Azkals tweet treats: 1st day in Mongolia [3.13.2011]

One week has now passed since I created LoveAzkals fanpage in Twitter and this blog.  It was such an enjoyable journey because the world of sports, particularly football, is a new territory for me.

My first blog on Metro Society is the most popular post to-date largely because of Jason Sabio who posted the link in his page a few hours after I created this blog.  Without him knowing, it encouraged me to learn more about azkals.

After a week I can say I am starting to get familiar with different personalities that comprised Azkals.  Apart from they superior skills in football, their hardworking attitude and dedication to give their best plus playful personality which became more apparent on their way to Ulan Bator, Mongolia made me realize why they are so lovable.

In my 1st weeksarry, it was a treat receiving a complimentary tweet from Patrick Ace about my blog.  Thanks for that sweet tweet.  Getting followed by Chieffy yesterday is special bonus since he is the pride of our province.


About azkals in Mongolia, I will not be posting all the tweets they posted since various online media portals have already reported them so I will focus on photo blog.

Simon Greatwich in South Korea airport waiting for the flight to Mongolia via Beijing.  He met Dyan Castillejo from ABS-CBN who carried Simon's passport from Manila.  Credit photos to Dyan Castillejo's twitter.

Icelandic-Filipino defender Ray Anthony Johnsson was flying from London to Mongolia via Beijing with 8 hours layover.  That's an exhausting trip!   Filipino-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong is also expected to fly in from Indonesia.  I did not see any confirmation whether both azkals have already reached Ulan Bator.

Jason Sabio, Simon Greatwich, Phil Younghusband at Palace Hotel lobby in Ulan Bator.  Photo credit to Simon's twitter

The team reached Mongolia yesterday at 5:00 AM in a freezing -20 degree Celsius temperature.  Mongolia Football Federation confirmed receiving 19 players and 8 officials.  The team is staying at Palace Hotel. With the series of luck azkals have been getting it is no surprise hearing that their luggage have been mishandled by the airline. The team got their luggage at 4:00 A.M the following morning which they were told to pick up from the airport. It's freezing cold!



So how the team passed their time in Mongolia?  

Jason Sabio asked Bianca Gonzales on Twitter, which reminds me of Phil Younghusband when he asked Angel Locsin.  At least now, the two are friends based on their interviews.

Jsabio3: @iamsuperbianca Happy Sunday. Would you like to grab a cup of java while im in Manila? Mary Grace at ATC? Hope all is well.  about 17 hours ago

 Jsabio3: @iamsuperbianca Thanks for the best wishes! It is cold, but not unbearable. @SimonGreatwich and @PhilYHusband are keeping me warm! haha about 14 hours ago

Phil and Jason played a prank on Simon who was trying to take a nap.

Simon Greatwich, photo credit to Jason Sabio

Team Captain Aly Borromeo took a walk outside to check out the game pitch. He tweeted he almost turned into ice.

Aly in the hotel lobby.  Photo credit to Simon's Twitter

Tweets of other members of the team ...

JYH53: Just chilling with some pancit given from @acebright.  about 12 hours ago

Jsabio3: Found out today Reymark Palmes says @cristineklenk is really beautiful and Peter Jaugan has a crush on @Kaye_abad.  about 16 hours ago

ianaraneta23 watching tom and jerry show...i miss this!...hehehehe...lol about 11 hours ago: 

anton_delro: Oh boy! -17 degrees and counting. Earlier wasn't too bad, gotta play in the snow but we still have to test it out with our uniforms on! :S about 8 hours ago 

Tophcam2: GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE :D SLEEP WELL!! TIRED... :( PLAYED IN THE SNOW TODAY HEHE :P @anton_delro made some snow angels! hahA! about 8 hours ago

Biggest movie star in Mongolia Bolormaa Nadaam meets bigtime azkals star @philyhusband but doesnt know who phil is.  via Simon Greatwich's twitter

Azkal country needs you on March 15

MARK that date, March 15 and leave no appointments from noon until the rest of the day.

Better yet, skip work or, if you’re the boss, let your employees take half the day off. For students, unless there’s a major exam scheduled, it’s time for an SDH—Self-declared Holiday.

It’s the Azkals against Mongolia, Part 2 and no, unlike what one TV anchor said, the Philippines doesn’t have to beat the host to move on to the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers in Myanmar. A draw will do.

But I know the Azkals know their fans will be watching back home, so I don’t think they’ll settle for a draw. Mongolia, too, won’t be the same side that played defensively last Feb. 9 so the Blue Wolves will take risks.

They’ll attack, probe and look for the opening.

They’ll probably thank the football gods, too, that Neil Etheridge isn’t playing.

Neil’s in England, on loan to Charlton Athletic from Fulham and his absence means veteran Eduard Sacapaño gets the No. 1 spot, while young Christopher Camcam gets promoted to No. 2.

Sacapaño is one of the unsung heroes of the Azkals, a veteran who stuck with the team all through those lean years. When Neil came along, he got relegated to second banana, something proud players who value themselves too highly can’t take.

But Ed? He’s still there. He trained and practiced hard for months for the Suzuki, despite knowing his chance of seeing action was close to nil.

Now that’s character. That’s grit.

He will need that against Blue Wolves, who’ll be playing in front of their own fans, who’ll be braving the freezing weather just to be there.

Yep, on March 15 the Azkals will be back to their usual thing—playing in another country’s homecourt.

But they are not in the usual situation. Gone are the days when only the hardcore fans you can count on one hand and the reporters you can count with the other are aware of their games.

Philippine football is changing and the Azkals need youto keep it evolving. No, not in cold Ulan Bator where zero degree is considered the warmest temperature of the day—that’s why they are holding the match at 1 p.m.—but they need you in front of the TV set on March 15.

You could be screaming nonsense or analyzing the formation, or you could even provide fashion tips. It doesn’t matter.

Work commitments, you say? Didn’t you call in with a fever because you were hung over? Class? Didn’t you skip them for a few bottles of beer?

You can come in garb, in white shirts and face paint or you can watch in your naked glory, it doesn’t matter.

What matters is your presence. Go to a bar, watch at home, have a viewing party with friends.

Or, like what Graeme Mackinnon, the guy who flew all the way from Australia to watch the Feb. 9 game, will do, watch a webstream with friends.

Be there on March 15. The Azkal country needs you.

Let’s not disappoint them.

PRAYERS. The Azkals are currently training in Japan and so far, they have survived two earthquakes.

In an ABS-CBN report, Chieffy Caligdong said they felt the tremors, while Roel Gener assured their family members and fans that they are safe.

Let’s hope the team’s situation continues that way and let’s pray for their safety and for all the victims of the massive quake.

(www.football.cebunetwork.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 12, 2011.

via Sunstar (Mike T. Limpag, 3/11/2011)

Sacapano takes Etheridge place for Azkals

IN the absence of ace goalie Neil Etheridge, Edward Sacapano will have to play big when the Philippine Azkals national football team takes on Mongolia right in its own turf in Ulan Bator next week.

Sacapano, a Bago City native, who played for West Negros University in college, will be the Azkals’ last line of defense against the Wolves, who will be looking to beat the Azkals at least by a score of 3-0 to clinch their home-and-away duel in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup.

The 21-year-old Fil-British Etheridge, who helped the Azkals reach the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup late last year and backstopped the same team against Mongolia during the initial home-and-away match, which the Azkals won, 2-0, in Panaad Stadium, will be gone for a month to honor his commitments with his ballclub in England.

But Sacapano’s teammate readily gave the reserve goalie their vote of confidence as they gear up for the decisive match in cold Ulan Bator.

“May tiwala kami kay Edward. Kayang-kaya niya iyan,” said Ian Araneta, one of the Azkals’ designated hitters, who plays the same position with Phil Younghusband.

A win by the Azkals will advance them into the group stage of the AFC Challenge Cup which will be held in neighboring Myanmar.

The Azkals, who will fly to Ulan Bator on Saturday night, are nearing the end of their training at the Japan Football Association training facility in Gotemba City.

The Azkals only need a draw to advance in the Group Stage, where they are bracketed with Bangladesh, Palestine and Myanmar.

Aside from Sacapano, other goalkeepers on standby for the nationals are Christopher Camcam and Paolo Pascual.

Meanwhile, the Azkals got a taste of world-class football when they bowed to Kanto Gakuiin University football squad, 4-0, in an exhibition match played at the artificial pitch of the Toki no Sumika recreational facility.

Japan is rated no. 1 among Asian nations in football, and the win only underscored the Japanese’s mastery of the game.

Meanwhile, Fil-foreign booter Jason Sabio is set to join the Azkals today, along with Chris (Simon - nicky) Greatwich, who be planing in from the United States. Peter Atencio

/via Manila Standard (3/11/2011)

Azkals tweet treats: 3rd day in Japan [3.10.2011]

Azkals at the training field

I was supposed to post this set of photos last night but I was too sleep to stay up late.  For the 3rd day of Azkals' stay in Japan, my fave to stalk in Twitter is still Patrick Ace for the photos and information he had been sharing generously.

Yesterday afternoon, Patrick tweeted that the team was given an afternoon break from training by coach Michael Weiss.  They visited an outlet store in Gotemb City at 4 PM.

 

From team captain Aly Borromeo's tweet, the team is practicing on an artificial fields, which reminds him of his college days in the U.S.  Azkals is in a week-long camp in Japan practicing on an artificial turf, which is the playing surface that will be used in the second leg of their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match with Mongolia on March 15.

Aly also tweeted of having tuna in every meal in Gotemba.  I wonder if that tuna is a sashimi or a sushi since I would not mind having it in every meal as long as it is coupled with Salmon :).

 About Gotemba City, it is geographically located in the southeastern flank of Mt. Fuji in Shizouka, Japan with a cool climate and currently ranging from 5 to 0 degree Celsius.  A good place to acclimatize Azkals to a cold weather before heading to South Korea for a much colder weather in preparation for their upcoming match in Mongolia.

Anton Del Rosario: Good day People! Looking at Mt Fuji right now and it is amazing. I wanna go roll down it and turn into a huge snow ball :) Thursday, March 10, 2011 8:31:15 AM

Christopher Camcam: Hey everyone :) how you all doing :p I miss home!!! But japan is awesome :p we stay right next to mount fuji!! Take care!! Adios :p  Thursday, March 10, 2011 8:27:55 AM

Christopher Camcam:  Aly: I wanna go to the authentic japanese restaurant. Anton: how do you know its authentic? Aly: cause it has bonsai trees!  Thursday, March 10, 2011 10:23:59 AM

After the shopping expedition in the Outlet Mall, the team chilled out at the game room in Toki no Sumika Village playing ping pong and billiard.  I am not sure if I got the right description but when I checked it out, it said that Toki-no-Sumika is located in the outskirts of the Mount Fuji area.  A complex facility with hotels, cottages, onsen hot spas, tennis courts, soccer grounds, a skating rink, a church, and shops and restaurants.

James Younghusband

Christopher Camcam with Patrick Ace

/via Twitter