the Azkals.

The debt stemmed from expenses incurred by Bangladesh when they joined an age-group tournament in the Philippines during the time of former PFF head Mari Martinez.

Meanwhile, Azkals coach Michael Weiss has expressed concern over the condition of the pitch at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, even as he stressed that it should be maintained for the whole year, not just for certain matches.

“The condition of the pitch is like day and night compared to the Kuwait match,” said Weiss, whose wards started training at the Rizal Memorial Stadium late last week.

“The country has to ask itself whether it can only have a pitch for particular matches or whether they want a pitch that they can showcase to the country,” said Weiss.

“Normally it should be maintained the whole year and not only for particular matches. I hope they can correct that.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Caligdong to booters: Height doesn’t matter

PHILIPPINE Men’s Football Team – Azkals co-captain Emilio "Chieffy" Caligdong told the 206 participating teams and hundreds of Negrenses who witnessed the opening of the Mayor Doc Eric 7-A-Side Football Festival last Saturday that height doesn’t matter in football.

The 5’ 5” Ilonggo booter said that in football, height won’t affect one’s performance provided he has the will to excel. “You’ve seen me played. I’m short but I played hard to help the team wins. Look at Argentinean football icon Diego Maradona, he’s short like me but he carried his team to several World Cup appearances.”

“The importance is hard-work and perseverance that will help us in attaining our goals as football players. Aside from dedication, we must also be disciplined to succeed,” he said.

He likewise expressed his appreciation to the City Government of Talisay, headed by Mayor Eric Saratan for inviting him in to the opening of the football festival.

“I was amazed with the number of participants. This showed how Filipinos got their hearts into this game,” he stressed.

He also thanked the Negrenses for their overwhelming support to the Azkals, stressing that they will continue to do their best to make the country proud of the national team.

Two hundred-six teams from the cities of Dumaguete, Cebu, Iloilo and province of Negros Occidental are competing for the 8-category event simultaneously played at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College and Talisay City football pitch.

On the other hand, Mayor Saratan said that having this annual event is part of his commitment to football as he believed that this is the sports for Filipinos.

The event also coincided with the city’s celebration of its annual fiesta in honor of Saint Nicholas de Tolentino.

Games will resume on Saturday, September 10. (JSG)

Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on September 06, 2011.

Azkals support Church’s one million tree project

MANILA, Philippines - One Million Trees, a project to help conserve the environment, was recently endorsed by Chieffy Caligdong and Roel Gener of the Philippine Azkals football team.

The national team mainstays urged the youth to take part in a simultaneous, nationwide planting on September 8, 2011, which coincides with the feast of the birth of the Virgin Mary, an important event for Catholics.

Caligdong and Gener, seen on videos in the Salesians of Don Bosco website (http://fin.sdb.ph) and Youtube, called on the youth to join the tree-planting drive by first logging on to Facebook and liking the page “1 million trees (CBCP Year of the Youth)”. Participants will get event updates on their Facebook walls.

The One Million Trees project is part of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Year of the Youth celebration which ends on December 16, 2011.

Representatives from various dioceses, religious organizations and government agencies will plant 49,920 seedlings nationwide on September 8.

Participants include the Archdioceses of Jaro and Cagayan de Oro; Dioceses of Balanga, San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Bangued, Borongan, Laoag, Iligan, Urdaneta, Surigao, Malaybalay and Cabanatuan; Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, a parish in Danao City, Cebu, and the organizations CFC-Singles for Christ (SFC) and the National Youth Commission (NYC).

The project is a response to Pope Benedict XVI’s call to use the earth’s resources wisely and to respect the environment.

In Pope Benedict’s message on January 1 last year for the celebration of the World Day of Peace, he says, “The Church has a responsibility towards creation, and she considers it her duty to exercise that responsibility in public life, in order to protect earth, water and air as gifts of God the Creator meant for everyone, and above all to save mankind from the danger of self-destruction.”

The Azkals, Filipino slang for street dogs, became very popular after the team won different international tournaments and reached the second round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time.

The Azkals can be seen in tv, print and billboard ads.Their popularity has brought unprecedented interest in football in a country long dominated by basketball.

source: mb.com.ph

Athletes take part in Alay Lakad 2011

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals and the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation team showed their support for Alay Lakad Foundation Inc. (ALFI), as both teams took part in Alay Lakad 2011 Sunday morning at the Quirino Grandstand.

The Azkals and the PDBF participated in the annual charity walkathon of the ALFI, which aims to support out-of-school youths.

Aside from the Azkals and the PBDF team, other walk groups include students from Muntinlupa City schools, cadets of the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies, and students from the Philippine College of Criminology.

"The goal of Alay Lakad is to help the kids, and as there are many kids who look up to the Azkals, this would be a good way to show them that we are here to support them," said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.

Palami stressed the Azkals will continue to support activities that intend to help children.

"The social responsibility of the team extends beyond football," he said.

Azkals to hold camp in Bacolod

Negrenses will once again have the chance to see the Philippine National Men’s Football Team Azkals play at the Panaad Stadium on September 13, but the Philippine Football Federation announced that the game will not be for free.

To support its various thrusts in strengthening football development in the country, the PFF will sell tickets to the Azkals versus Suzuki Cup Under 23 champion Ceres Negros Team, priced at P200, P100, and P50, the Provincial Sports Office said.

The Azkals are scheduled to arrive in Bacolod on September 8 and will hold camp until September 15 to scout for new breed of players who will be included in the team.

Under the supervision of coach Hans Michael Weiss, the Azkals camp in Bacolod City is intended to boost the national team’s chances in international competitions, especially in the South East Asian Games in Indonesia this November.

Confirming the arrival of the Azkals this week, Angel “Nonong” Verdeflor, Executive Assistant for Sports, said the team will is scheduled to hold tune-up games against the Korean-reinforced Central Philippine University squad from Iloilo on September 9, and against Global Manila on September 11. The tune-up games will be open to the public for free.

Verdeflor said that before the Azkals vs. Ceres – Negros U23 match on September 13, Real Negrense Football Club and Bacolod United will clash in the preliminaries.

Meanwhile, Azkals co-captain Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong, expressed his appreciation to the city government of Talisay for inviting him to the opening of its Football Festival, Saturday.

In his message during the opening of the 7-a-side bootfest, Caligdong encouraged the players to remain dedicated in pursuing excellence in football.

He also thanked the Negrenses for their overwhelming support for the Azkals, stressing that they will continue to do their best to make the country proud of the national team.*NAB

source: visayandailystar.com

Long Teng Cup to showcase young Azkals

MANILA, Philippines – The younger members of the Philippine Azkals will have a chance to show off their football skills in the upcoming Long Teng Cup in Taiwan.

The Azkals will be up against teams from Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the friendly tournament to be held from September 28 to October 4.

"They're focusing on the Under-23 team," said Azkals defender Anton del Rosario.

Del Rosario said that the Azkals will be joining the Long Teng Cup in preparation for November’s Southeast Asian Games, where Under-23 teams are fielded.

He added that the tournament will be vital in giving the younger players much needed experience.

"They can hack it, for sure. They just need the confidence and the experience. That's what we need for our younger players, the experience," del Rosario said.

He also expressed confidence that the Philippines will have a good showing in the Long Teng Cup.

"There's always a good chance, especially playing in a local tournament like this. It’s a very friendly tournament," said del Rosario.

Neil Etheridge, Rob Gier, Jerry Lucena, Paul Mulders and Stephan Schrock will not be joining the Azkals for the competition.

Etheridge and Schrock both have commitments to their football clubs in Europe.

But the Azkals will be reinforced by the arrival of 23-year-old Filipino-German goal keeper Ronald Mueller.

The Azkals will begin training for the Long Teng Cup in Bacolod next week.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com