Karl Decena, InterAKTV
With just a few days before the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, Philippine national men’s football team coach Hans Michael Weiss admitted that he is having a hard time choosing who to include in the final lineup for the tournament.
From a roster of 35 players, Weiss has to pick 22 players who will play for the entire competition before the Friday deadline, a day before the Azkals’ first match.
“Big headache,” Weiss said in an exclusive interview to InterAKTV days before the Azkals flew to Thailand for the tournament.
The German coach was particular of the Azkals’ top goalkeepers whose availability in the tournament remains uncertain.
“Maybe (we will include) three keepers,” Weiss said, adding that only one between Fil-British Neil Etheridge and Fil-German Roland Mueller will probably be included in the lineup alongside local keepers Ed Sacapaño and Ref Cuaresma. “I need two locals and one of the top ones.”
“So you see the headaches the coach can (have)… the keeper is (only) one.”
Aside from Etheridge and Mueller, Fil-German midfielder Stephan Schrock is still doubtful for the tournament, while other foreign-based players such as Angel Guirado, Jerry Lucena, Dennis Cagara and Paul Mulders have already been given the green light to join the tournament.
Despite that, Weiss still believes that the local players could still deliver for the squad.
“We have to give confidence to players who are on the pitch,” Weiss said. “We have to think now Filipino.”
To help him decide who to include in the final lineup, Weiss has set four parameters on picking the players for the tournament: performance and fitness, achievements in the past for the Philippines, social interaction within the team and how will he help the team in the future tournaments.
“I have to put all these things in consideration and then see what is the best for Thailand,” Weiss said.
The Azkals will start their campaign against host Thailand on Saturday, followed by Vietnam on November 27 and Myanmar on November 30 in the Suzuki Cup, where they look to surpass their historic semifinal run in the same tournament two years ago.
Really tough for the Coach. But these guys are professionals and know their roles.
ReplyDeleteFor me, every player who are part of the NT whether local based or abroad based helped to reach whereever we are now.
Our system is different (we have local and abroad player options) and I'm sure all players know that. And I'm sure they know what everyone of them wants to achieve.