Azkals get new coach just 11 days ahead of Asean tiff

Spanish coach Josep Ferre

The Philippine Azkals have tapped the services of Spanish coach Josep Ferre to call the shots ahead of their upcoming campaign in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric Cup.

Ferre’s appointment was announced by the Azkals through social media on Thursday, less than two weeks before Southeast Asia’s biggest football competition opens on Dec. 20.

“[Ferre] is suitable to our mostly young and dynamic squad,” team manager Dan Palami said in the announcement made by the team.

The 39-year-old Ferre was once a coach and director of FC Barcelona’s academy before heading to Asia, where he handled Hong Kong side Kitchee, Thailand’s Buriram United, Ratchaburi and Bangkok Glass and India’s Quess East Bengal.

He also coached Puerto Rico’s FC Bayamon and recently for Catalan club FC Asco.

The Azkals are hoping to rebound from an early exit in last year’s pandemic-delayed 2020 edition when they missed out on a semifinals berth by placing third in Group A behind eventual champion Thailand and Singapore.

Despite the late appointment of Ferre, the Azkals have been training for weeks at Rizal Memorial Stadium, with a pool composed mostly of youngsters and players from the Philippines Football League.

The Azkals visit Cambodia in the tournament opener to open their stint in Group A which also has Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei.