The
challenge of success.
Thoughts on where the Philippine
Men’s Football National Team should go.
by rick olivares pic by anton sheker
This appears on abs-cbnnews.com
The challenge of success is living up
to growing expectations. A misstep here and there and you have these crabs
proclaiming that a player or the team – to put it mildly -- “sucks”.
There is no question that the ascent
of the Philippine Men’s Football National Team is not a fluke. Far from it. It
has been two years of continuous ascent. There’s the third place finish in the
AFC Challenge Cup, the first place finish in the Long Teng Cup/Peace Cup, and
the semis finish of the recent Suzuki Cup. The last three tournaments capped a
difficult time when we lost one friendly or qualifier after another.
This is of course not exclusive to the
Philippines. Countries considered developing ones in world football go through
them. Case in point, in 2006, the United States was oddly ranked in the Top 10
of the FIFA rankings. Following their crash out of the 2006 World Cup, they
leveled off in the 20s. The US has since been struggling to attain their former
status in world football although they’ve had a number of exceptional
performances.
Having said that, by no means are the
Azkals a finished product. The team re-tools on a regular basis. Not being the media
officer of the team anymore, I have no idea of what the short or long term
plans are.
Nevertheless, as a longtime fan and
one close to what goes on, I’d like to offer an unsolicited blueprint to the
where the national team should go. People associated to the team should keep
and open mind because this is not a critique of what has transpired.
Coaching
Aside from never-ending search for
quality players, there’s the matter of coaching job to settle and it is perhaps
the most important one.
There is still no word whether current
head coach Hans Michael Weiss’ contract has been renewed. The German coach has
been at the helm for the past two years and under his watch, the Azkals have
made its best strides. There is word – although unofficially – that Weiss’
contract has been extended for a year but that is just the scuttlebutt as team
manager Dan Palami has remained tight lipped while PFF President Mariano V.
Araneta said that the decision lies with the former.
There are a lot of questions that
should be posed when considering this most important job but perhaps the most
important criteria is – can the coach take the national team to the next level?
Can the coach teach the skills needed or for the matter, is he a teacher? Can
he inspire his players to give their all? And can his tactics be solid and
communicable all the way to the youth national squads?
If the coach is Filipino, then he must
not be affiliated with any school so he does not use the national team as a
feeder program for his school program. It goes without saying that this is a
conflict of interest.
Furthermore, is the coach a winner?
Did he win as a player? And has he won as a coach?
It is easier to be able to communicate
things when you’ve won. Take a gander at Pep Guardiola who won as a player and
later as manager of Barcelona. Ditto with Alex Ferguson who was successful in
the Scottish Premier League before moving over to Manchester United where only
transformed the Red Devils into the winningest English side.
Conversely, Diego Maradona won with
Napoli, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, and Argentina but has been a bust as coach. So
it doesn’t work all the time. That is where the teaching aspect and the
strength of character come in. What does the coach stand for?
I am surprised that our various
national squads employ different tactics and formations. This is proof that
there is a lack of cohesion between the different coaching staffs and patrons.
A system and style of play must be imposed from the youth all the way up to the
senior squad.
Should the head coach be Filipino or
foreign?
I think it should be whoever is most
qualified to take the job. The coach must have a coherent and doable three-year
plan that should be presented in great detail and not just words. There should
be a regular evaluation to determine whether the program is working or not.
In terms of competition, the immediate
task of whoever our head coach is to win in Southeast Asia. How can we even
dream of qualifying for the World Cup when we cannot leapfrog past our corner of
the world? Therefore the coach should understand the competition in the region.
In the event that the incumbent coach is
not renewed, I would like to recommend a couple of coaches.
I was about to say: one, Louis Van
Gaal but he is now head coach of the Netherlands as he replaced Bert van
Marwijk after a disastrous Oranje campaign in South Africa; and two, Felipe
Scolari, whose teams always show a marked improvement but he is now coach of
the Selecao and is tasked with winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Are these coaches beyond our
capability to pay? Maybe but think of what a high profile coach can do for the
program?
So here are my candidates outside
Michael Weiss who remains the top dog (pun intended).
Radojko
Avramovic – The Serbian’s swan song
with Singapore was the perfect way to go out. His departure was years in the
making but Avramovic has signified a desire to continue. If Singapore,
four-time regional champs, is the current class of Southeast Asian football,
who better to help the Philippines finally slay the Lions than their former
head coach?
Edwin Cabalida - He's served as an assistant to three head coaches in Desmond Bulpin, Simon McMenemy, and Weiss. He's won with Ateneo and with Air Force. He also showed he is capable when he guided the Philippines to a win over Vietnam when Weiss was prevented from sitting on the bench after being suspended from the match. The man is bright and has integrity. He will also give the homegrown players an opportunity.
Norman
Fegidero Jr. – He once coached the
Azkals and did not tolerate any star complexes. Left when he football officials
tried to interfere in the coaching. Much like former national coach Desmond
Bulpin, he is a no nonsense coach who thrives on discipline and preparation. Like Cabalida, Fegidero will give the homegrown players a chance and keep everyone on their toes.
Rob
Gier – He already does a lot for the
team with his scouting reports and recommendations for tactics. While he is
said to be not yet ready as he has a lot on his plate back in England, a few of
his teammates believe that he will be up for the job in a few years’ time. Gier
certainly commands the respect of his teammates. If true, then he should already
be brought aboard in an apprentice status so he will gain experience. It is
different sitting in the coach’s seat as opposed to the players’ spot.
Shopping
list for players needed:
We need a striker up front to play
alongside or ahead of Phil Younghusband. While in Chelsea, PYH played behind
the top man as an attacking mid. He thrived in that role and he unveiled how
effective he can be in that spot during Loyola’s match with Green Archers
United in the battle for third place in the recently concluded UFL Cup.
Younghusband was brilliant in a feeder role as he found Mark Hartmann and other
teammates time and again. He capped his sterling play with a goal of his own.
But Phil cannot do it alone as opposing teams mark him from the beginning.
Having another lethal boot alongside him will help.
I hope that the coaching staff
considers the following players:
Tating
Pasilan (Green Archers United) – his
speed and strong boot will be an asset. His finishing is spotty though. He will
open things up for Phil and the other wingers.
Mark
Hartmann (Loyola) – He is tall, has
a wicked boot and has a terrifying free kick. If he can be consistent with his
movement and defense, he’ll be a terrific addition to the team in a midfield
spot. Find me a better free kick taker in the country today.
Jerry
Barbaso (Global) – I have no idea
why he is constantly overlooked. Is it because of his hair? How many people in
the UFL have scored off him? He might not be tall enough to deal with the
taller forwards but his speed and doggedness is nonpareil.
Deo
Segunial (UP) – Tall, strong, and a
quietly efficient operator. The lynchpin of UP’s defense these past five years.
Patrick
Deyto (Green Archers United) – One of the best goalkeepers in the
country. Should be given a chance to show what he can do.
Play
more possession-based football
We simply dribble too much. Way too
much. Who doesn’t admire Barcelona? Who doesn’t watch them in this age of live
streaming, cable television, and YouTube? So why the do we not play that way?
On a semipro level, the best passing
team was the former Pachanga (not to be confused with the current incarnation
playing in the UFL’s Division One). In college, there’s FEU. You have to watch
those guys as they play the best possession-based and attacking football in the
country.
I love how Winfried Schafer has
transformed Thailand’s game from a long-ball playing one to a team that likes
to hold on to the ball and make foes pay with their terrific passing. They just
ran into a team that was more physical, taller, and experienced in Singapore.
The Azkals have shown flashes of this
passing game but have not been able to sustain it for a full game. I am sure
they know this. It’s a matter of fine-tuning this.
Strengthen
the UFL and other local tournaments
It is good that many of the
Fil-foreigners are now playing in the UFL. A quality premier league will keep
players in shape and in a better position to join camps for the national team.
I have no idea why there is a blatant
disregard for the UFL’s schedule when it is published ahead of time with all
parties informed of how the tournament pans out. This really smacks of
disrespect. And furthermore, if the UFL is being called ‘unpatriotic’ then why
aren’t these same pundits railing against Fulham, Hoffenheim, or Duisberg? There are simply too many crabs in this
country and Johnny-come-latelys who do not understand the game or the structure
that is crucial to the sport’s growth.
There should be a coherent calendar of
all the football activities that go on. The Smart Club Championships, the NCAA
and UAAP, and other tournaments should be calendared well with results and
players kept track of.
A strong local league means there is a
bigger pool of players to choose from. Plus, they are kept fit because of the
year-round competitions.
Introduce
a program for improving the players’ skills and strengths.
Thus far, this is only for clubs with
extra money to burn. I think that teams should really invest in players’
improvement in terms of skill, strength, explosiveness, and nutrition.
It is the basketball programs (not to
mention the endurance athletes) that have wholeheartedly embraced this. Why
can’t our footballers, clubs, or national teams do the same?
I’d like to venture how the original
Smart Gilas players improved not just skills-wise but also physically under
Rajko Toroman and trainer Jim Saret. They were good going into the national
team but they all came out far greater players. The product is on display in
the PBA.
Our footballers should commit to this
full time. Too often we see that poor pitches and the lack of facilities are
given as excuses. That’s like saying one is late because of metro traffic. It
is traffic for almost every single day of our lives if you live in Manila. The
question is, what are you going to do about it? That applies to our footballers
– how do you improve your game?
Lastly,
have more camps locally rather than abroad.
Unless they avail of training of
foreign coaches there I do not see the point of going overseas unless it’s for
a match or a tournament. It also allows the national team management and the PFF to save on expenses. It makes it easier to secure the release of the players from their clubs.
Their exposure abroad has certainly made them a better team. Now is the time to consolidate and grow this team.
The national team is the ultimate
aspiration for any footballer. The number of homegrown players is shrinking at
an alarming rate. In the last Suzuki Cup there were only three – Ed Sacapaño,
Chieffy Caligdong, and Ref Cuaresma. If Neil Etheridge or Roland Muller were
available, Cuaresma would have most likely been dropped.
It has already been established by no
less than Dan Palami that the national team should be made available to any one
of Filipino blood regardless of where they come from and I agree. But they
homegrown ones should be given a clear-cut chance of making it.
Notice how following the Vietnam win,
there were many posts, status messages, or tweets about Chieffy, the homegrown
guy coming on and winning it (they also conveniently forget that Angel Guirado
made the beautiful chip pass to Caligdong) or Ed Sacapaño was stellar at goal.
There are still overtones subtle and not so subtle about race.
If on a level playing field homegrowns
are given that opportunity, then that eliminates the view that the national
team has become an exclusive enclave for Fil-foreigners.
It truly is an exciting time not just
for the Azkals but also for Philippine football. We’ve shown that the sport is
here to stay. This is the challenge of success. Now the nurturing begins in
earnest.
