Filipino booters impress German mentor

MANILA, Philippines–Having won the World Cup in 1974 as a player for Germany and managed five national teams, veteran coach Berti Vogts knows a potentially strong squad when he sees one.

And he believes the Philippines, which narrowly lost, 0-1, to his Azerbaijan side in a friendly in Dubai Wednesday night, can be a force in the continent in the future.

Despite fielding his first stringers, most of which played a major role in decent performances against European powerhouses Russia and Portugal in World Cup Qualifying, Vogts’ side only managed a tight win against the Azkals, who were ranked more than 30 places than his team in the Fifa rankings.

Under Dooley, the Azkals are flashing a much improved passing game, showing more composure and confidence on the ball—a far cry from previous performances that saw them play long balls.

“The Philippine team impressed me very well,” the 67-year-old Vogts told the Inquirer after the match at Al Shabab Stadium in Dubai.

“I understand the system and I know it was a good game from them. The movement is good, the movement is good without the ball. Maybe in the future they could qualify for the Asian Cup.”

Vogts praised new Azkals coach Thomas Dooley, whom he said he knows “very well” from the German Bundesliga and the United States national team.

Facing a Germany side coached by Vogts in 1993, Dooley, who skippered the United States, scored twice for the Americans in a 3-4 loss.

“He’s a good player and now a good coach and he’s trying to mix Asian style football and European football,” Vogts said.

This early, Vogts believes the Philippines is capable of beating Kyrgyzstan—a possible opponent in the AFC Challenge Cup in the Maldives in May. Azerbaijan played Kyrgyzstan to a scoreless draw in a friendly in November last year.

“(If they play), I think the favorite is the Philippines,” said Vogts.

The Azkals won’t play Kyrgyzstan unless both teams reach the knockout round. The Philippines is grouped with Afghanistan, Laos and Turkmenistan, while the other bracket is made up of Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Maldives and Myanmar.