SEAG update

IT’S still a long way to go before the RP Men’s football team is in tiptop shape for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games this November in Bacolod City.

“Physically, we are not very strong, we still lack strength and speed endurance,” national coach Aries Caslib said, “The players will have to step up.”

“They have to adjust their fighting attitude, they should not relax,” he said.

In previous tournaments like the Tiger Cup, Caslib has highlighted the Filipinos tendency to sag in the late stages of a game, committing a lot of errors.

Caslib also said that the members of the training pool have to learn a new style of play for the Seag.

“They can’t play their own brand of football because we are using a new style a new brand of football more suited for the Seag,” Caslib said. “Technically we are not as good as Thailand, that’s why we are using a new style.”

Meanwhile, Caslib said that Fil-Italian Filippo Braggio would join the RP team in a pre-Seag event in Thailand on Aug. 28 to Sept. 31, as part of his evaluation.

Other Fil-foreigners Paul and James Younghusband of Chelsea FC couldn’t make it as they are “attached to the club.”

After Thailand, the team will return to the country for more training, hoping that the promised one-month training in China pushes through.

“The PFF is looking for sponsors, I hope we can go,” Calsib said.

For the coming Sea Games, Caslib said he’s not making any prediction, “We just have to do our work, be patient with the preparation of the team.”

However Caslib reiterated the need for support for the national team during the Seag.

“Hopefully, we’ll get the support we need to really help the team morally,” he said.