hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Philippine Azkals head to Maldives Challenge cup with new coach
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Philippine Azkals head to Maldives Challenge cup with new coach
The Philippine Azkals will be heading to Maldives for the AFC Challenge Cup with newly appointed German-American coach Thomas Dooley, who recently replaced former Azkals coach Michael Weis.
The Maldives Challenge Cup will take place on May 19-30 with eight teams participating including the Philippine National Football team popularly known as the Azkals. The Azkals are currently in a reorganization mode following the termination of coach Weis, who steered the team to a third place finish in the AFC Challenge Cup in 2012. Before moving to Maldives, the Azkals will first head to Malaysia to play with the Malaysian National Football team in a friendly on March 1 at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Azkals and the Malaysian football team have figured in past games in their respective home courts. The Azkals won over Malaysia 1-0 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in 2012 while both teams ended with a scoreless game in the same year in Malaysian home court. The Azkals has a superior world ranking record of 127 against the Malaysian ranking of 154 in the global FIFA rankings. Read more Dooley will have the opportunity to get the "feel" of the Azkals as a team in a friendly competition with the seasoned Malaysian team. The German-American coach is a seasoned football player, having played for many years with German leagues and later in the US where he was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1993. After retirement, Dooley tried his hand in coaching when he went back to Germany to head the coaching staff of FC Saarbrücken in 2002 and 2003' Dooley said his biggest immediate goal is to win the Maldives challenge Cup in May for the Philippine Azkals. “I’m very honored, humbled and excited to take this task,” said the 52-year-old German-American. “The biggest, shortest goal we have is to win the (AFC)Challenge Cup (in Maldives in May) because this is an important task. I’m very excited to take this task, it may not be very easy but it’ll be worth it.” Right after his appointment as coach of the Philippine team, P)hilippine Football Federation (PFF) President Mariano Araneta said Dooley will immediately start preparing the team for the Maldives Challenge Cup.
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Philippine Azkals head to Maldives Challenge cup with new coach