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New Azkals team coach Thomas Dooley said he can handle the pressure despite the Azkals' lack of preparation time for the AFC Challenge Cup in May.

Dooley said pressure is a positive thing for him.

“Of course I have pressure too but the pressure is actually positive, I receive pressure in a positive way,” said the former US team skipper.

Dooley, a two-time World Cup player, was recently hired by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) to take over the coaching reins of the Philippine national team.

He signed a one-year contract, with the understanding that he is expected to lead the Azkals to victory in the Challenge Cup.

“I always be a positive thinking person. So for me it's like ‘how nice is it to win the Challenge Cup,’ how much can we make the people happy here in the Philippines and how much can we gain out of it the whole soccer community,” said the 52-year-old German-American.

Dooley said his primary goal is to form a team that will win the Cup.

The winner of the Cup will qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup, which will take place in Australia.

“That's the task that I would like to accomplish to form, that we have a team that plays for everybody. I'm thinking of the Challenge Cup at the moment. I don't think about the Asian Cup,” he said.

As a player, Dooley won the 1990-91 Budesliga title while playing for Kaiserslautern. He was also part of the Schalke 04 that won the UEFA Cup in the 1996-97 season.

He coached the German lower-division side Saarbrucken and was also part of the coaching staff of US national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann in 2011.

“The task at hand is for us to win the Challenge Cup... of course with the entry of coach Thomas I think the chances have gotten better,” said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.

PFF president Nonong Araneta, for his part, said he hopes they can get a winning partnership with Dooley.

“He's gonna be here at least for a year. He’s gonna coach the Challenge Cup team and hopefully the Suzuki Cup team. If we win the Challenge Cup, then all the way to Sydney for the Asian Cup,” said Araneta.

New Philippine Azkals head coach Thomas Dooley has revealed the four factors that he will consider when it comes to choosing the players for the national football team.

Dooley was formally introduced as the head coach of the Azkals last Friday and his first challenge with the squad is to prepare the team for the AFC Challenge Cup in Maldives this May.

When asked what he kind of attitude he would require from his players, Dooley said there were “four things that I have to consider and evaluate.”

“No. 1 is, technically, you have to be good with the ball,” said the coach. “If you cannot handle the ball, then it’s difficult.”

“The second thing is, you have to understand what your role is in the game. For example, if I have a center-back who is always going up front and leaves the back, then I have to talk to him. ‘This is your position, and you have to play that role.’”

“He has to understand the tactical part.”

Dooley said a player’s attitude is also important.

“Everybody should come in and know that it’s a team,” he said, adding that he is looking for players who are willing to work hard for the team’s success.

“The last thing is, you have to be fit,” he said. “If you are not fit, you can’t play. It is impossible to play a professional game or in the national team if you are not fit.”

Dooley has only watched two Azkals games, but is planning to watch UFL games so can observe some of the national team players in action. He is also planning to contact some of the Azkals players who are based in Europe.

“I want to get in touch with them right now. I don’t want to waste any time,” said Dooley. “(They have to) understand how I want to play, and then they can think about already what kind of system we play, what the starting position is when we have the ball, or the starting position when we don’t have the ball.”

Dooley also stressed that it is important for the national team players to understand that they are representing the Philippines every time they step onto the pitch.

“They are representing the whole country,” he said. “And the fans in the Philippines are proud, and we can do a great job to make them happy. That’s what everybody has to understand, but that’s a lot of work.”

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Source: Philippine Star

-- Phil Younghusband’s solid striking in last month’s AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal has earned for the Azkals ace forward a spot in a mythical “Asian Best XI” put together by the football website Goal.Com.

Younghusband, who scored a tournament-best six goals during the Azkals’ historic drive to third place in the Challenge Cup, earned the site’s nod as top striker for March in the list of top performers from all over Asia.

“The Azkals had to be the biggest story of the AFC Challenge Cup with their run to third place, and the former top scorer for Chelsea’s youth team became a hero to his country after netting six goals and earning the tournament’s Golden Boot,” the website for international football news wrote of Younghusband.

“The 24-year-old striker had a fine tournament, including a decisive double in the win over India, as well as the opener in their semifinal defeat to Turkmenistan,” it added.

The Fil-British is in the company of high profile booters like Shinji Kagawa of Borussia Dortmund (center midfielder), Suchao Nuchnum of Buriram United (left midfielder), and Koo Ja-Cheol of Augsburg (right midfielder).

Goalkeeper Baba Malick of Lekhwiya, rightback Salem Al Dosari of Al Hilal, center-backs Alex Wilkinson of Central Coast Mariners and Mohammad Nosrati of Persepolis, left-back Hassan Ashjari of Sepahan, center midfielder Pak Nam-Chol, the Challenge Cup MVP and key player of back-to-back champion North Korea, and attacking midfielder Nam Tae-Hee of Lekhwiya, are also in.

Graham Arnold of Central Coast Mariners was named manager of the “Asian Best XI.”

Goal.com is also conducting a reader’s poll on its Asian Player of the Month and Younghusband enjoyed the lead after two days, garnering 48.51 percent of the votes at presstime. The voting ends on April 5.

Source: GMA News

LOS ANGELES - David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy beat Houston 1-0 on Sunday to win Major League Soccer's MLS Cup, giving the English superstar the Hollywood ending he sought to his ground-breaking Galaxy deal.

Landon Donovan's 72nd-minute goal, from a pass by Irish international Robbie Keane, was enough to secure the victory for the Galaxy.


Beckham and his Galaxy mates will have little time to celebrate, as they are scheduled to embark on an Asian tour that will include a friendly match against the Philippine Azkals at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on December 3.

Their American championship adds even more buzz and prestige to the much-anticipated match in Manila. The Younghusband brothers from England, Azkals stars, idolized fellow Briton Beckham while growing up.

Beckham, who won six Premiership titles with Manchester United and a Spanish League title with Real Madrid, captured his first MLS championship in the final match of his five-year deal.

The triumph put the finishing touches to a season in which the Galaxy produced the best regular-season record in the league and were unbeaten at home.

The lone goal of the match came as Beckham headed a ball to Keane, who ran into the area and fed Donovan, who fired home.

When the final whistle blew, Beckham wrapped his arms around Donovan and lifted him off his feet in celebration.

Donovan paid tribute to his "warrior-like" teammate, saying Beckham injured a hamstring earlier in the week and was "playing on one leg."

Beckham himself was just happy to claim the title so widely predicted when he arrived Stateside to great fanfare in 2007 -- a move that raised the profile of MLS with US sports fans and opened the door for other marquee international players to follow.

"It's about time," said Beckham, who could yet have a sequel with the Galaxy if team officials can persuade him to return after his contract expires at the end of December.

Beckham, who is also being wooed by French club Paris Saint-Germain, preferred to celebrate rather than speculate on his future.

"I'm glad all the hard work of the season paid off," he said.

"I play the game to win. Whether I stay or not I've had an amazing five years," added Beckham, who was serenaded by chants of "We want Beckham" after the final whistle blew.

A record crowd of 30,281 turned out at the Home Depot Center, undaunted by the rain that pelted Los Angeles all day.

The fact that the stadium had been selected in advance to hold the championship match was a bit of serendipity for the Galaxy, making it a virtual home fixture for them.

Houston suffered another blow when they lost leading scorer Brad Davis to a torn quadriceps in the Eastern Conference championship match.

Los Angeles dominated play in a scoreless first half but couldn't capitalize.

Beckham delivered a corner directly to forward Adam Cristman's head in the 12th minute but Cristman -- replacing injured Chad Barrett in the starting lineup -- missed.

In the 27th, he was unable to finish another header after Beckham lofted a pass to him, and he then misplayed a ball from Donovan in front of the goal after slipping on the wet pitch.

Keane, who this month helped Ireland book their Euro 2012 berth, appeared to score in the 56th but the goal was ruled offside.

Source: GMA News

The United Football League (UFL) revealed on Wednesday that coming elimination matches originally scheduled at the Rizal football stadium will instead be at the University of Makati football field.

“In preparation for the LA Galaxy vs. Azkals Match, Rizal Memorial has advised the UFL not to use the pitch," the UFL said in a Facebook post.

UFL teams will return to the Rizal pitch on December 5 after the friendly game between the Philippine men’s national football team—the Azkals—and the LA Galaxy of the United States’ Major League Soccer.

The December 5 games will be for the semifinals of the current UFL Cup, wherein 28 football teams and clubs are competing in seven groups. The tournament is nearing the end of its elimination stage's Round of 16, with only six games yet to be played.

Source: Roy Moore, GMA News

Source: Felix Codilla III, Business Mirror

ORMOC CITY—While the Philippines Football Federation (PFF) searches for young homegrown talent to develop for future competitions, its officials admit there is a need to reinforce the current seniors squad with players who grew up playing the foreign brand of football.

Azkals team manager Dan Palami and other officials are scheduled to conduct tryouts in England and the US and hold a training camp in Dubai, noting that the Philippines is years behind the Europeans and other football-mad nations.

“It’s this realization that requires us to look for Filipinos outside the country who have better training,” said Palami.

“I’m sure given the time and popularity the sport is having [here], there will come a time when our dependence on foreign-based Filipinos will be lessened. But at this point, we have no choice but to look for players outside the Philippines to augment our bench,” he added.

The Filipino-foreign recruits have also helped boost the Azkals off the pitch, drawing thousands, if not millions, of admirers.

And so female fans here were hugely disappointed when the team planed in for a two-day visit over the weekend without three of the most popular Azkals—brothers James and Phil Younghusband and Neil Etheridge.

The only Filipino-foreigner who came along was William Guerridon who was adopted by a family in Germany when he was five years old. The team is in Ormoc to grace the National Football Invitational Tournament, one of the events of the Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival.

Angie, one of the autograph-seeking teens waiting for the squad, said she is happy the players took time to visit their fans here but quickly added it would have been better if the other Filipino-foreigners joined the trip.

Asked about talks that suggest the squad wouldn’t have risen to fame if not for the Filipino-foreigners, Palami explained that football is a team sport and should be considered as such and that he believes the sport is bigger than any other nationality and goes beyond personality.

He noted that the Younghusbands have been with the team for years now but it was the semifinal run in the Asean Football Federation Cup that shot them to stardom.

“I would like to think that it is more the success of the team rather than the looks of individuals that make the team acceptable to the masses,” Palami said.

“Of course, we couldn’t discount good looks and good skills will always get a better number of fans. But I think there are a lot of fans who are actually educated in football already and their admiration for the team goes beyond a single person. That’s the more important thing,” he added.

Palami added that Phil Younghusband didn’t play in Myanmar.

“It’s not that he’s not important, but (my point is) the guys play as a team and that’s what it’s giving them success,” he explains.

He noted there are homegrown key players like Ian Araneta, who scored the first goal in Bangladesh and Yanti Barsales who hit a goal in Myanmar, among others.

Palami admits there are fans who know only stars and celebrities but noted they are those who are not really into the game but there are those who appreciate other aspects of the game and members of the team including the coaching and support staff.

He also concedes it will take a while for Filipinos in general to develop the love for football rather than the individual players.

Source: Francis Santiago, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-Spanish Juan Luis Guirado, a midfielder who plays in the Spanish Division III team Lermeno of Burgos, may join the Philippine Azkals in their bid to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Juan, 31, is the older brother of Angel, an attacking midfielder who helped the Filipino booters advanced in the finals of the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup last month in Yangon, Myanmar.

Azkals coordinator Patrick Ace Bright said team manager Dan Palami is hoping to get the elder Guirado, who could be a big boost for the national football team seeking a huge victory in their World Cup qualifying first-round match against Sri Lanka on June 29.

“We’re hoping that he (Juan) could process his Filipino passport in time for the qualifier,” Bright said Monday.

Rafael Garcia, cousin of the Guirado brothers who worked as interpreter for Angel when he was in the country, said Juan has not yet declared himself available for team because of his commitments in Spain.

Juan works as freight handler for Pepsi Cola Spain in the morning and plays for his team in the afternoon.

“There’s a 50-50 chance he would make himself available for the Azkals tryouts,” said Garcia who coordinates with the Azkals officials. “We have given him (Juan) until the end of April to process his passport in Madrid. But if he couldn’t do it, then that means he could not join.”

Garcia said Juan would be a huge help for the Azkals’ bid the same way Angel had helped the team in the Challenge Cup.

Angel, who impressed Azkals coach Michael Weiss no end, scored two goals in the Filipino booters’ 3-0 demolition of Bangladesh in the last of the three Challenge Cup group elimination round matches in Yangon, Myanmar.

Source: Celest R. Flores, Philippine Inquirer

MANILA---National team manager Dan Palami is optimistic that the ongoing PFF Suzuki Cup Under-23 national championship will discover untapped talents for theSoutheast Asian Games.

“The lack of available talent locally is one of the problems we’re trying to address,” said Palami. “Competition such as this will allow players to really have a goal.”

With the popularity of the sport reaching an all-time high in the wake of the unprecedented performance of the national squad known as the Azkals, the support and interest for football—even on the grassroots level—also leapfrogged.

“It starts with interest. If they know something is happening, they will get interested in the game,” added Palami in a press conference during the Southern Luzon clusters kickoff at the University of the Philippines Los Banos last March 30.

The composition of the SEA Games’ under-23 squad will be selected from the winners of the PFF Suzuki Cup, but PFF president Mariano “Nonong”Araneta said that a number of Filipino-foreigners and foreign-based Filipinos have expressed interest in joining the squad.

Araneta said that Palami has received many applications to try out because “because their schedules will not allow them to play for a long period of time here locally.”

“But we have to start somewhere and look at the local players, then the foreigners later on, to make a good selection for our U-23 team."

For Azkals head coach Hans Michael Weiss, quality is top priority in the search for a player.

“We’re always looking for quality players who are physically strong, who have a good technique, who have a good sense to play football. Anyone who can prove himself has a chance to try out,” said Weiss.

This marks the first year that an elaborate competition for young booters is being staged, with Suzuki Philippines as the main backer.

Thirty of 33 football clubs all around the Philippines are represented in the competition, which will also be played in a home-and-away format during the regional eliminations where eight teams from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and the National Capital Region will slug it out.

Only Luzon and Mindanao are undergoing cluster eliminations, while two teams from NCR were already given two slots to the next round.

"This is a very big way of starting the process of selecting players for the national team. It’s a long term process,” Palami said.

Source: Celest R. Flores, Inquirer

LOS BANOS, LAGUNA - The Philippine Football Federation is considering the historical Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium as one of the venues for the home games of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers starting in June said PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta Wednesday.

With the first and second round of qualifiers for the World Cup played with a home-and-away format, the PFF started looking for other options aside from the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod.

“We will try to look at Rizal Memorial (today) and see how we can fix it,” said Araneta in the PFF Suzuki U-23 national championships in UP Los Banos in Laguna.

Rizal Memorial Stadium, with a capacity of 30, 000, was once home of the national football team and used to host major football matches since its creation in the 1930s.

But its rapid dilapidation throughout the years made it unfit for international standards, and eventually the national team, now widely known as the Azkals, had the constant problem with its practice and game venues.

In the first leg of the AFC Challenge Cup pre-qualifying against Mongolia last February, the Azkals played their first ever home game since their amazing run in the AFF Suzuki Cup in Bacolod's Panaad Stadium.

The stadium, with a standing capacity of 20,000, was brimming from the VIP area up to the bleachers by fans from around the Philippines who trooped there just to watch the Azkals.

The team before, though, had problems with the lack of stadium of top standard during the Suzuki Cup late last year and had to play both legs of the semifinals, which they eventually lost, in Bung Karno stadium in Indonesia.

But Araneta expressed said the PFF and the Azkals will not encounter the same difficulty because the AFC, the main governing body of football in Asia, does not have the same requirements like that of the AFF.

“Actually, the capacity only will be considered if the home country wants more gate receipts,” said Araneta. “The home game is actually to help the host country.”

The quality of the pitch, the lighting, air-conditioned dressing rooms, security within the area, and media rooms, though, are among AFC’s top concerns, according to Araneta.

“If it’s televised and the field is up to international standards then the game will be better,” Araneta added.

Whether Rizal Memorial will live up to these requirements, the PFF will only find out after its ocular inspection of the field today.

The Azkals, drawn against Sri Lanka in the first round of the qualifiers, will play the first leg in the opponents turf in June 29 before shifting back to the Philippines on July 3.

Round 1

1. Malaysia vs Chinese Taipei
2. Bangladesh vs Pakistan
3. Cambodia vs Laos

Source: Jon Perez, GMA News

-- The Philippine national men's football team’s gallant effort in the recent ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 earned for them a spot in the Top 10 Football stories of Sports Illustrated's online edition.

The Nationals, more popularly known as the Azkals, made the list at number 10 after its stunning 2-0 upset of deposed champion Vietnam in their Group B match in the Suzuki Cup.

The Azkals reached the semifinal round but lost to Indonesia in the two matches they played at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Source: ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals’ quarterfinal victory over Vietnam in the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup made it to Sports Illustrated’s Top 10 soccer stories this year.


The Azkals' 2-0 win over Vietnam early this month is ranked No. 10 on the list compiled by Sports Illustrated columnist Georgina Turner.

“This year's tournament produced arguably the biggest upset in its history: Defending champion and federation powerhouse Vietnam lost 2-0 to the Philippines, ranked 151st in the world and without so much as a point off Vietnam in nearly 20 years,” Turner said in her column “Inside Soccer”.

The Azkals defeated Vietnam in front of 40,000 Vietnamese spectators at the My Dinh National Stadium on December 5.

Chris Greatwich scored the opening goal for the Azkals in the 38th minute. This was followed by Phil Younghusband’s precision strike at close range with 10 minutes remaining.

The victory made the Azkals instant celebrities in basketball-crazy Philippines.

It also sent Vietnam’s Portuguese coach Henrique Calisto fuming mad over the Philippines’ defensive style of play.

"If the Philippines think they can win playing that way then my dear, poor, poor football in this region," he said in an interview published on the tournament's official website.

The Philippines went on to score a draw against Myanmar and seize a semifinals slot.

The Azkals, however, failed to advance into the Suzuki Cup finals after bowing to Indonesia in two semifinal games.

Source: GMA News

-- The dream is over, but it was even better than simply good while it lasted. And Philippine football may well thank the 2010 national team that competed splendidly in the AFF Suzuki Cup for the likely revival and advancement of the game in the Azkals' home country.


The Philippines lost the second leg of the semis match against Indonesia by the same score as in the first leg three days ago, 1-0 — a testament to its determination in defense and the remarkable quality it has shown on the field as a marked improvement for Philippine football.

With the win, Indonesia earned the right to face Malaysia, which beat Vietnam in the other semis match-up, in the home-and-away finals slated on December 26 and 29.


INA's Gonzales delivers anew

Picking up from where he left off in the previous game, Christian "El Loco" Gonzales delivered anew for Indonesia on Sunday at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

It was a brilliant strike by the Uruguayan-born Gonzales in the 43rd minute, from 25 yards out against a phalanx of defenders, the ball soaring high to the right corner of the goal, barely past the post and above the outstretched arms of a leaping Neil Etheridge, PHL's superb 20-year-old goalie.

Gonzales had also delivered the game-winning goal, a header, in Indonesia's 1-0 victory in the first leg. This time out, he unleashed a left-footed bullet after his first long-range kick was deflected back to him.

Both sides had numerous chances at the goal in a highly entertaining, up-tempo game throughout the first half, but the Indonesians' swift forays were evidently more dangerous.

Etheridge held his own against severe bombardment, and on the counter-offense, the Azkals managed to create several opportunities, which only lacked the fortune of a finishing touch.

Yellow cards were issued to Azkals Ian Araneta (22nd) and Rob Gier (37th), which may have discombobulated the Azkals and had their defense turning shaky in the last seven minutes of the first half.

In making his second goal in the semis match, Gonzales sent Indonesia two aggregate goals up by halftime, and put the Azkals in a bind, needing to come up with at least two goals in the next 45 minutes to send the game to extra time for the match decider.

The second half saw the hosts honorably mounting the same quick-passing attacks, when they could just have held back in defense to assure themselves of advancing to the Finals against Malaysia, which ousted defending Vietnam Saturday.

Etheridge again made a number of crucial saves, while his teammates desperately went into the attack themselves, also creating dangerous opportunities.

Corner kicks and long throw-ins by the Filipinos had the Indonesian backline and goalie scrambling for lucky saves on several occasions.

In the 57th minute, Chris Greatwich had a golden opportunity with a well-timed header as he rose above the fray, only to see the ball land on the top of the net.

In the 69th minute, Anton del Rosario unleashed a powerful shot from the middle, 15 yards out, only to see the ball bounce against the chest of the Indonesian goalie.

With pressure building up, emotions ran high on both sides.

Greatwich received his second yellow card and had to leave the field in the 86th minute, while Del Rosario engaged the Indonesians in trash talk.

The Azkals' offensive effort eventually proved futile, even as the hosts kept taking chances with their fluid forward thrusts until time ran out.

In the end, it was still a magnificent effort by the Filipinos, who gained the respect of the region by advancing to the semifinals with a stunning win against Vietnam and holding their own for draws with Singapore and Myanmar.

Forced to play its two-leg semis match away from home due to the lack of an adequate stadium in the Philippines, the Azkals had to endure the ear-splitting cheers and jeers of a home crowd of some 80,000 Indonesians.

After Indonesia, the Philippines conceded the fewest number of goals in the tournament, only three in five glorious matches that saw the Azkals rise nobly to the occasion to win the hearts of their countrymen and the admiration of opponents.

Source: ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – Malaysia scored a 0-0 deadlock against Vietnam at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday to advance into the Finals of the ASEAN Footbal Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.


According to the tournament website, the Vietnamese team was unable to get past the Malaysian's defense because player Pham Thanh Luong was ousted on a second bookable offense, leaving his Vietnamese team shorthanded for the last 18 minutes of the game.

Vietnam, the Suzuki Cup defending champion, suffered a 2-0 loss to Malaysia in the first leg of their semifinal duel in Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Jalil Stadium last Wednesday.

The victory has sent Malaysia to its first Suzuki Cup finals appearance in 14 years.

Malaysia will be waiting for the semifinals winner between the Philippines and Indonesia.

The Philippine team is raring to get back at the Indonesians, who scored a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their semifinal duel last Thursday.


The Philippines and Indonesia will again fight it out on Sunday at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

The game will be aired live by ABS-CBN Studio 23.

Source: ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals’ unbeaten run has come into a halt after meeting Team Indonesia in the first leg of the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup semifinals.


The Indonesians scored 1-0 to claim the first semifinal match against the Filipino booters at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Cristian Gonzales of Indonesia made the goal in the 31st minute.

It was the first time the Azkals lost a game in this year’s Suzuki Cup.

In the qualifiers last October, the Filipinos beat Timor Leste, 5-0, then drew with Laos (2-2) and Cambodia (0-0).

They went on in the quarterfinals to score a 1-1 draw against Singapore and a 2-0 win over defending champion Vietnam.

The Azkals eventually qualified for the semifinals by drawing with Myanmar, 0-0.

The Philippines still has the chance to redeem itself from the loss to Indonesia in the second leg set on December 19. It can still win the tie if it scores a 2 goal difference in the second leg.

The Filipinos next semifinal game against the Indons will also take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

The game will be broadcast live by ABS-CBN Studio 23.

Source: Mico Halili, GMA News

-- As a fan, I hate to see the Azkals hit the road to play a "home-game" on foreign soil. It's a cruel way to enjoy the advantage they richly earned. But it isn't time to crucify the scoundrels responsible for the Azkals' ironic banishment just yet. The spotlight is best reserved for men on the pitch. Besides, I don't think it's the worst thing to play the biggest games of their lives away from their biggest enemies here at home: fair-weather friends, grandstanders, posers, leeches.

They come in all shapes and forms. Some are new. Some, especially the most prominent ones, have been stalking this team from the start (I suppose these are the true die-hards). I suspect the ones who profess their undying love for goal-keeper Neil Etheridge on Facebook pose less harm than the ones who profess new-found devotion to football through privilege speeches and photo-opportunities. I don't doubt the sincerity of all who wish to chip in. The Azkals, after all, inspire us to forget about left hooks and slam dunks for a moment and understand what aggregate goals mean. It’s the latest sports "bayanihan" movement.

Look, I am likewise new to the cause. I will never claim otherwise. I only learned how to correctly pronounce and spell McMenemy yesterday. I know the Azkal legend was created back in 2005. I also know the legend has grown a thousand times since. Yet I don't believe everything I hear – who to praise for what, who to blame for which. Neither should you. Politics can make dreamers into cynics. It also pushes recalcitrant crooks to act like renaissance men. It's all smoke and mirrors. I'd rather concentrate on the real deal.

Why should our Azkals set sail into hostile territory anew? Because they're better off focusing on the real deal too. It's not the extra-curricular activities off the pitch that matter. After looking at some of the personalities who are scrambling to join the parade, I'm even more convinced.

I know Bacolod is heart-broken. Panaad devotees deserve to host a Suzuki Cup match and shout themselves hoarse. But I worry about the barong-tagalogs out to steal limelight or steal, period (which they often do). I worry about unreasonable demands for the Azkals' time. I don't worry about the pressure of playing at home and winning for the benefit of a riotous home crowd. They won in Vietnam. They can win in Jakarta too. These Azkals thrive on duress. But not the kind of duress created by individuals who care little about the game and more about the benefits of media exposure.

Maybe I'm unpatriotic since I think the Azkals can adeptly play before 80,000 non-believers. Maybe I'm unpatriotic because I want the best thing that has ever happened to Philippine football to stay as far away from the political circus as possible. Maybe I'm unpatriotic for wanting the Azkals to prove they can win against anyone in this tournament, anytime, anywhere. Maybe I'm being unreasonably unpatriotic because I believe.