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