Team manager ng Azkals kinuha ng UP Maroons

MANILA, Philippines -  Dahil sa kanyang ma­tagumpay na pamamahala sa Philippine Azkals ay ina­lok si team manager Dan Palami ng Universi­ty of the Philippines na pa­ngasiwaan ang Fighting Ma­roons sa UAAP.

At dahil produkto si­ya ng UP ay hindi nagda­lawang-isip si Palami na tanggapin ang paniba­gong hamon sa kanyang ka­kayahan.

Tinapos ni Palami sa UP ang kursong Accoun­tancy at nag-aral ng abogasya sa nasabing pamantasan.

“When your alma ma­ter calls for help, you don’t think too much of the risk,” sabi kahapon ni Pa­lami sa PSA sports forum sa Shakey’s Malate.

“But you think more of it as an obligation to an institution that has been res­ponsible for forming you and making you what you are right now,” dagdag pa nito.

Sa ilalim ng pamamahala ng 43-anyos na businessman at sportsman ay su­mikat ang Azkals matapos niya itong hawakan no­ong 2009.

“Medyo it was a déjà vu, but this time for bas­ket­ball for a team that needed help and needed sup­port,” wika ni Palami. “It was not really a difficult decision to make.”

Sa nakaraang tatlong UAAP season ay nabi­gong makapagposte ng pa­nalo ang Fighting Maroons.

“I told them that I’m not promising miracles, but I’m going to make sure the management will be done professionally as what has been done with the Azkals,” ani Palami.

Samantala, pinagha­han­daan naman ng Azkals ang paglahok sa 2014 AFC Challenge Cup sa Mal­dives sa susunod na bu­­wan.

Isang friendly kontra sa Malaysia at trai­ning camp sa Bahrain ang iti­nakda pa­ra sa Azkals.