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Azkals begin youth training at MOA, as concerns regarding new coach, Malditas, arise


The Philippine national football team started out the year by announcing a weekly training session for children, at a press conference held at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) on Sunday.

On hand at the event were Azkals team manager Dan Palami, captain Aly Borromeo, and Azkals James Younghusband and Misagh Bahadoran. Azkals Marwin and Marvin Angeles, Jason de Jong, Jeffrey Christiaens, Jerry Barbaso, Amani Aguinaldo, and Mark Hartmann were also present and helped out during a short demonstration with the children. Total Football Japan President Leigh Manson, and coaches Diego Sandoval and Jorge Kuriyama were also at the event.

Weekly training at the MOA

For the rest of 2014, every Saturday and Sunday, children will be given the chance to train at the MOA’s Music Hall, with turf pitches being rolled out. Should the Hall not be available, training will be moved to the parking lot.

Training will be done by Total Football, a Japan-based football program headed by newly-appointed Global FC Head Coach Leigh Manson. Kuriyama is also Global FC’s goal-keeping coach, while Sandoval is an assistant coach with the same club.

The weekly training sessions will feature individualized training modules per child. It will cost 500 pesos per session. There will, however, be a scholarship program for marginalized children, who will have to undergo a try-out. Up to 200 scholars will be accepted into the program.  

The program aims to “raise the skill level of a Filipino 9-yr old to a Japan-trained 9-yr old.” Additionally, the program will augment what children already learn from their football schools.

“The Azkals try to support programs geared towards developing players, so we have agreed with MOA to partner with them in this program,” said manager Dan Palami.

“It’s always about the youth, the kids,” reiterated both James Younghusband and Aly Borromeo.

Borromeo, the Azkals Captain and oft-missed central defender, has been absent from the pitch for two years due to injuries. However, he looked primed for a comeback this year, even starting his short answer with an “it’s good to be back.”

The national coach question

While it was announced on Monday that head coach Michael Weiss would officially be out as Azkals head coach effective January 15, Palami stated on Sunday for the record that he had not been “interviewed” by Pinoy Football, the online forum that began tweeting out information regarding Weiss’ departure on Saturday morning.

“I said before, about two months ago, that we were evaluating the performance of the coaches and staff,” Palami added.

[Related: Michael Weiss out as Azkals head coach]

While Palami did not specifically state on Sunday that Weiss would be out, he did say that he was prepared for any eventuality, adding, “There are several candidates [for head coach] and I am already shortlisting - there are six right now, one of them is Spanish, we’re also looking at a Brit, and one’s Hong Kong-based.”

He also put a premium on a coach who is familiar with the Asian football scene, and coaching experience. Adjustment to the mix of players already in the national team, the mix of local and foreign-based, is also a top priority. “They have to be ready to face the challenges the Philippines offers,” he said.

Regarding Weiss, Palami said, “He gave us the results we wanted, but the question is if we are still happy with his performance.”

Malditas travel issues?

Philippine national women’s team coach Ernie Nierras has been in the news lately due to some complaints from his players over ticket issues. Some of the members of the Malditas took to Twitter to complain about problems they had encountered during their trips to the Philippines or back to their home countries.

Palami, who has been quiet on the issue thus far said that he has personally received complaints from parents of the Malditas, with one player’s parents even going to his home right after New Year’s.

“As National Teams Chairman, it is incumbent upon me to ensure the safety of all players. We will investigate and everyone will be given a chance to explain their side,” he said. - AMD, GMA News

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