More prized recruits to boost Azkals cast

MANILA, Philippines - More topnotch recruits from abroad are coming to reinforce the Philippine Azkals in their next campaigns, especially in next year’s AFC Challenge Cup.

Azkals coach Michael Weiss, who just arrived from his vacation in Germany, said he has tabbed some promising Fil-Germans for the Azkals, including goalkeeper Roland Mueller of Bundesliga second division club MSV Duisburg and attacking midfielder Kevin Ingreso from Hamburg.

“I have a new keeper now in Roland Mueller who will step in while Neil Etheridge is not available and I have a super prospective player from Hamburg first league in Kevin Ingreso. He (Ingreso) will not join the team now but hopefully he can play for us in the Challenge Cup,” said Weiss.

“We have many other players now in the line. Together with (Fil-British) Rob Gier who is helping in scouting, we’ve managed to make a list and now trying to contact (prospects) one after the another. We have to bring in good players with high quality, not average players,” he added.

The German mentor said he has also got in touch with Fil-Danish left-back Dennis Cagara, whom he said “really likes to come (over) now.”

Weiss also said a new German assistant coach – Michael Kreuger will arrive soon to help whip the Azkals and the under-23 team into shape. A former Bundesliga coach, Krueger also had stints in Egypt and Sudan.

Azkals Chieffy Caligdong, Roel Gener, Nate Burkey, Ian Araneta, along with Weiss and team manager Dan Palami on Wednesday reaffirmed the team’s partnership with sponsor Cortal SQR.

Lito Tadena, president of Cortal’s official marketer Pharma-Rex, Inc., turned over P500,000 to the Azkals as additional support for their stints at the Long Teng Cup and the Southeast Asian Games.

Cortal SQR also announced its sponsorship of the eight-member Phl team that will compete in the Homeless World Cup in Paris on Aug 21-28.

“We’re all set. Hopefully we’ll won’t end up in the same group as Brazil or Chile like last year. But whoever we’ll be grouped with, we’ll be ready,” said coach Rudy del Rosario.

The team received P200,000 in assistance.