Azkals set 5-month training

MANILA, Philippines - Drawn in a tough group with powerhouse Thailand and Vietnam, the Philippine Azkals have set an extensive build-up in the next five months leading to the AFF Suzuki Cup in November.

“Vietnam and Thailand and some of the countries in Southeast Asia will be on one-month camps outside of their countries, in Europe or the Gulf. We hope we could do the same but we have limited resources. We’ll do what we can to ensure our preparations will be good enough for the championship,” said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.

The Azkals, who rose to prominence by virtue of their surprise semifinal stint in the last tourney in 2010, will be hard-pressed to repeat their performance in the Nov. 24-Dec. 1 Suzuki Cup 2012 after drawing the Thais, the Vietnamese, and the winner of the Qualifying Round in Group A.

In its buildup is a camp in the US from Aug. 3-17, highlighted by matches against Major League Soccer club Chicago Inferno and US Virgin Islands. The Azkals will then compete in the five-nation Nehru Cup in India against the hosts, Kenya, Jordan, and Syria from Aug 22-Sept. 2.

A series of friendlies will be made in September then the Phl will eye to stage the four-nation Long Teng Cup on Oct. 12-16 in Bacolod. One more friendly will be arranged on Nov. 15, possibly against Indonesia, before the Azkals head to Bangkok for the Suzuki Cup group stages.

“These are the plans. We want to make sure that we’re fully equipped as a team when we participate in the Suzuki Cup,” said Palami.

Meanwhile, executives of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) yesterday signed a memorandum agreement setting in motion the renovation of the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium under Fifa’s Goal Project.

Under the pact, the field will be converted into an artificial turf to be funded by the Fifa amounting to $500,000, while facilities, such as locker rooms and shower rooms, will also be fixed by the PSC.

The agreement was signed by PSC chairman Richie Garcia and commisisoner Iggy Clavecilla and PFF president Nonong Araneta and general secretary Rolly Tulay. It covers a period of 25 years, within which the venue will be exclusively used for football activities.

“This will be a big advantage to Phl football because with an all weather artificial pitch, we can play three to four games a day, 365 days a year. And there will be less cost on maintenance (compared to natural grass),” said Garcia.

Construction is eyed to start first week of August with target completion in three month’s time, just in time for the semis of the Suzuki Cup, should the Azkals make it to that far.

Even with the new MOA, Araneta stressed that the existing agreement between the PSC and La Salle allowing the school to use the pitch in the morning will be honored. The PSC-DLSU pact is still good for six more years.