| Filipino-Foreign players worry coach Norman |
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| Sunday, 20 April 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||
 By Jack Biantan LONDON - RP National men’s football team coach Norman Fegidero has only one worry after his Azkals showed off their strength as they bulldozed two teams in two friendly matches in Dumaguete city. The Azkals defeated a Dumaguete selection 2-0 in their Friday (April 18) afternoon encounter before punishing the collegiate team Foundation University 6-1 Saturday afternoon (April 19) at the Silliman field. “They have showed lots of improvement but I am still worried if the team could jell once the Filipino-Foreign players will come and join them’’, he said in an exclusive interview with Pinoysoccer.com. Until now Fegidero said he is still waiting for the Filipino players based abroad to join the team. Filipino-British player James Younghusband joined them in practice few weeks ago but he was only present for only four days and left the training camp to go to Manila he added. Three Filipino-British re-enforcements James Hall of Everton, Phil Younghusband of Chelsea, and teenage goalie Neil Etheridge of Fulham are scheduled to leave for RP late this month. Another Filipino-British midfielder Chris Greatwich is still set to leave for RP on May 5. “ I am really worried if they are going to fit in the team. However, I will welcome them and just hope that they will fit in very well’’, he added. The Dumaguete selection which was reinforced by former RP team players Redrick Villiran and Ref Curesma showed very little resistance as the Azkals dominated most of the match allowing strikers Chippy Caligdong, and Ian Araneta to score the goals. “Our strikers Caligdong, Doctora and Araneta are impressive. They are providing the teams the much needed goals’’, Fegidero said. He was however more disappointed with the Silliman football field. “The pitch was hard but luckily we did not suffer any injury’’, he added. But the hard pitch did affect the Azkals performance against Foundation University as Araneta scored two goals, and Caligdong and Doctora added one goal each. Alejandro Montelibano scored from the penalty and Robert Canedo then added one goal to complete the sweep. The Azkals defense was exposed once as Foundation managed to slip in one goal. Aside from playing two friendly games in Dumaguete city, the Azkals also held a football clinic with hundreds of Dumaguete kids at the Perdeces stadium. They are scheduled to take the road to San Carlos city Negros Occidental tomorrow (April 19) where they will also conduct a football clinic among the San Carlos city kids and then play another friendly match against a selected San Carlos city team. Fegidero is expecting a more competitive workout as lots of student players based in San Carlos city and play in Cebu city and Bacolod city will see action for the selection. They will then proceed to Bacolod city by Monday and then sail back to their camp in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo. Fegidero said that they might play a match in Bacolod but they have not been informed yet of their opponent. The Cebu Football Association is also arranging for the Azkals to play a match and conduct a clinic in Cebu city next weekend. The CFA is arranging for them to play in the opening of the 8th Cebu National Inter-Club football championships which is set to open on April 27 at the Cebu city Sports Complex or at the University of San Carlos field in Talamban Cebu.
MikeH
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| james, yeah thats him! His brother has also played for Philippines, on U21 level. |
james
said:
| You guys must be pertaining to Andy Prochnow. |
MikeH
said:
| Ceburoo, the player youre referring to is the fil-german player. I heard how bad he was. But its strange that Coach Aris didnt see how bad he was, because he joined the squad two weeks or a week before SEAgames started. He got one game and that was it. I cant remember his name either. As for James Hall. I think Phil Y. is a notch or two better than James Hall. Hall has a professional contract with Everton, but he hasnt been near the bench or on the bench for the first team. I think he has been struggling with injuries the past years. Im not sure though. If you look at the tournament in Bacolod, there was also a couple of fil-foreigners who didnt get to play much. Matthew Hartmann and Henry Brauner. Henry has basically only been a sub. Matthew started the first game but he didnt impress. He has potential though. |
ceburoo
said:
| MikeH that was the point of my question. Has anyone seen him play? And being 18 I dont think he has the unqualified talent to be a standout in the MNT. Has he been on the bench of the first team or close to it? If he had he would be a precocious talent and then we would look at him as being the answer to the midfield. Now questions are being raised regarding his fitness. I hope that Norman doesnt fall into the trap that just because he is from overseas he is a walk up start for the team. I dont believe Aris made too many mistakes but he certainly did when he played I think a player who was from either Germany or Italy. I forget his name because he was that sort of player. His performance should have been forgettable just like his name but it was so bad that I unfortunately remember how bad it was and that Aris erred in not substituting him after twenty minutes. He waited until half time twenty-five minutes too long. I hope Norman will judge the player from his performance on the practice pitch and choose him on what he will give to the team and not what Country he plays his football. ceburoo, james hall is a big question. according to jonny he hasnt played this year, or lately, for the everton reserve team and academy team. big question about his form if he has been injured/or is injured at the moment. |
Reddevil
said:
| Definitely, this is not the ideal situation for Coach Norman. I guess its one of the inherent problems of why Philippine football is in such a state. But the previous reign of Coach Aris Caslib shows that we can achieve a degree of success even if these are the conditions. The fil brits play very diffrently thats for sure. the patience, the ball control on the first touch especially, and the maximization of effort is so different from how pinoys play. lets hope they can gel quickly enough and the hometown support will carry them thu. |
MikeH
said:
| ceburoo, james hall is a big question. according to jonny he hasnt played this year, or lately, for the everton reserve team and academy team. big question about his form if he has been injured/or is injured at the moment. |
george
said:
| Being versatile players, local MNT players can blend well with FIL-FOREIGNERS. Coach NORMAN should have the strategies for both the locals and FIL-FOREIGNERS play together effectively and efficiently to win games. |
ceburoo
said:
| I dont think Fejidero should be altogether too concerned. Phil Younghusband has played with some of these players before so they will know how he plays. Etheridge is the goalie and with his international experience it will be up to him to orchestrate and move the defence around. So long as the Pinoys will understand his English accent then there should not be too many dramas with him. Has anyone really seen Hall play under match conditions. I know he plays for Everton so you would expect him to be of similar quality of Younghusband. But remember he is playing in the senior team against senior opponents and isnt he only 18. I wouldnt expect him to be the divine midfielder that is going to turn the fortunes of the national team around. He will have his moments and the fact that he is playing midfield he will be close to Phil and also some of the other overseas players. That amount of experience so close to each other on the field will mean an easier blending between them and the others. Players generally who play in England have plenty to say on the field so there should not be any concerns with getting messages across to each other. |
