It's wise to retain entire Azkals team from AFC

MANILA, Philippines - No new faces are due to join the Azkals soon as coach Michael Weiss prefers to maintain the bunch that won the bronze medal in the recent AFC Challenge Cup plus six foreign-based old-timers who were just unavailable for that milestone run in Nepal.

“There’s now rising interest (from Fil-foreign players) all over the world but we’re now in a lucky position not to take (in) anyone who just has overseas background; we can now look strictly for quality. (But) I’m already happy with the squad we have,” Weiss said in an interview on DZSR yesterday.

The German mentor said he would love to assemble the crew that bonded together since their pre-Challenge Cup training camp in Dubai, led by Golden Boot awardee Phil Younghusband and his brother James, Chieffy Caligdong, Paul Mulders, Neil Etheridge, Jason Sabio, Carli de Murga, Marwin Angeles, and the Guirado brothers Angel and Juani.

Reinforced by Europe-based pros Denis Wolf, Jerry Lucena, Dennis Cagara, Stephan Schrock, Manny Ott and Roland Muller, the Azkals should be good to roll in the next battles ahead, noted Weiss.

“Denis Wolf, if he can get his passport, hopefully will be with us for good. I wish to work mainly with the squad that was together in Dubai plus Lucena, Cagara, Schrock, Ott and our second keeper Muller. If we have these players together, we should have a very, very fantastic group,” he said.

The Azkals broke camp after their breakthrough finish and Weiss said he expects those locally-based nationals to get back together for twice-a-week practices by middle or end of April.

By May 20-30, he expects the foreign-based footballers to come over and join the team for a camp in either Tagaytay or Cebu, preparatory to a series of Fifa international friendlies eyed in June.

The Philippine Football Federation has invited Indonesia for June 5, either Vietnam or Thailand for June 8 fixture in Bacolod, and powerhouse China for the Independence Day gig on June 12.

“That’s in the pipeline now. I hope we get confirmation (from these nations) quite soon to start our scouting and preparations for these important matches,” Weiss said.

Weiss described the Challenge Cup podium finish as “the biggest achievement so far in the history of Phl football.”

“We’re now considered real serious contenders and we can invite high-profile teams to the Philippines,” said Weiss.