German coach to oversee PFF grassroots program

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Football Federation is on the lookout for future Azkals and has once again tapped a seasoned German coach to get the job done.

Mariano Araneta, PFF president, yesterday witnessed the signing of a fresh memorandum of agreement between Germany’s Federal Office and the Philippine Sports Commission.

As part of the agreement, German soccer coach and scouting expert Thomas Roy will come over, and for two years will play a hands-on role on the PFF’s grassroots development program.

Araneta said the goal will be achieved.

“This will further help us as far as the youth system in our country is concerned. We are grateful and we are confident,” said the PFF president.

German Ambassador Joachim Heidorn and PSC chairman Richie Garcia signed the agreement in the presence of German Cultural Secretary Michael Fuchs, PSC commissioner Iggy Clavecilla and Araneta.

German coach Michael Weiss, who’s in charge of the Philippine Azkals, was on hand as well as Michael Scheile, president of the German Club in the Philippines.

“We always welcome the improvement of football in the country, and we’ve always asked the help of Germany,” said Araneta.

The challenge for Roy, he said, is to help the PFF gather and identify the talents around the country, and identify the schools that have the materials.

Araneta said there are 14 million students in the country aged six to 12 years, and from here they hope to find the talent in the hope of putting up a team for the 2019 FIFA Under-19 Championship.

“This initiative is just the beginning,” said Garcia.

There’s German blood in the Azkals with great players like Stephan Schrock, Roland Muller, Dennis Wolf, Manny Ott and Patrick Reichelt.

“We want to bring in more of them but we must not forget about the grassroots program,” said Araneta, crossing his fingers that one of Ott’s brothers, a 19-year-old who’s being looked at by Bayern Munich, may suit up for the Azkals.

Roy is a 45-year-old sports teacher, soccer coach, sports instructor rolled into one. He was soccer coach instructor at the Bavarian Football Association from 1999 until 2008, and has since managed Germany’s youth soccer development system.

The German Ambassador said Roy is a certified expert.

“He is a very experienced coach and is a specialist when it comes to scouting, promoting young talents, instructing instructors and coaching coaches,” said Heidorn.

“He has the international experience,” he added of Roy who has helped with short term development projects in Belgium, Switzerland, Honduras, Uruguay, Mozambique, Iraq and Uganda.

Roy’s term in the Philippines kicks off in July.