Azkals-HK preview: Is this the right roster?
The Azkals have released their eighteen man roster for Tuesday's friendly in Hong Kong, and I'm not all that thrilled with it.
THE OFFICIAL TEAM LIST FOR HONG KONG
Neil Etheridge
Juani Guirado
Rob Gier
Carlie De Murga
Jeffrey Christiaens
James Younghusband
Stephan Schrock
Mike Ott
Manny Ott
Chris Greatwich
Jason DeJong
Chieffy Caligdong
Phil Younghusband
Javi Patino
OJ Porteria
Paul Mulders
Ed Sacapano
Marwin Angeles
This is a friendly. The senior national team has no competitive tournament this year. You would think we could give some international experience to some new young players, especially with the SEA Games looming later this year.
You would think wrong.
There is exactly one new young face on the team, and it's Mike Ott. This is certainly welcome, since Mike, the younger brother of Manny, plays in the U23 side of 1860 Munich, a club in the second tier of the Bundesliga. Munich's U23 side, called 1860 Munchen II, won the fourth-tier Regionalliga Bayern in the 2012-2013 season.
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The attacking mid is only eighteen, yet is a major talent. Manny once told me that his brother was a better player than him.
Then that's it, if you're looking for fresh young blood.
Juani Guirado and Rob Gier are the centerbacks, and there is nothing behind them in the lineup. Jason De Jong is a fiesty and experienced young lad who can play CB in a pinch, but he is undersized for the position and seems better suited for the holding mid slot.
Juani and Rob are terrific guys and superb players, but Gier is 32 and Guirado turns 34 in August. They won't be playing forever, and if they do get hurt, their recovery times will be longer. We need to have solid back ups for them.
Where's Aly Borromeo? Back in Australia fixing his knee. I ran into him in Power Plant Mall on the day he left a few weeks ago, and a return to league, let alone international play, seems far off.
We definitely have a dearth of good centerbacks. I'd offer one stopgap solution.
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Andrew Santiago is not young, he is 31, and starts for Pachanga-Diliman, a very competitive mid-table team in UFL Division One. He is easily six feet tall, makes few mistakes, and plays the Robin to Yves Ashime's Batman very well in the center of the PD defense. He also scored a terrific header goal against Air Force last Thursday.
Yet he isn't going to Hong Kong.
If it were up to me, I would take Santiago in Hong Kong. But I can understand the team wanting to win, so at least have him on the bench, in training, surrounded by veteran internationalists, so he can absorb the knowledge, get a feel of International play, and we can see if he can be an option going forward. But it's just not happening.
Centerback is a crucial position in Football, but the Philippines has been unable to create quality young ones, largely because UFL teams have relied increasingly on foreigners for their central defenders. Santiago is a rare Pinoy at that position.
The military teams have Filipino centerbacks but it's hard to recommend any of the Pinoys in Army or Air Force for Azkals duty since their combined goal difference in the league is -80. Jake Hugo of Archers is a wee bit small and has been torched a lot this year too. Nicholas Leonora of Air Force is maybe the best of the lot.
If the Azkals want to go for younger options, they can recall Boiboi Fernandez or his UP buddy, Deo Segunial.
If they prefer to go abroad, they can check out Fil-Brit Fred Holtom. My new neighbors, Aaron De Rama and Jason Arroyo from Nomads have played with the kid from Birmingham and speak of him as if he was some sort of mythical creature. They say he is a beast, with all the attributes of a top defender, including international size. Holtom is 20.
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What the team seems to have a lot of are midfielders. Gobs of them. Nine, according to my count. Two of them, Carlie De Murga and Jeffrey Christiaens, will likely be pressed into service as wingbacks. You'd think at least one of those slots could have gone to a defender, especially since Patrick Reichelt has been left off because of a bad hammy.
The other thing I have noticed about Azkals selections of late is that league form in the UFL seems not to go into the equation.
In other countries, if you're hot and playing well in the league, then you make the national team, but not always in the Philippines. And I'm not the only one who isn't thrilled about it.
“The so called 'call ups' to the Azkal team have been shams all along to make it look like they are scouting new players when in fact it's the same old boys club” says Green Archers manager Monchu Garcia. “The worst part is that many if these players with potential are giving up on their dream to play for their country.”
Archers like Tating Pasilan, Patrick Deyto, and Ronnie Aguisanda have been invited to Azkals camps recently but have not made any squads.
Garcia also adds “if the NT management spent 10% of what they spend on scouting abroad right here on our shores, they will be surprised to find a lot more good players.”
For me the issue isn't just about homegrown versus Fil-foreigner, but youth versus experience. We need to groom the next generation of players.
Heck, there is even a decent case to send our U23 team to this friendly instead of the senior team, just to ready them for Myanmar. But oh, right, they just started having tryouts a few weeks ago.
But Garcia does have a point. The Azkals seems to be a bit too exclusive for me. I'd like to see a greater pool of players make the team for certain games, especially friendlies.
There is nothing wrong with trying a young kid out for one friendly and then not selecting him after. It's also perfectly fine to leave off a capable veteran and tell him “dude, if this was a competitive match of course you are on the team, but for now I'd like to kick the tires on some youngsters.”
So we will go into Mongkok stadium in Tuesday with a lineup more suited for a World Cup qualifier than for a friendly.
Here is the eighteen I would bring. Still plenty of vets, but also with some kids and in-form fresh faces in the mix. Again, you can start the vets, and either bring a few kids on as subs or just let the youngsters soak in the experience of International play from the bench.
It's a team with a) good reserves where they are needed, b) young kids who need experience, and c) players who are playing great in the UFL now.
I fully expect my selection to give Hong Kong a difficult time, after all the starters will be practically the same.
But no doubt Hong Kong will be a tough test. The home side is ranked 151 in the world, seven notches behind the Philippines.
Their all-time leading scorer, Chan Siu Ki, should be on the park. Chan is 6'2” and has found the net 34 times in 46 appearances for his country. He now plays for Guangdong Sunray Cave in the second tier of Chinese Football.
In Hong Kong's last competitive game they defeated Vietnam 1-0 at home in Asian Cup qualifying.
MY EIGHTEEN FOR HONG KONG
GOALKEEPERS
Neil Etheridge
Patrick Deyto
DEFENDERS
Andrew Santiago
Jerry Barbaso
Juani Guirado
Rob Gier
Carlie De Murga
Boiboi Fernandez
MIDFIELDERS
Jeffrey Christiaens
Mark Hartmann
Boyet Canedo
James Younghusband
Stephan Schrock
Mike Ott
Chieffy Caligdong
STRIKERS
Phil Younghusband
Javi Patino
OJ Porteria
If I had two more slots I'd bring Dodz Pasinabo from GAU and Jinggoy Valmayor from Pachanga-Diliman. If I can have a squad of 22 then I'll take Nathan Alquiros from Stallion and Jonjon Melliza from GAU as well.
The match will be televised live on Studio 23 starting at 7:30 pm on Tuesday. Follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333.
