Dan Palami resigns as Azkals manager

FILE–Dan Palami. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Dan Palami stepped down as team manager of the Philippine Azkals, ending a long tenure that saw the national men’s football team reach new heights on the international scene.

Palami made the announcement Tuesday at the Philippine Football Federation office in Pasig City where a press conference was held to bare the plans of recently-elected president John Gutierrez for the new year.

“As you can see, the PFF is moving forward, and I thought it was time for me as a courtesy in deference to what Sir John will do in the next four years,” said Palami. “I want to give him the elbow room and free hand to do what he thinks is necessary for Philippine football to move forward.”

The PFF said the decision to find a replacement for Palami “will be made in due course.”

His decision comes as the men’s team hopes to come up with a proper plan for the succeeding windows of the World Cup/Asian Cup Qualifiers and the Asean Mitsubishi Electric Cup.

Palami began his role in 2010 and immediately saw the Azkals pull off a stunning win over Vietnam in the group stage of the Asean tourney, then known as the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup.

That win led to the first of four semifinal appearances, the others came in 2012, 2014 and 2018 but fell short of reaching the final on all occasions.

The Azkals also qualified for the Asian Cup for the first time back in the 2019 edition held in the United Arab Emirates.

“The PFF would like to express its appreciation to the invaluable contributions of Sir Dan to Philippine football as a whole,” said Gutierrez.