34-man Azkals pool formed for AFC Challenge Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Azkals coach Thomas Dooley set in motion the Pinoy booters’ preparations for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup by pooling 34 local-based players for training sessions that started yesterday at Emperador Stadium.

Dooley, the former skipper of the US national side who took over from German Michael Weiss this month, sent invites to Azkals regulars Phil and James Younghusband, Chieffy Caligdong, Ed Sacapano, Patrick Reichelt and Chris Greatwich, who are joined by a mix of former Azkals, veterans and youngsters mostly from the United Football League.

Defender Carly de Murga, who missed a number of international stints due to injury, has also gotten the nod from Dooley, along with twins Marwin and Marvin Angeles, Misagh Bahadoran, Jason de Jong, OJ Porteria, Jeffrey Christiaens, and ex-nationals Chad Gould, Anton del Rosario, Jerry Barbaso, and Nate Burkey.

Completing the list are Mark Hartmann, Amami Aguinaldo, Patrick Deyto, Fil-Am Charles Pettys, Simon Rota, Ryan Lerio, Jake Hugo, Rudolf Bebangco, Nick O’ Donnell, Curt Dizon, Reymark Fernandez, Ronnie Aguisanda, Deo Segunial, Nathan Octavio, Milan Arends and Kenshiro Daniels.

The big guns from Europe, such as Stephan Schrock, Neil Etheridge, Rob Gier, Paul Mulders, Jerry Lucena and Dennis Cagara, and Thailand-based Javier Patino, are not included in the initial sessions and are expected to join the Azkals during the international break.

The Azkals are slated to face Malaysia on March 1 in Malaysia and Euro side Azerbaijan in Dubai on March 5 in a pair of international friendlies. They are also penciled to face the Asean All Stars in a charity match at a still to be decided date and venue.

Philippine Football Federation president Nonong Araneta said they are arranging seven or eight friendlies for the team in the lead-up to the May 19-30 Challenge Cup in Maldives.

Phl, which captured a bronze in the 2012 edition, looks to go all the way to the crown this time in a spirited bid to qualify for the top-flight 2015 Asian Cup in Sydney.

The Azkals are drawn with 2012 runner-up Turkmenistan, South Asian champion Afghanistan and fellow Asean side Laos in Group B of the Maldives Challenge Cup. The other group is composed of host Maldives, 2012 fourth placer Palestine, Myanmar, and Kyrgyzstan.

“It’s a pretty even field out there  so the best we can do is to really prepare the team. And we’ll make sure our team gets enough preparation,” Araneta told The STAR.

He said the plan is to have two more friendlies in April and another pair in May in addition to the overseas training camps before the team flies to the island paradise.