Little Azkals get inspiring tips from Azkal ‘biggie’

Philippine football team captain Chieffy Caligdong encouraged his under-12 boys counterparts to make the most out of their international stint in the 2014 Borneo Cup from Oct. 2 to 4 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

“At the age of 12 I was just in Barotac, Iloilo,” Caligdong shared during the sendoff party for the team, tagged as the Little Azkals, on Monday night at F1 Hotel in Bonifacio Global City.

“You’re lucky that at your age, you’ve already gone to many places and trained internationally. I hope you’ll continue to improve. Stay disciplined, and I hope someday, we’ll see you representing the Azkals.”

The Borneo Cup features teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Australia and New Zealand.

“In youth football, it’s all about development,” said national youth coach Leigh Manson. “If we come back with a trophy, that’s a bonus. It’s all part of a five-year project to develop their talent and understanding of football and teamwork.”

The Little Azkals, made up of talents from Metro Manila, Laguna, Visayas and Mindanao, are undergoing a five-year training in a bid to qualify for the under-17 2019 Fifa World Cup.

“We’re confident that one day we will produce an athlete who can compete on a global scale,” said Belle Tiongco, the senior vice president of Pru Life UK, one of the chief backers of the Little Azkals.

“Give it several years, I think we’ll be there,” added Pru Life UK president and chief executive officer Antonio de Rosas.