MANILA, Philippines -The Philippines is now ranked 147th in world football, the country’s highest since the international body came up with the world rankings.
The Pinoy booters jumped three notches from its position the previous month, benefitting from their 2-0 victory over Singapore in a friendly at the Lions’ turf and triumphs over Peace Cup rivals Guam (1-0), Macau (5-0) and Chinese Taipei (3-1) that led to the breakthrough crown in 99 years.
The Azkals did the feat without the likes of Neil Etheridge, Phil and James Younghusband, Jerry Lucena, Angel Guirado or Stephen Schrock, all unavailable for one reason or another.
The Phl’s previous best was at 148th.
Meanwhile, after not getting a call-up for the Azkals’ history-making campaign in the recent Peace Cup, the Younghusbands are now being invited to rejoin the Phl team in its upcoming training camp in the Middle East.
“We have invited them to the camp,” Philippine Football Federation president Nonong Araneta confirmed to The STAR yesterday after sending out invitations to all the prospective participants in the 10-day camp in Bahrain.
Azkals management and the PFF had previously dropped the Younghusbands from the roster that took part and eventually conquered the four-nation Peace Cup, citing the brothers’ “economic and non-economic demands that the federation could not meet” in relation to the team’s heavy slate in the build-up for November’s AFF Suzuki Cup in Thailand.
But realizing that there’s still so much work to do despite winning the first title in 99 years and underscoring the importance of teamwork that worked in the country’s winning drive in the Peace Cup, management has decided to open the doors for the Younghusbands again.
“After careful consideration, the management has decided to include Phil and James Younghusband in this training camp. Both siblings remain assets to the Azkals and remain part of the team. The training camp should be a good venue to hone a stronger team with an even better chemistry on the pitch,” team manager Dan Palami said in a statement.
“As a team, we take this time to bridge differences as we work towards a common goal: bringing honor and pride to the country,” he added.
The Azkals will hold their camp in Bahrain next week, topped off by friendlies against the Bahraini national team on Oct. 12 and powerhouse Kuwait on Oct. 16.
As for the Younghusbands’ “demands and other scheduling issues,” Araneta said “it can be discussed in Bahrain.”
The Younghusbands are currently in Singapore where their club, Loyola Meralco Sparks will tackle the Tampines Rovers FC in the semis of the RHB Singapore Cup on Saturday.
“In Singapore now. We have not yet received a call up. Our names were not on the release letter,” Phil said on his Twitter account yesterday.
The Younghusbands had earlier stressed their willingness to suit up for the Azkals again.