Weiss disappointed at being replaced after Azkals’ rise in rank

FORMER Philippine Azkals coach Michael Weiss is obviously disappointed over his being replaced after having brought the national team from a FIFA ranking of No.160, when he took over to 127, when he was dumped.

“Of course, I am disappointed to be taken out of the opportunity for which I have worked very hard together with the staff and the players for three years. To be taken away, this dream to go to the Asian Cup for the Philippines and the Filipino people is a sad thing,” Weiss told the Manila Standard. “It happens in football where people have the right to make decisions like that.”

The German coach also lamented the fact that he “didn’t get the support we needed to make the team stronger and to prepare accordingly for the Challenge Cup, which was my ultimate target.”

Weiss was denied the opportunity when the Philippine Football Federation and Azkals manager Dan Palami replaced him with American Thomas Dooley, who played for the United States in two World Cups, just months before the biggest challenge faced by the Azkals.

Despite the hurt caused by his ouster, Weiss said he wanted to “thank everyone, who supported me the last three years fantastically. Foremost were the players who have a fantastic character, the coaching staff and also the management even though I must say that 2013 was not so good anymore.”

He claimed that during the past year, he didn’t have the support needed to make the team stronger and prepare accordingly for the Challenge Cup.

“The numbers don’t lie. I don’t want to place it only on my shoulders. It’s the team and I am part of the team. I am very happy being part of this experience,” said Weiss.

He said the PFF and manager Palami have their reasons for his replacement. “We have to accept this and move one.”

At present, there are some unsettled financial issues which include incentives for past achievements, but Weiss isn’t keen on getting into the details which, he believes, “is not something for the public.”

Mixed emotions for Weiss as he bids Azkals goodbye

MANILA, Philippines – Former Philippine Azkals head coach Michael Weiss is dealing with mixed emotions as he said goodbye to the team that he coached for three years.

Weiss made no secret of the fact that he dealt with several challenges in his three years at the helm. But he said he is proud of what he has achieved with the Azkals, including bringing the team to its highest-ever FIFA ranking.

“(Last year), things got a little bit… I don’t want to say messy, but we were drifting apart,” Weiss said, referring to himself and management. “So we didn’t have the preparations as they should have been.”

“You could imagine that some things like this happen, because I was very vocal, and also very strong over defending the team against not so good influences from outside, and maybe some people too it personal or took it against them,” he added. “That was never my intention.”

Even so, the Azkals rose to 127th in the FIFA world rankings last year, their highest ever.

“Imagine we brought the team from 160 in 2011 now to 127, No. 1 in Southeast Asia,” said Weiss. “I think the numbers don’t lie, but I don’t want to put these only on my shoulders.”

“It’s the team,” he stressed. “I’m part of the team and I’m very happy to have been part of this wonderful experience.”

Weiss is admittedly disappointed that he will not get to coach the Azkals in the AFC Challenge Cup in Maldives this May, where the team is hoping to achieve their goal of qualifying to the Asian Cup.

“Of course I’m disappointed, to be taken (away) the opportunity for what I have worked very hard together with the staff and the players for three years,” he said. “To be taken away, this dream of myself to go to the Asian Cup for the Philippines and with the Philippine football, it’s a sad thing.”

“But it happens in football,” he added.

Weiss expressed his gratitude to the players and the Azkals coaching staff, as well as the management of the team, even though he acknowledged that his relationship with the management “was not so good anymore” in 2013.

“The people have the right to make decisions like that if they think they have to, and I wish the team, management and the PFF all the best,” he said.

Weiss was replaced by Thomas Dooley, who kicked off the preparation for the AFC Challenge Cup earlier this week with a 34-man training pool. -- From a report by Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News.

Azkals face Malaysia; coach post still vacant

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines will face Southeast Asian powerhouse Malaysia in a friendly on March 1 as part of its buildup for the AFC Challenge Cup.

The friendly, which was confirmed by the Philippine Football Federation Wednesday, will be played at the Selayang Municipal Council in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

The Azkals, who have yet to find a replacement for coach Michael Weiss, are preparing for the Challenge Cup in the Maldives in May.

Meanwhile, Serbian coach Radojko “Raddy” Avramovic, one of the candidates for the Azkals’ coaching vacancy, has reportedly accepted an offer to take the helm with the Burmese national side.

Reports from Singapore revealed that Avramovic, who steered the Lions to three Southeast Asian titles, will start working in Myanmar on Feb. 1.

Myanmar is also seeing action in the eight-team Challenge Cup finals where the winner will earn a berth to the Asian Cup in Australia in 2015.

Former United States skipper Thomas Dooley has also been considered for the Azkals’ post.

The World Cup veteran is expected to meet with PFF officials, led by Azkals manager Dan Palami, in the United States this week.


Source: Sports.inquirer.net

Weiss cited for work with Azkals

National football team coach Michael Weiss has been cited for his work with the Philippine Azkals by the German Football Ambassador 2013, which puts him in an elite group of nominees composed of high-profile German coaches from all over the world.

Weiss, who started coaching the Azkals in 2011 and steered the team to a third place finish in the AFC Challenge Cup and a semifinal stint in the AFF Suzuki Cup last year, was honored in a ceremony attended by Deutscher Fussball Botschafter founder Roland Bischoff in Cebu City Tuesday.

The award is given to German coaches who helped in the development of the sport outside Germany, according to Bischoff.
“I am positive that Michael Weiss will continue to be a major part in the development of football in the Philippines,” Bischoff added.

Among the nominees for the award include former German national team star Jurgen Klinsman, who now coaches the United States side, Bernd Stange, who is at the helm in Singapore, and Otto Pfister, who established a name for himself coaching national teams in Africa. The other nominee is Holger Obermann, who promotes women’s and youth football.

As part of his reward, Weiss was given the option to select a social project of his choice that will be supported by the DFB. The Azkals coach picked the Cebu Football Association, which has already started distributing footballs to 11 member clubs as part of the project.

“I am very honored that I was mentioned and nominated in the same category with such renowned German coaches who have had great success in foreign countries,” Weiss said. “For the moment, my full concentration is with the Philippine national team and the preparation for the AFC Challenge Cup next year in the Maldives.”


Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/

Azkals Go For Cup Clincher

The Philippine Azkals will try to overcome their last enemy in order for them to qualify for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. Azkals team will face Turkmenistan today in the final day of the Group E qualifiers at the Rizal Memorial Stadium at 7 P.M.

Azkals are in good mood after they win against Cambodia last Sunday in 8-0 score. A lot of Pinoy Football fans surely went after watching the Azkals match.

The Azkals team sees this opportunity as their redemption from last time failure to play in AFC Challenge Cup.

The Philippines and Turkmenistan are both tied for the spot in the group with six points apiece with the winner getting an automatic slot next year in Maldives.

The loser, however, appears to be on its way to the tiny island as well. Either team may end up with one of the two best second place records from all the five groups provided they won’t suffer a lopsided defeat.

Azkals team lost to the Turkmen, 2-1. in the 2012 Challenge Cup semifinals in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Turkmenistan won after scoring two goals in the final 10 minutes.

But last Sunday game was different, Azkals drew big performances from veteran striker Phil Younghusband and the debuting Javier Patino.

Younghusband scored four goals while Patino made an impression in front of the home fans by hitting the back of the net twice.

Also impressive was Stephan Schrock, whose trickery and ball control at the left side set up numerous scoring chances.

Coach Michael Weiss started Fil-German Roland Muller as goalkeeper in lieu of regular first-choice man Neil Etheridge and the MSV Duisburg booter earned a clean sheet.

Azkals Coach Sees Challenge Cup Success

Playing in front of their growing legion of fans, Philippine Azkals coach Michael Weiss believes they will give his players an extra zest to top 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers on March 22-26 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The presence of other key foreign-based booters for the qualifiers, according to Weiss, is another reason why they could dominate the event that will also be participated in by last year’s runner-up Turkmenistan, Brunei and Cambodia.

North Korea won’t defend its title after getting a slot to the AFC Asian Cup in 2015 as a result of its win last year.

“This is a very serious tournament because in the Philippines, it’s not allowed to lose so we have to win the tournament,” said Weiss, who at presstime has yet to sign the six-month contract extension offered by the Philippine Football Federation.

The top team in the five qualifying groups will advance to the main stage of the Challenge Cup set next year in the tiny island of Maldives. The remaining three slots will be filled by the three-best second placers.

The period of the qualifiers are set during the FIFA international friendly dates, meaning that clubs worldwide will have to release their players if needed for national team duty.

Among the key Azkals playing abroad are Fulham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, Hoffenheim’s Stephan Schrock, Dennis Cagara, Paul Mulders and Rob Gier, who did a fine defensive job during the AFF Suzuki Cup.

“And I think on home soil and with the players that will be available, we have a very good chance because it’s an international FIFA date,” added Weiss. “It doesn’t mean all of them will come but I expect most of them here.”

Weiss may begin Azkals preparations

With a deal with coach Michael Weiss nearing completion, the Philippine Football Federation can now focus on preparations for the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers in March.

As soon as Weiss is on board, the Azkals will have two months to prepare for the Group E qualifiers on March 22 to 26 at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

“I think the main issues have been resolved,” said Azkals manager Palami in yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

“The basic terms have been agreed and we look forward to the preparations for the Challenge Cup.”

The PFF offered Weiss a six-month extension, which federation general secretary Ed Gastanes said was a collective decision involving him, PFF president Nonong Araneta and Palami.

“The decision was made … based not only the success but the problems that we had,” said Gastanes.

A three-day camp is set from Jan. 28 to 31 for the Azkals, who are flying to Yangon for a friendly with Myanmar on Feb. 6.

Palami said Fil-Spanish striker Javier Patino Lachica will be part of the pool for the Challenge Cup as soon as he gets his passport.

Patino, who traces his roots in Cebu and plays for Cordoba in the Spanish second division, is expected to fly in this week to process the requirements needed to get a passport.

In the Challenge Cup, the Azkals will face Brunei, Cambodia and Turkmenistan with the top team in the group earning a spot in the main tournament in the Maldives next year.

Gastanes hinted that Weiss could stay longer if he steers the country to the Challenge Cup main tournament next year.

source: sports.inquirer.net