Phl Azkals, UFL seal football partnership

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Azkals and the United Football League have agreed to maintain a symbiotic relationship that will ensure the further development of both the men’s national team and the league.

Azkals manager Dan Palami and UFL chairman Santi Araneta met yesterday to cement a healthier partnership, particularly with regards to scheduling that will allow Azkals in the UFL to proceed with their international commitments.

“Greatest meeting w/ Azkal manager @dscpalami. @UFLphilippines & @PHI_Azkals to build a better relationship towards Philippine Football,” Araneta said through his Twitter account yesterday.

“We agreed to a harmonious relationship,” Palami, for his part, told The STAR. 

“First of all, there’s no need for the UFL and Azkals to go head-to-head in scheduling. It’s just a matter of compromising, understanding the needs and goals of the country with regards to getting good international results versus the needs of the local league that would promote the sport domestically.”

The UFL League competitions, which started last Saturday, will run through June. The Azkals have a full slate in the first quarter, including training camp in Dubai next month, followed by Fifa friendly against Malaysia at Rizal Feb. 29 and participation in the AFC Challenge Cup finals in Nepal in March.

Palami said they will try to “synchronize” their schedules in such a way that Azkals players will be released for practices and other Fifa-sanctioned tournaments.

“Everybody agrees that the national team/Azkals is always a priority. But the Azkals will always support the league. It’s just a matter of finding the right schedule,” Palami said.

A scheduling conflict arose for the Azkals’ next outing against Korean club Icheon Citizen FC as it is set Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, while UFL has two set matches earlier that day, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., also at Rizal.

“Except for the game on Saturday, commitments have been made (for the release of Azkals),” Palami said.

Palami, who also manages Global FC, said the Azkals look at the UFL to “eventually be the farm where we’ll get players for the country.”

And to further raise the level of play in the UFL, Palami said they are trying to bring over most of the Azkals players based abroad to ply their trade here.

“This way competition will reach a higher level, at the same time, we can easily assemble them for practices,” Palami said, whose club signed up Carli de Murga, formerly of Spanish third division team Racing Club Portuense, and Fil-British defender Rob Gier for the UFL hostilities.