Azkals: Coach Weiss may start Müller over Etheridge in Challenge Cup qualifiers
“From a competitive match point of view, Roland is in the driver's seat.”
This was the surprising answer of Philippine Men's National Team coach Michael Weiss during Thursday's press conference when asked if he had a starting keeper in mind for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup qualifiers.
With both Neil Etheridge and Roland Müller available, Weiss has a decision to make, and the German tactician may spring a surprise.
“Müller is in the second league in Germany (with MVS Duisberg.) They are a team in the bottom of the table. He managed to start seven games (after an injury to first-choice custodian Felix Wiedwald) and hold clean sheets, getting eleven points from those games” said Weiss.
The coach also praised Etheridge who he said “has shown determination and passion.”
However Weiss was quick to say that no decision has been made yet and that the staff will pick a keeper after training.
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It is a school of thought among many Football coaches that players who have been getting more first-team action in their clubs should also start in International matches.
Etheridge is 23 years old, two years younger than Müller, but has 39 full International caps for the Azkals as opposed to Müller's six.
Etheridge has yet to make a League appearance for Fullham but last September was loaned out to fourth-tier Bristol Rovers where he played well in twelve starts.
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The Azkals play in the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers Group E later this month in Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. On March 22 they square off against Brunei Darusalam, then on March 24 versus Cambodia. Two days later the Azkals battle Turkmenistan in what should be the pivotal match of the group.
If you will recall, Turkmenistan eliminated the Philippines last year in the semifinals.
The group winners from the five groups qualify for the final stage in 2014 as well as the two best non-group winners. The eighth team will be host Maldives.
Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Palestine have already topped their groups and assured themselves of passage to the elite eight.
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Group B, comprising hosts Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Macau will start hostilities on March 17 in Bishkek.
Weiss believes that seven points from two wins and a draw should see the nation through to the next round, since no other second-place teams in the other completed groups has amassed more than six points.
Apart from Müller and Etheridge, European-based Azkals like Dennis Cagara, Jerry Lucena, Stefan Schrock, Paul Mulders, and Juani Guirado (who was present at the press con) are expected to play.
PFF Secretary-General Ed Gastanes bared that the team may still play one warm-up game before the tournament, likely on March 17 and possibly at Hong Kong or Macau, but nothing is final yet.
A Dubai training camp was planned but has since been scuttled for unspecified reasons.
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Gastanes also announced that Rizal Memorial Stadium should be in tip-top shape since by the beginning of the qualifiers, it will have been rested for more than a full month. A contractor has been hired to spruce up the surface and work has been ongoing there day and night, according to Gastanes.
If the Philippines qualify for the 2014 Challenge Cup and go on to win the title, they book a slot in the 2015 Asian Cup in Sydney, Australia. That event is the grown-ups table of Asian Football where Japan, Korea Republic, Australia, and all the top Arabian Gulf sides play. Japan defeated Australia 1-0 in the 2011 final.
Also in attendance was Azkals goalkeeper coach Pascal Zuberbühler. The former Switzerland international, here til the end of the month at the very least, was enthusiastic about helping Philippine Football but bemoaned a dearth of proper goalkeeping coaching in the country.
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Coach Zubi, as he is known, last played top-flight Football for Fullham, where he got to know Etheridge well.
Zuberbühler told me he hopes to meet with local Goalkeeping guru Melo Sabacan soon. Sabacan, a former national keeper himself, is one of the few GK coaching specialists in the country and is currently mentoring Kaya FC shot-stoppers Saba Sadeghi Garmaroudi and Jay Avellana.
The Swiss praised Azkal veteran keeper Ed Sacapano, saying “he is the best keeper in the league (UFL.)
He also noted that Green Archers United Globe's Patrick Deyto is very talented and that “I'd like to train with him every day.”
Tickets for the Azkals Challenge Cup qualifiers are already available in Ticketworld.com.ph. The most affordable tickets are just P106, while center bleachers are priced at P533. Grandstand seats range from P1067 to P2668 depending on the game.
Follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333.
