Former Japanese coach of Azkals interested in acquiring Pinoys

Former Japanese coach of Azkals interested in acquiring Pinoys

by rick olivares

Takashi Morimoto is the President of Deren Sumida, a Mongolian football club who also moonlights as a football journalist. He first came to Manila last February to cover the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match between the Philippines and Mongolia. And he came away mightily impressed.

Now Morimoto is in Manila to once more watch the Azkals play Kuwait in a match that could hold massive implications should the embattled home team pull through albeit miraculously.

Morimoto, who is Japanese, said that he became even more interested in the Azkals after seeing how Mongolians reacted to their 2-1 win in the Challenge Cup home leg of the Blue Wolves.

“Mongolians were angry at their team even if they won,” related Morimoto who flew in from Sweden where his Deren Sumida played in a tournament. “They said that the Filipinos had better skills and technique.”

Morimoto was also in conversation last May with former Philippine National Team head coach Sugao Kame who handled the team from 2002-2003. Kanbe, who is currently the technical director JEF United Chiba, said he is interested in getting Philippine players to play in Japan’s second division league for the next season.

Kanbe was also reportedly keenly following the exploits of Team Philippines. Said Morimoto, “Kanbe wishes that football in the Philippines was popular during his time in Manila.”

According to Morimoto, the nationals’ current head coach, Michael Weiss, has become also popular in Japan because the German also spent quite some time in Japan coaching. Weiss is also married to a Japanese woman.

“It’s very difficult,” commented Morimoto on the Azkals’ chances of beating Kuwait. “It’s difficult but not impossible. They have to score goals in the first half.”

The Azkals play Al Azraq at 7pm on the 28^th of July at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.