Fair Play: Azkals show their grit
I WAS ready to write off the Philippine team’s campaign in the Suzuki Cup when, as recently as two months ago, I learned the team still had no coach.
The funds mess that the PFF has found itself in, which has resulted to the CFA filing a case of falsification of public documents against the PFF president, also made me wonder if the morale of the RP team has been affected.
I shouldn’t have doubted the squad, thanks to Dan Palami and Simon McMenemy.
While the PFF president was making palami with the perks of his office, Palami, the team manager who’s bankrolling the team, had the Azkals train seriously for the Suzuki Cup qualifiers, not that rushed two-week training the team usually has.
They went to Leyte and when they got McMenemy, had a series of friendlies with Taiwanese teams.
The team’s fighting attitude, so different from the let’s-not-lose-by-much of the past, showed in their 2-2 draw against Laos.
After getting down 2-0, this team, unlike those of yesteryears, fought back.
I saw a clip of that game in YouTube and it makes you proud to be a Pinoy football fan.
After Phil Younghusband (Yep, it’s a weird name but there are Butts and a Buffon in the World Cup) equalized with a penalty in the 74th minute, you could clearly hear one of the Fil-Brits scream:
“WE NEED ONE MORE GUYS!!!”
They got it in the 94th minute. Yep, four minutes past full time.
Showing they were ready to take a gamble, Neil Etheridge, the goalkeeper, took the free kick, just before the halfcourt line.
Etheridge, the former England U16 keeper who’s riding the bench for Fulham FC in the Premier League, connected with James Younghusband, who headed past the Laos keeper for the equalizer.
After that game, the Philippines held Cambodia, 0-0, while Laos beat Timor Leste, 6-1, to take the first qualifier’s spot.
McMenemy credited the team spirit and their hard work for the past 10 months, which was made possible under Palami.
He told affsuzukicup.com. “When I arrived in the Philippines in August, the team’s preparations for the Suzuki Cup were already well under way… what I found was a group of good players who play together but not necessarily for each other. We had to work hard to get the team to gel…But the effort that they put in during the last few days was fantastic and they fully deserved to advance in the competition.”
The last time the Azkals advanced, they got hammered in the finals, losing to Thailand, 4-0, with captain Ali Borromeo getting injured. They also got hammered by Malaysia, 4-0, and a clip of that match was shown on CNN after a striker scored a wonderful bicycle shot.
But in their last game, when they had nothing to gain, they thwarted Myanmar’s dream of a semifinal spot by holding them to a 0-0 draw.
This early, I am upbeat of the RP team’s chances, even if it is in Group A with Vietnam, Singapore and Myanmar. A semifinal spot is unlikely but not impossible.
And I also like McMenemy’s attitude.
“Once we get to the final rounds, every game will be tough. But the tougher the opponents, the more I think the boys can rise to the occasion.”
Now that’s the Azkal spirit.
P.S. What the team achieved in Laos makes you wonder what the boys—or RP football—could achieve had we had a president who is really concerned about the sport, doesn’t it? (Why, you think I could resist letting this one go?)
The funds mess that the PFF has found itself in, which has resulted to the CFA filing a case of falsification of public documents against the PFF president, also made me wonder if the morale of the RP team has been affected.
I shouldn’t have doubted the squad, thanks to Dan Palami and Simon McMenemy.
While the PFF president was making palami with the perks of his office, Palami, the team manager who’s bankrolling the team, had the Azkals train seriously for the Suzuki Cup qualifiers, not that rushed two-week training the team usually has.
They went to Leyte and when they got McMenemy, had a series of friendlies with Taiwanese teams.
The team’s fighting attitude, so different from the let’s-not-lose-by-much of the past, showed in their 2-2 draw against Laos.
After getting down 2-0, this team, unlike those of yesteryears, fought back.
I saw a clip of that game in YouTube and it makes you proud to be a Pinoy football fan.
After Phil Younghusband (Yep, it’s a weird name but there are Butts and a Buffon in the World Cup) equalized with a penalty in the 74th minute, you could clearly hear one of the Fil-Brits scream:
“WE NEED ONE MORE GUYS!!!”
They got it in the 94th minute. Yep, four minutes past full time.
Showing they were ready to take a gamble, Neil Etheridge, the goalkeeper, took the free kick, just before the halfcourt line.
Etheridge, the former England U16 keeper who’s riding the bench for Fulham FC in the Premier League, connected with James Younghusband, who headed past the Laos keeper for the equalizer.
After that game, the Philippines held Cambodia, 0-0, while Laos beat Timor Leste, 6-1, to take the first qualifier’s spot.
McMenemy credited the team spirit and their hard work for the past 10 months, which was made possible under Palami.
He told affsuzukicup.com. “When I arrived in the Philippines in August, the team’s preparations for the Suzuki Cup were already well under way… what I found was a group of good players who play together but not necessarily for each other. We had to work hard to get the team to gel…But the effort that they put in during the last few days was fantastic and they fully deserved to advance in the competition.”
The last time the Azkals advanced, they got hammered in the finals, losing to Thailand, 4-0, with captain Ali Borromeo getting injured. They also got hammered by Malaysia, 4-0, and a clip of that match was shown on CNN after a striker scored a wonderful bicycle shot.
But in their last game, when they had nothing to gain, they thwarted Myanmar’s dream of a semifinal spot by holding them to a 0-0 draw.
This early, I am upbeat of the RP team’s chances, even if it is in Group A with Vietnam, Singapore and Myanmar. A semifinal spot is unlikely but not impossible.
And I also like McMenemy’s attitude.
“Once we get to the final rounds, every game will be tough. But the tougher the opponents, the more I think the boys can rise to the occasion.”
Now that’s the Azkal spirit.
P.S. What the team achieved in Laos makes you wonder what the boys—or RP football—could achieve had we had a president who is really concerned about the sport, doesn’t it? (Why, you think I could resist letting this one go?)
Comments
They agreed that they won't pursue the charges against Martinez if he resigns, so as to give him a graceful exit. However, he hasn't resigned until now...so, they're pursuing the charges.
Check this link:
http://bleachersbrew.blogspot.com/2010/10/pff-board-meeting-of-september-25-2010.html?showComment=1286625030683#c1691909013685778510
To oust Mr. Martinez in a desperate attempt to save Philippine Football the Board of Governors had to have a majority vote to effect the ouster of Martinez and then propose the ouster move to Congress. A vote of 2/3 of Congress is needed to declare the position of PFF vacant and replace Martinez on November 2010.
Ten Board members out of the 12 attended the meeting. Carlos Cojuangco of NOFA (his perennial absence never questioned) and Ramon Manlunas of Bukidnon FA did not attend. Out of the 10 Board members, 5 Board Members voted against the ouster of Martinez. This shouldn’t surprise anyone as this was expected. Their unquestionable loyalty is not to the institution or the sport but to an individual who like Martinez favor their own personal vested interests.
Those who continue to protect their self-interest and personal ambitions and voted against the ouster of Maritinez are the following:
FLAVIANO FUCOY of Zamboanga del Sur FA
LEOPOLDO ARNAIZ of Baguio-Benguet FA
GLEN CARITATIVO of FA Tarlac
JOSE RENEVA of Camarines Sur
RENATO COSMOD of Davao del Sur
Included in the October 29 BOG agenda but was later deferred due to heated arguments was the issue on the signatories of the PFF accounts. Last September the Board UNANIMOUSLY voted and a resolution passed to have Martinez removed as a signatory in the PFF accounts to ensure the safety of the PFF funds. It was suppose to be a non-issue after the resolution was passed but some Board members became suspicious after an item in the agenda pertaining to the signatories of PFF accounts was listed in the agenda.
It seems that there was/is a plan to reverse/alter that decision so that the loyalist will be able to continue to receive their bribe money. It is common knowledge that some of the names mentioned above have been receiving regular funding from PFF while those who are fighting the corrupt system in the PFF has not received a single centavo.
Although Martinez and his cohorts continue to succeed the fight for corruption-free football in the Philippines must continue and Martinez should never ever be allowed to be a signatory in the accounts of PFF---------there may be a good chance he may lose his supporters without bribe money. Let him dig into his own pocket and pull out those stolen funds he took from the PFF coffer. The court case must likewise go on whether Martinez steps down voluntarily or not. He must be held responsible for all his actions!
Here's an article written on the defunct pinoysoccer.com website.
------------------------------
Why Azkals?
By Noel Villaflor
(from the defunct Pinoy Soccer Website)
WHO ELSE but Filipino fans can think of naming a national football team from an animal as ubiquitous as a street dog?
The Azkals is short for “asong kalye,” Tagalog for street dog, that resilient mongrel found in most Filipino homes. (Yes, a street dog with a home. An askal without a home either ends up in the pound or the cauldron.)
Still, it is a mystery to some how the team, which is gunning for the top spot at the AFC Challenge Cup here, got such a name.
It all began in the summer of 2005, months before the Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines, when the football scene was abuzz with news that a new breed of Filipino footballers will represent the country in the biennial meet.
The fans, giddy with excitement and sick of the team being the perennial doormat in Asia, welcomed the development.
The entry of the Fil-foreigners, spearheaded by the Younghusband brothers, raised hopes for a new era of Philippine football.
As the team quickly took shape, fans who tackled the state of Philippine football in online forums discussed ways to support the team, among other issues.
One fan at the defunct Philfootball.info popped the question: what shall we call them?
Until then, the team had no moniker.
A zoo of names was put forth: Eagles, Tamaraws, even Carabaos.
Hardly any of the proposals stirred the imagination, until a forumer suggested “Askals.” The name caught on.
After lengthy online debates, the forumers decided that no other name could be more appropriate.
They agreed that the Filipino football player must possess the traits of the askal: aggressiveness, resilience, unbridled loyalty. The askal, survives, even triumphs, amid meager resources, against all odds. It transcends bloodlines.
No animal on earth equals the askal.
With a slight tweak, the “s” was changed to “z,” thus Azkals, which could also refer to “Kalye Azul,” or roughly Blue Alley. (Blue and red are the team’s official colors.)
The first time the Philippine national team was referred to as “Azkals” in mainstream media was in a sports story by football chronicler Mike Limpag, now sports editor, on Sun.Star Cebu on July 13, 2005.
The rest is football history.
At sino sino ba yung mga "fans" na toh?? Porket nakapag "vote" sila sa pangalan ng team, official na kaagad?? No way! Pagkatapos gagamitin na sa mainstream media, pero hindi naman official at hindi lahat ay may gusto doon.
Ay nako! Sa Pinas lang talaga!
Bogo man diay ka. nagbotar ang fans kung unsa ang ganahan nila itawag sa team, mao ang ilang nasabutan. Ngano? Namugos mi nga mao sad ang itawag nimo sa team? Kung ganahan ka tawgon ang team "your boyfriends" so be it. No one will stop you.
Pero buang ka kung imu laitin ang mga fans nga nagbotar sa azkals. Wala ka kabalo kung unsa ilang gipanghimo para sa Philippine football.
Unya, ikaw nga kalit ra nisalpot. Kusug manginsulto.
And just because you are not comfortable with the nickname (that same nickname you call the official name) you are quick to insult the Philippines and Filipinos?
Screw you! Since you use the anonymous slot to comment, I'll use a nickname for you.
I'll call you the "stupid-asshole-who-pretends-to-be-a-fan-but-is-only-after-the-money-or-prestige-or-guys."
It's too long, I'll just call you the "stupid-know-it-all-prick"
Or "prick" in short
When I saw the article of Noel above, I can't help but applaud the people who perceived the nickname.
Azkals is the fucking suitable nickname for our current Philippine Football Team!
Go Go Go Azkals!