Azkals head coach Thomas Dooley says confidence is key for the Philippine Azkals. AFP File Photo.
MANILA, Philippines-Whoever it is they’re facing, their tactician said that confidence is key.
Philippine Azkals head coach Thomas Dooley said that facing a tough Thailand team would need a confident 11 on the pitch.
“We have to be confident during the match,” Dooley said as he threw in German monster Bayern Munich as a prime example of a confident team.
“When you look at Bayern Munich every player there is confident that they would win,” Dooley said in the Asean Football Federation semifinals press conference at the Manila Hotel Friday.
Dooley’s Azkals, who have just been labeled as a Southeast Asian power, would face the War Elephants of Thailand, a fellow power in the region on Saturday’s AFF Suzuki Cup semifinals at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
In retrospect, the War Elephants have always pushed around the Azkals for 42 years.
Thailand has always been victorious over the Philippines in the pitch in the 14 matches they have met.
“You’ll need a little bit of luck,” Dooley said. “They are fast, they are quick, their transition from defense to offense, we have to be aware of that but it doesn’t mean that we don’t have to play our kind of game.”
The Philippines finished at second in Group A with six points after a 3-1 loss to Vietnam in their last match of the group stages.
Vietnam finished first in Group A with seven points.
Thailand, meanwhile, obliterated Group B as they went on to win all three of their matches and claim nine points in the group stages.
“To beat one of the best teams, you shouldn’t have doubts,” Dooley said. “We will try to inject to the players the mindset and believe that they can do it against other teams.”
He also dedicated the match to the Filipinos who are in potential danger when Typhoon “Ruby” (international name: Hagupit) hits the country, just more than a year after the leviathan Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) nearly erased Eastern Visayas.
“I’ll promise that the players will do their best and if we win, I hope that the victory would lift the spirits of those who are in danger,” Dooley said.
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