Fair Play: Azkals eye Fulham for 2012 friendly

THERE’S an interesting Twitter exchange the other day, and no it wasn’t about the anti-planking act of 2011.

It was between Kaya FC’s Santi Araneta, also the chairman of Football Alliance, the group behind the United Football League, and Dan Palami, who according to his own words is, coach, water boy and pep squad of Global FC.

Kaya lost to Global, 1-0, in the friendlies for I Can Serve Foundation, a group promoting breast cancer awareness, last Monday and will face off with the Azkals in another friendly this Saturday.

After asking that the Azkal players of Kaya play for the club against the national team, Dan replied, “This would actually be the only game that they get to play together as a team prior to Long Teng... but sure.”

Santi replied, “Thank you very much! although we will play against the Azkals on Saturday, we are 110 percent behind you guys all the way!”

Santi also promised he will excuse all Kaya players who are with the national team until after the Azkals’ campaign in the Long Teng Cup is over.

And that’s a great move since it shows how club and national management can easily agree to things if they just talk it over, or even tweet it.

See how easy football stuff can get settled?

At least, in the Philippines because somehow I don’t think I’d ever read Fabio Capello or the national coach of Germany or Holland, tweeting Arsene Wenger, “Want me to release Gunners from national duties so you can avoid relegation?”

By the way, the Long Teng Cup isn’t the only event the Azkals are going to be busy with in the next couple of weeks. They also have a friendly in Singapore and one in Manila against Nepal.

After that, they are looking to have five friendlies next year, including against Fulham FC and a second- or third-division team from Spain.

And aside from the friendlies, there’s the Suzuki Cup and the AFC Challenge Cup main draw in March, so next year’s going to be a busy one for the team and fans alike.

REACTION. Here’s a comment from CJ Eagle on Cebu’s UFL stint.

I would also consider recruiting national team player Ray Jonsson once his contract expires in a year or so, as he is no longer a regular starter with his team, Grindavik FC in Iceland, at the age of 32. He spent the first 8 years of his life in Liloan, Cebu and speaks fluent Cebuano.

Interesting. Who knows? Two years from now, Roy might help Cebu lift that UFL trophy? Hmmm.