Admittedly not at the level to be competitive against a top caliber side from Europe, the Philippines begged off from facing formidable Hungary in a friendly that was supposed to be played in Dubai in February.
National football team manager Dan Palami Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the performance of coach Michael Weiss since he took the helm in January 2011, but said the biggest test has yet to come for the German mentor.
The Philippines will have a “much stronger side” than the one that made the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup two years ago when the tournament kicks off Nov. 24 in Bangkok.
ALREADY one of the biggest clubs in the country, United Football League champion Global has mapped out several programs that it hopes will lead to sustained success and improve relations with communities.
National coach Michael Weiss, manager Dan Palami and player James Younghusband have been given 10 days to explain why they should not be sanctioned for the incident that led to the filing of sexual harrasment charges by AFC match commissioner Cristy Ramos.
It wasn’t a final, but the Philippine Azkals played like it was one anyway. And with that, they chalked up one more achievement in a tournament to remember.
There have been losses of bigger margins, but for the Philippine Azkals, the narrow defeat to Turkmenistan in the AFC Challenge Cup semifinals could be the one that stings the most.
The journey of Mt. Everest-like proportions continues for the Philippine Azkals here. Along the way, a squad growing in strength with every game is making history.
With two of its players hounded by allegations of sexual harrasment, the Azkals’ buildup for the AFC Challenge Cup was thrown off track by the controversy, team manager Dan Palami admitted Friday.
Global downed Stallion, 1-nil, Saturday night, dealing the league-leading squad its first loss of the United Football League season at the University of Makati field.
Attacking fluidly and compact defensively, the Philippine Azkals ripped Qatar first division club Al Ahli to shreds, 3-1, Monday night in the second tuneup match of their Middle East training camp here.
Philippine Azkals manager Dan Palami is tempering expectations ahead of the AFC Challenge Cup with the team yet to make headway in its preparations just six weeks before the tournament.
The Philippine Azkals will again be deprived of the best possible talent for the AFC Challenge Cup next month in Nepal.
