By Jack Biantan
Monday, March 14, 2011
/via Sunstar
LONDON, UK -- An earthquake of 8.9 intensity and a tsunami with apocalyptic proportion have caused massive devastation in some cities of Japan the other day.
I was at work when I saw over BBC news how the 30 feet tsunami swallowed thousands of homes, hundreds of cars and acres of farmlands along Japan's Pacific coastline.
The first thing that went into my mind was the Azkals. They were acclimatizing in Japan during that time for the 2nd leg of their AFC Challenge Cup elimination match against Mongolia.
After several hours, I breathed a sigh of relief when I learned from twitter that they were far from the tsunami at the Japan FA's training centre in Gotemba. But they felt the earthquake and the aftershocks.
As of this writing they were on their way to Beijing and are expected to be in Ulan Bator, Mongolia by Sunday midnight. They have less than two days of rest before their clash on Tuesday noon.
Out safely
The Azkals managed to get out of Japan safely through Narita airport and through the efforts of the Japan FA. They hardly have rest in their long trip and they would arrive in Ulan Bator exhausted.
The Azkals trained in Japan to get used to cold weather that is expected during match day (March 15). They had difficulty adjusting to the weather, losing two matches against Japanese University teams in wide score margins.
Only three of the regular Azkals will not fly to Ulan Bator. Neil Etheridge, Rob Gier and Chris Greatwich will miss the Mongolia match.
Jason Sabio and Simon Greatwich however managed to squeak past from other early commitments to assure the fans that they will be playing in Mongolia. They are also on their way to Ulan Bator.
It would be good news for the Azkals, as both footballers could fill in the hole in the Azkals defences and midfield left by Rob Gier and Chris Greatwich.
It seems that the odds are all against the Azkals this time. The cold weather, the lack of rest and their traumatic experience of being in Japan when the earthquake and the tsunami happened.
Their defeat against the two Japanese teams does not however show the real Azkals spirit. It was only a practice game without any audience, except for the coaching staff and game officials. It was not even considered as official friendly.
Friendly matches have the hype, the media and the fans involved. Friendlies are always played against other national teams.
Only worry
My only worries are the Azkals' fitness and their mental state. They will be playing minus their Rabid supporters and are under extreme pressure.
The Azkals are known for their resiliency. How many times they have sprang back from certain defeat to be victorious? I am certain that they would brush off this episode of giving our country football honors.
There would be no turning back this time. If they lose by two goals, they will bid good bye to further advancing to the AFC elimination in Myanmar.
A draw would be enough for them to advance and losing is not an option. Let's pray for the Azkals success and for the recovery of the Japanese nation. GOD BLESS jackbiantan@yahoo.com
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on March 14, 2011.
Showing posts with label Mongolia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mongolia. Show all posts
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Tired, sleepless Azkals 'frozen'
By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star) Updated March 14, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo checked out the pitch yesterday and couldn’t believe what he saw.
“(It) almost turned into ice,” he said on his Twitter account.
Worse, the Azkals couldn’t even get to practice and warm up because their luggage got lost somewhere in transit.
The Azkals are tired, cold and weary in Mongolia.
With only two days before the match, the Azkals are just trying to keep their confidence at a high level.
“Yesterday is over and done with,” added Borromeo from Ulan Bator, the freezing Mongolian capital where yesterday’s weather was at a low of -13 and a high of -24 degrees Celsius.
Borromeo said they’re all hoping for the best.
“Greater expectations, greater results ahead,” he said.
“Two days until game time. It’s time to focus,” said defender Anton del Rosario, who was quite surprised to find Filipino fans in Mongolia.
“What are all these Filipinos doing in Mongolia? We’ll have more fans than Mongolia,” he said.
Borromeo and the Azkals travelled almost 24 hours to get to Ulan Bator Saturday, all the way from earthquake-ravaged Gotemba in Japan via Beijing.
It was a treacherous journey out of Japan considering the damage caused by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck its northeastern coast.
The Azkals were in a training facility in Gotemba, 174 kms away from Tokyo when the great earthquake struck at 2:46 p.m. Friday.
The Azkals almost got stranded in Gotemba, and their March 15 match with Mongolia almost threatened. But the Japanese Football Association made sure they safely got out of the country.
It wasn’t easy.
The Azkals had to take a bullet train to Tokyo in the morning, and were stranded at the Narita International Airport because of flight delays.
They managed to board the plane to Beijing at around 8 p.m. and caught a connecting flight to Ulan Bator past midnight.
The Azkals arrived in Ulan Bator past 4 a.m., and, all wrapped in their Columbia thermal gear, were met by the terrible winter conditions. Ulan Bator is said to be the coldest national capital in the world.
Worse, they arrived minus their luggage, which got left behind in Beijing, and was to be brought to the Palace Hotel yesterday afternoon.
“We safely arrived in Mongolia. It’s 4:30 a.m. Definitely ready for bed,” said Simon Greatwich on Twitter.
MANILA, Philippines - Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo checked out the pitch yesterday and couldn’t believe what he saw.
“(It) almost turned into ice,” he said on his Twitter account.
Worse, the Azkals couldn’t even get to practice and warm up because their luggage got lost somewhere in transit.
The Azkals are tired, cold and weary in Mongolia.
With only two days before the match, the Azkals are just trying to keep their confidence at a high level.
“Yesterday is over and done with,” added Borromeo from Ulan Bator, the freezing Mongolian capital where yesterday’s weather was at a low of -13 and a high of -24 degrees Celsius.
Borromeo said they’re all hoping for the best.
“Greater expectations, greater results ahead,” he said.
“Two days until game time. It’s time to focus,” said defender Anton del Rosario, who was quite surprised to find Filipino fans in Mongolia.
“What are all these Filipinos doing in Mongolia? We’ll have more fans than Mongolia,” he said.
Borromeo and the Azkals travelled almost 24 hours to get to Ulan Bator Saturday, all the way from earthquake-ravaged Gotemba in Japan via Beijing.
It was a treacherous journey out of Japan considering the damage caused by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck its northeastern coast.
The Azkals were in a training facility in Gotemba, 174 kms away from Tokyo when the great earthquake struck at 2:46 p.m. Friday.
The Azkals almost got stranded in Gotemba, and their March 15 match with Mongolia almost threatened. But the Japanese Football Association made sure they safely got out of the country.
It wasn’t easy.
The Azkals had to take a bullet train to Tokyo in the morning, and were stranded at the Narita International Airport because of flight delays.
They managed to board the plane to Beijing at around 8 p.m. and caught a connecting flight to Ulan Bator past midnight.
The Azkals arrived in Ulan Bator past 4 a.m., and, all wrapped in their Columbia thermal gear, were met by the terrible winter conditions. Ulan Bator is said to be the coldest national capital in the world.
Worse, they arrived minus their luggage, which got left behind in Beijing, and was to be brought to the Palace Hotel yesterday afternoon.
“We safely arrived in Mongolia. It’s 4:30 a.m. Definitely ready for bed,” said Simon Greatwich on Twitter.
Azkals come face to face with Mongolia’s sub-zero weather
By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:15:00 03/13/2011
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine football team arrived in Ulan Bator early Sunday and got a chilling reminder that it would have to deal with more than just Mongolia in the second leg of its AFC Challenge Cup duel.
Temperatures ranging from minus 16 to minus 20 degrees Celsius greeted the Azkals in their first few hours in the Mongolian capital, where they will be hoping to protect their 2-nil first-leg advantage.
The Mongolians need to win by at least three goals to prevent the Azkals from advancing to the AFC group stage, but the Azkals’ coach, Hans Michael Weiss, is confident they can survive the challenge.
“My team must stand this character test,” said Weiss in an e-mail to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “The preparations have been very good and done in a professional environment (in Japan). It could not have been better.”
Weiss took the two losses to a Japanese university side in stride, saying the team learned much from the experience.
“Training in Japan helped a lot,” said Weiss, whose squad was outscored 1-12 in two matches against Kanto University. “Even with two hard defeats, the team learned.”
Azkals team manager Dan Palami is also upbeat with the team’s chances.
“It’s just another adversity that the team has to overcome,” he said. “I know the players very well and rest assured, they will be there fighting for every ball on Tuesday despite the cold.”
But concerns remain on how the players will deal with the extreme weather in Ulan Bator, which is about 4,300 feet above sea level.
“It was freezing out there, we couldn’t stay put,” Borromeo told the Inquirer in an e-mail after checking out the artificial turf at the playing venue. “We had to keep moving. I think we will be okay once we get warmed up.”
Borromeo added: “It would really help tremendously if there won’t be a wind chill and the sun would come out.”
“We will just try our best to overcome the cold,” said co-skipper Chieffy Caligdong, the scorer of the first goal in the opening leg in Bacolod City last February 9, in a separate interview.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m., said to be the hottest time of the day in Ulan Bator.
“It’s really cold especially when the wind is blowing,” said defender Jason Sabio. “But otherwise, it’s no problem.”
The Azkals’ conditioning coach, Josef Malinay, who is with the team in Mongolia, said the game could be played at minus 4 degrees.
“The wind is the killer,” Malinay said.
The squad was still awaiting the arrival of Filipino-Icelandic defender Ray Jonsson and Fil-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong, who would fly in from Indonesia, where he has been playing club football.
The Azkals had to battle through several travel glitches before reaching Ulan Bator from their training site in Gotemba City in earthquake-hit Japan.
There was one more glitch Saturday when the Azkals were forced to leave their luggage in Beijing, where they took the connecting flight to Ulan Bator. As of 6 p.m. Sunday, their luggage had yet to arrive in Ulan Bator.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:15:00 03/13/2011
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine football team arrived in Ulan Bator early Sunday and got a chilling reminder that it would have to deal with more than just Mongolia in the second leg of its AFC Challenge Cup duel.
Temperatures ranging from minus 16 to minus 20 degrees Celsius greeted the Azkals in their first few hours in the Mongolian capital, where they will be hoping to protect their 2-nil first-leg advantage.
The Mongolians need to win by at least three goals to prevent the Azkals from advancing to the AFC group stage, but the Azkals’ coach, Hans Michael Weiss, is confident they can survive the challenge.
“My team must stand this character test,” said Weiss in an e-mail to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “The preparations have been very good and done in a professional environment (in Japan). It could not have been better.”
Weiss took the two losses to a Japanese university side in stride, saying the team learned much from the experience.
“Training in Japan helped a lot,” said Weiss, whose squad was outscored 1-12 in two matches against Kanto University. “Even with two hard defeats, the team learned.”
Azkals team manager Dan Palami is also upbeat with the team’s chances.
“It’s just another adversity that the team has to overcome,” he said. “I know the players very well and rest assured, they will be there fighting for every ball on Tuesday despite the cold.”
But concerns remain on how the players will deal with the extreme weather in Ulan Bator, which is about 4,300 feet above sea level.
“It was freezing out there, we couldn’t stay put,” Borromeo told the Inquirer in an e-mail after checking out the artificial turf at the playing venue. “We had to keep moving. I think we will be okay once we get warmed up.”
Borromeo added: “It would really help tremendously if there won’t be a wind chill and the sun would come out.”
“We will just try our best to overcome the cold,” said co-skipper Chieffy Caligdong, the scorer of the first goal in the opening leg in Bacolod City last February 9, in a separate interview.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m., said to be the hottest time of the day in Ulan Bator.
“It’s really cold especially when the wind is blowing,” said defender Jason Sabio. “But otherwise, it’s no problem.”
The Azkals’ conditioning coach, Josef Malinay, who is with the team in Mongolia, said the game could be played at minus 4 degrees.
“The wind is the killer,” Malinay said.
The squad was still awaiting the arrival of Filipino-Icelandic defender Ray Jonsson and Fil-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong, who would fly in from Indonesia, where he has been playing club football.
The Azkals had to battle through several travel glitches before reaching Ulan Bator from their training site in Gotemba City in earthquake-hit Japan.
There was one more glitch Saturday when the Azkals were forced to leave their luggage in Beijing, where they took the connecting flight to Ulan Bator. As of 6 p.m. Sunday, their luggage had yet to arrive in Ulan Bator.
Azkals now in Mongolia, tired but in high spirits
By MIAKKA J. LIM
After shuffling through different modes of transportation in Japan Saturday, the Azkals have finally settled in Ulan Bator Sunday morning, two days before the big match against Mongolia’s Blue Wolves for the second leg of the their 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying round.
The Azkals’ trip to Mongolia from Japan took longer than expected after the massive 8.9 earthquake that struck Japan Friday afternoon closed down airports and disrupted other major transport services.
The national team went to Japan to conduct their high-altitude training in Gotemba City (with an elevation of 1,500 feet), on the eastern foot of Mount Fuji, south of Tokyo. This was part of their preparation to acclimatize themselves with the playing conditions in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
The Azkals who flew in from Japan via Beijing landed at 3am Sunday while Simon Greatwich, who took a flight from Incheon City, South Korea after his flight to Tokyo was diverted to Osaka, landed a little earlier at 2:45am. Welcoming them in Mongolia was a reported -20°C weather. But team officials have confirmed that the weather is now -16 degrees Celsius, still a lot colder than expected.
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President Nonong Araneta spoke with GMA News Online Sunday morning and said that despite the recent catastrophe that struck the northern part of the country, they are still blessed to have had a fruitful training in Japan and was able to get to Ulan Bator safely.
He also gave praises and gratitude to the Japan Football Federation for giving them all the necessary help they needed.
Araneta also stressed that overall they had a good trip in Japan because it gave the Azkals much needed acclimatization and that they were able to play in an artificial turf just like the one that will be used during the match in Mongolia.
After all the traveling that they’ve done in the last 48 hours, Araneta said “there’s no denying the guys are tired but still in high spirits.” He added that the Azkals are “more focused to win the match.”
For the rest of Sunday, Araneta added that the Azkals will probably limber and relax to make sure their mind and body are well rested for Tuesday’s big match.
On Monday, they will visit the National Sports Stadium in Ulan Bator and start training. He said the weather forecast for Tuesday included a high of -3°C and hopefully would stay that way until game time at 1pm. — OMG, GMA News
After shuffling through different modes of transportation in Japan Saturday, the Azkals have finally settled in Ulan Bator Sunday morning, two days before the big match against Mongolia’s Blue Wolves for the second leg of the their 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying round.
The Azkals’ trip to Mongolia from Japan took longer than expected after the massive 8.9 earthquake that struck Japan Friday afternoon closed down airports and disrupted other major transport services.
The national team went to Japan to conduct their high-altitude training in Gotemba City (with an elevation of 1,500 feet), on the eastern foot of Mount Fuji, south of Tokyo. This was part of their preparation to acclimatize themselves with the playing conditions in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
The Azkals who flew in from Japan via Beijing landed at 3am Sunday while Simon Greatwich, who took a flight from Incheon City, South Korea after his flight to Tokyo was diverted to Osaka, landed a little earlier at 2:45am. Welcoming them in Mongolia was a reported -20°C weather. But team officials have confirmed that the weather is now -16 degrees Celsius, still a lot colder than expected.
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President Nonong Araneta spoke with GMA News Online Sunday morning and said that despite the recent catastrophe that struck the northern part of the country, they are still blessed to have had a fruitful training in Japan and was able to get to Ulan Bator safely.
He also gave praises and gratitude to the Japan Football Federation for giving them all the necessary help they needed.
Araneta also stressed that overall they had a good trip in Japan because it gave the Azkals much needed acclimatization and that they were able to play in an artificial turf just like the one that will be used during the match in Mongolia.
After all the traveling that they’ve done in the last 48 hours, Araneta said “there’s no denying the guys are tired but still in high spirits.” He added that the Azkals are “more focused to win the match.”
For the rest of Sunday, Araneta added that the Azkals will probably limber and relax to make sure their mind and body are well rested for Tuesday’s big match.
On Monday, they will visit the National Sports Stadium in Ulan Bator and start training. He said the weather forecast for Tuesday included a high of -3°C and hopefully would stay that way until game time at 1pm. — OMG, GMA News
Azkals arrive in Ulan Bator
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 03/13/2011 2:25 PM | Updated as of 03/13/2011 6:13 PM
For VIDEO report, click here.
MANILA, Philippines – Members of the Azkals Philippine national football team have landed on Ulan Bator, Mongolia, 2 days before their AFC Challenge Cup match against the Mongolian Blue Wolves.
The team arrived in Mongolia around 3 a.m. Sunday morning.
The Azkals went direct to the Palace Hotel in Ulan Bator.
Although exhausted, the players said they are thankful they were able to leave Japan.
They said they took buses and trains just to get to the Tokyo Narita Aiport for their flight to Beijing, then to Ulan Bator.
"Grabe iyong journey talaga. It's been a long journey," said Azkals captain Aly Borromeo.
"Iba, iba talaga. It's a different experience. Sobrang pagod kami. We were carrying boxes across the hall of Japan," Phil Younghusband said.
The Azkals trained in Japan, which was hit by a 8.9-magnitude earthquake.
If their arrival in Ulan Bator got delayed, they risked postponing their game against the Blue Wolves on Tuesday.
The Azkals will play amid freezing conditions in Ulan Bator, where the temperature has reportedly dropped minus-18 degress Celsius and where ice has formed on the ground.
Simon Greatwich catches up
Simon Greatwich, who traveled way back from New York, has also met with the rest of his teammates.
Greatwich was supposed to train with the team in Gotemba City in Japan.
However, because of the massive earthquake, the player's flight was diverted to Osaka.
Greatwich then had to spend the night in the airport, and in the morning took another flight out to Incheon in South Korea en route to Mongolia.
"It was very very stressful for the past 24, 48 hours... I spent the night rough on the floor in the airport," he said.
Meanwhile, Azkals Jason Sabio who was also stranded in a separate Japan airport last Friday, is also bound to Mongolia .
He will will fly to Ulan Bator via Beijing, China. – With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
The Philippines-Mongolia match will be shown LIVE March 15, 12 noon on Studio 23, with a replay at 7p.m. The match will also be shown 3 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable Ch. 34.
Posted at 03/13/2011 2:25 PM | Updated as of 03/13/2011 6:13 PM
For VIDEO report, click here.
MANILA, Philippines – Members of the Azkals Philippine national football team have landed on Ulan Bator, Mongolia, 2 days before their AFC Challenge Cup match against the Mongolian Blue Wolves.
The team arrived in Mongolia around 3 a.m. Sunday morning.
The Azkals went direct to the Palace Hotel in Ulan Bator.
Although exhausted, the players said they are thankful they were able to leave Japan.
They said they took buses and trains just to get to the Tokyo Narita Aiport for their flight to Beijing, then to Ulan Bator.
"Grabe iyong journey talaga. It's been a long journey," said Azkals captain Aly Borromeo.
"Iba, iba talaga. It's a different experience. Sobrang pagod kami. We were carrying boxes across the hall of Japan," Phil Younghusband said.
The Azkals trained in Japan, which was hit by a 8.9-magnitude earthquake.
If their arrival in Ulan Bator got delayed, they risked postponing their game against the Blue Wolves on Tuesday.
The Azkals will play amid freezing conditions in Ulan Bator, where the temperature has reportedly dropped minus-18 degress Celsius and where ice has formed on the ground.
Simon Greatwich catches up
Simon Greatwich, who traveled way back from New York, has also met with the rest of his teammates.
Greatwich was supposed to train with the team in Gotemba City in Japan.
However, because of the massive earthquake, the player's flight was diverted to Osaka.
Greatwich then had to spend the night in the airport, and in the morning took another flight out to Incheon in South Korea en route to Mongolia.
"It was very very stressful for the past 24, 48 hours... I spent the night rough on the floor in the airport," he said.
Meanwhile, Azkals Jason Sabio who was also stranded in a separate Japan airport last Friday, is also bound to Mongolia .
He will will fly to Ulan Bator via Beijing, China. – With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
The Philippines-Mongolia match will be shown LIVE March 15, 12 noon on Studio 23, with a replay at 7p.m. The match will also be shown 3 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable Ch. 34.
Losing in friendlies: A minor Apocalypse
BEFORE I proceed with this sports column, allow me to extend my deepest sympathies to those affected by yesterday’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan. We can only hope for the least number of casualties and damage, for the safety of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos working there, and for the nation’s quick recovery.
On a positive note, it was a relief to learn that the Azkals players training in the Japanese City of Gotemba right now are in no danger, as what team manager Dan Palami relayed online.
“Azkals are safe... felt the tremors but otherwise okay. Airports have been closed, hopefully it won’t affect flight to Mongolia tomorrow,” Palami said in his message posted on filipinofootball.blogspot.com yesterday.
Palami’s message was enough to reassure Azkals fans who were deeply worried for the team’s well-being.
Before that, however, the fans were already concerned with far less consequential events, especially at how the team was doing in the subzero conditions at the foot of snow-covered Mt. Fuji where they trained. The news reports weren’t good.
Last Wednesday, the team lost 4-0 to Kanto University, then yesterday 8-1, both warm-up matches for the second leg of their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match against Mongolia on March 15 in expectedly worse weather.
The two successive drubbings from a college team sent many fans panicking on Facebook and Twitter, some with remarks that were not only uncalled for but foolish.
Of course, these comments were knee-jerk, as these didn’t take into consideration the fact that the players were still acclimatizing to the weather that ranged from 0 to -5 degrees.
“The cold really took a toll on the player’s bodies,” Palami said in a report by Cedelf Tupas of the Inquirer, adding that it would take a day or two for them to get used to the weather.
Just imagine the toll that the freezing conditions take on players who have spent most of their footballing lives in sunny weather, such as Emilio Caligdong and Ian Araneta, whose mobility suffered terribly from the biting cold, as what Palami revealed in the news report.
With that, football fans must realize that the performance of the players against the college team was far from a hundred percent.
On the other hand, it would be reasonable for the coaching and training staff to advise its players to “take it easy” against their opponents because their main goal in Japan is to acclimatize anyway.
Wouldn’t it be foolish to instruct players, quivering from the cold, to play with the same intensity as they would in a tropical country without having adapted to the weather?
Besides, there’s also reason to believe that in both warm-up matches, unnecessary injuries needed to be avoided, and so therefore, it wouldn’t make sense to stretch the players’ physical limits in a friendly match.
So the Azkals lost to a college team. Big deal.
Remember, the team is preparing for another team whose capabilities and limitations were exposed in the match in Bacolod City a month ago, a revelation certainly not lost on the coaching staff.
The only other issue of real concern is how well the Azkals’ acclimatization process is proceeding and whether they’d be in good form by March 15.
For peace of mind, it would do well for fans in doubt to just forget the 4-0 and 8-1 losses to a college team.
If that wont’ do, then I’ll just have to remind them that last Nov. 27, the same Azkals team lost 8-0 to Nakhon Pathom FC, a level two club in Thailand, during a warm -up match for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010.
With such a beating, some pundits just gave up on the Philippine team and their chances in Southeast Asia’s biggest football tournament.
But barely a week after, the Azkals silenced the pundits with a shock 1-1 draw against Singapore, before staging the biggest upset in the tournament’s history by humbling defending champions Vietnam 2-0 days later.
What does this prove? Among others, losing in warm-up matches does not equate to a disaster. So to all jittery Azkals fans, do yourselves a favor—relax in time for the big game. It’s just three days away, in case you’ve forgotten.
(nsvillaflor@gmail.com)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 12, 2011.
On a positive note, it was a relief to learn that the Azkals players training in the Japanese City of Gotemba right now are in no danger, as what team manager Dan Palami relayed online.
“Azkals are safe... felt the tremors but otherwise okay. Airports have been closed, hopefully it won’t affect flight to Mongolia tomorrow,” Palami said in his message posted on filipinofootball.blogspot.com yesterday.
Palami’s message was enough to reassure Azkals fans who were deeply worried for the team’s well-being.
Before that, however, the fans were already concerned with far less consequential events, especially at how the team was doing in the subzero conditions at the foot of snow-covered Mt. Fuji where they trained. The news reports weren’t good.
Last Wednesday, the team lost 4-0 to Kanto University, then yesterday 8-1, both warm-up matches for the second leg of their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match against Mongolia on March 15 in expectedly worse weather.
The two successive drubbings from a college team sent many fans panicking on Facebook and Twitter, some with remarks that were not only uncalled for but foolish.
Of course, these comments were knee-jerk, as these didn’t take into consideration the fact that the players were still acclimatizing to the weather that ranged from 0 to -5 degrees.
“The cold really took a toll on the player’s bodies,” Palami said in a report by Cedelf Tupas of the Inquirer, adding that it would take a day or two for them to get used to the weather.
Just imagine the toll that the freezing conditions take on players who have spent most of their footballing lives in sunny weather, such as Emilio Caligdong and Ian Araneta, whose mobility suffered terribly from the biting cold, as what Palami revealed in the news report.
With that, football fans must realize that the performance of the players against the college team was far from a hundred percent.
On the other hand, it would be reasonable for the coaching and training staff to advise its players to “take it easy” against their opponents because their main goal in Japan is to acclimatize anyway.
Wouldn’t it be foolish to instruct players, quivering from the cold, to play with the same intensity as they would in a tropical country without having adapted to the weather?
Besides, there’s also reason to believe that in both warm-up matches, unnecessary injuries needed to be avoided, and so therefore, it wouldn’t make sense to stretch the players’ physical limits in a friendly match.
So the Azkals lost to a college team. Big deal.
Remember, the team is preparing for another team whose capabilities and limitations were exposed in the match in Bacolod City a month ago, a revelation certainly not lost on the coaching staff.
The only other issue of real concern is how well the Azkals’ acclimatization process is proceeding and whether they’d be in good form by March 15.
For peace of mind, it would do well for fans in doubt to just forget the 4-0 and 8-1 losses to a college team.
If that wont’ do, then I’ll just have to remind them that last Nov. 27, the same Azkals team lost 8-0 to Nakhon Pathom FC, a level two club in Thailand, during a warm -up match for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010.
With such a beating, some pundits just gave up on the Philippine team and their chances in Southeast Asia’s biggest football tournament.
But barely a week after, the Azkals silenced the pundits with a shock 1-1 draw against Singapore, before staging the biggest upset in the tournament’s history by humbling defending champions Vietnam 2-0 days later.
What does this prove? Among others, losing in warm-up matches does not equate to a disaster. So to all jittery Azkals fans, do yourselves a favor—relax in time for the big game. It’s just three days away, in case you’ve forgotten.
(nsvillaflor@gmail.com)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 12, 2011.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Azkals take risky route to U Bator
MANILA, Philippines – The resilient Azkals took the risk as they left the training facility in Gotemba, Japan yesterday morning just to catch their evening flight to Ulan Bator, Mongolia via Beijing.
The Azkals arrived safely at the Narita International Airport after taking a bullet train. They boarded the Air China flight to Beijing past 8 p.m.
They were scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 11:30 p.m., with very little time, 40 minutes to be exact, to catch the flight to Ulan Bator at 12:10 a.m.
“(We’re) at the (Narita) boarding gate. Been traveling nine hours and not even on the plane. (We) carried boxes around Japan literally by foot,” said Phil Younghusband on his Twitter.
The Azkals hooked up with teammate Jason Sabio who had been at the Narita Airport since Friday’s earthquake.
Simon Greatwich, who also came in from the United States, but on a different flight, ended up in Incheon, South Korea, and was on his way to Ulan Bator last night.
The earthquake that struck the northeastern coast of Japan the other day left the Azkals, in Gotemba since Monday, in a tight situation as they prepared for Tuesday’s match.
As of Friday evening, there was no certainty if the Azkals would be able to fly out of Japan which was struck by the seventh strongest earthquake in history.
Team officials feared that if the Azkals left Gotemba for Tokyo by bus, and travel around 170 kms, they might get stuck somewhere along the way.
And it was very hard to guess what might happen considering all the damage caused by the earthquake that left hundreds dead, with continuing threats of a tsunami and aftershocks.
Tokyo was a gridlock as of midnight of Friday, with traffic at a standstill, and an ordinary one-hour drive took at least five times longer.
The situation left football president Nonong Araneta and Azkals team manager Dan Palami, who were in Manila, in a quandary.
They thought of pushing for a cancellation of the March 15 match with the Mongolians, and push it back to a couple of days until things normalize in Japan.
But amid all these, the Azkals kept their supporters updated via Twitter, assuring everyone that they are all safe in Gotemba, which is far off the coastlines of Japan.
Araneta and Palami moved their flights to Ulan Bator via Incheon, South Korea from yesterday noon to tomorrow, meaning they will get there on the eve of the match.
But the Azkals, fortunately, did manage to get out of Gotemba, and safely to the Narita Airport on their way out to Ulan Bator.
“The Japanese Football Association did everything they could to make sure the team gets to the airport safely,” said Araneta.
Greatwich joked on his Twitter account that Sabio “has been stuck at the airport for so long he’s starting to look like Robin Williams in Jumanji.”
Del Rosario said the Narita Airport “looked like a hotel and the floor are the beds.”
Speaking of Sabio, Del Rosario said in jest, “He’s right next to me in one piece but he stinks.”
Sabio replied, “Anton is right. I smell. I smell like roses and butterflies.”
The Azkals will play the Mongolians in Ulan Bator at around 1 p.m. Tuesday, under freezing weather conditions, and would rely on their Columbia thermal outwear to fight it off.
The Azkals defeated the Mongolians at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, 2-0, last Feb. 9, and now the hosts need to win by a margin of at least three goals to boot the Azkals out.
/via Philippine Star (by Abac Cordero, 3/13/2011)
The Azkals arrived safely at the Narita International Airport after taking a bullet train. They boarded the Air China flight to Beijing past 8 p.m.
They were scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 11:30 p.m., with very little time, 40 minutes to be exact, to catch the flight to Ulan Bator at 12:10 a.m.
“(We’re) at the (Narita) boarding gate. Been traveling nine hours and not even on the plane. (We) carried boxes around Japan literally by foot,” said Phil Younghusband on his Twitter.
The Azkals hooked up with teammate Jason Sabio who had been at the Narita Airport since Friday’s earthquake.
Simon Greatwich, who also came in from the United States, but on a different flight, ended up in Incheon, South Korea, and was on his way to Ulan Bator last night.
The earthquake that struck the northeastern coast of Japan the other day left the Azkals, in Gotemba since Monday, in a tight situation as they prepared for Tuesday’s match.
As of Friday evening, there was no certainty if the Azkals would be able to fly out of Japan which was struck by the seventh strongest earthquake in history.
Team officials feared that if the Azkals left Gotemba for Tokyo by bus, and travel around 170 kms, they might get stuck somewhere along the way.
And it was very hard to guess what might happen considering all the damage caused by the earthquake that left hundreds dead, with continuing threats of a tsunami and aftershocks.
Tokyo was a gridlock as of midnight of Friday, with traffic at a standstill, and an ordinary one-hour drive took at least five times longer.
The situation left football president Nonong Araneta and Azkals team manager Dan Palami, who were in Manila, in a quandary.
They thought of pushing for a cancellation of the March 15 match with the Mongolians, and push it back to a couple of days until things normalize in Japan.
But amid all these, the Azkals kept their supporters updated via Twitter, assuring everyone that they are all safe in Gotemba, which is far off the coastlines of Japan.
Araneta and Palami moved their flights to Ulan Bator via Incheon, South Korea from yesterday noon to tomorrow, meaning they will get there on the eve of the match.
But the Azkals, fortunately, did manage to get out of Gotemba, and safely to the Narita Airport on their way out to Ulan Bator.
“The Japanese Football Association did everything they could to make sure the team gets to the airport safely,” said Araneta.
Greatwich joked on his Twitter account that Sabio “has been stuck at the airport for so long he’s starting to look like Robin Williams in Jumanji.”
Del Rosario said the Narita Airport “looked like a hotel and the floor are the beds.”
Speaking of Sabio, Del Rosario said in jest, “He’s right next to me in one piece but he stinks.”
Sabio replied, “Anton is right. I smell. I smell like roses and butterflies.”
The Azkals will play the Mongolians in Ulan Bator at around 1 p.m. Tuesday, under freezing weather conditions, and would rely on their Columbia thermal outwear to fight it off.
The Azkals defeated the Mongolians at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, 2-0, last Feb. 9, and now the hosts need to win by a margin of at least three goals to boot the Azkals out.
/via Philippine Star (by Abac Cordero, 3/13/2011)
Azkals coach tells fans: Don't worry
MANILA, Philippines — Even though there appears a slight concern in Philippine Azkals’ ability to deal with playing in a freezing condition, Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss is not about to press the panic button.
Only three days left before their crucial AFC Challenge Cup qualifying rematch against Mongolia in Ulan Bator, Weiss remains upbeat the Azkals can cope up with the freezing weather condition despite losing to the Kanto University football team in a tune up match, 4-0, in Gotemba City, Japan last Wednesday.
“No worries for all Azkals fans,” the German mentor, who turned 46 Friday, told the Bulletin in an e-mail interview.
“(Yes) we had big problems adapting to the weather and had a match versus a good university side… but the result really doesn’t matter too much and it shows you that we still have to learn a lot.”
Weiss acknowledged that the college team they faced was superior in both technique and teammanship than the Azkals side, saying: “The team (Japanese) trains under professional conditions since young age, (and) they are affiliated to Yokohama Marinos, a big club in Japan. Some of these players might be pros in the future.”
Azkals team manager Dan Palami agreed.
“It’s okay (with the loss). Our intention was really not to win, but to get the players acclimatized with the cold weather,” Palami said in a phone interview yesterday.
Palami was so confident about the team’s chances that he believes the team’s performance against the Japanese team would be enough to beat the Mongolians for the second time.
“Yes (we can still beat them),” said Palami, who added that the Azkals were safe following a powerful 8.4-magnitude earthquake that triggered a massive tsunami in the northeastern part of Japan.
“The Azkals are safe… felt the tremors but otherwise OK. Airports have been closed, hopefully it will not affect our flight to Mongolia tomorrow,” Palami posted on his Twitter account.
The Azkals were playing another Japanese university team in Gotemba City at presstime and Weiss appears unconcerned if ever the team loses again because he said the locals are still adjusting with the condition and “several players have been missing, so that was also a big factor.”
Fil-American Jason Sabio and Fil-British Simon Greatwich flew from the US and joined the team only yesterday afternoon. Two more Fil-foreigners, Ray Jonsson and Jason de Jong, will rejoin the team in Ulan Bator next week to complete the line up.
Meanwhile, Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation had approved the release of a P2- million grant for the Azkals’ campaign in the Challenge Cup.
He said the amount will help foot the bill for the Azkals’ travel expenses since the mandatory $20,000 aid by the AFC was not enough.
Armed with a 2-0 edge after beating the Mongolians last Feb. 9 in Bacolod City, the Azkals need only a draw to advance to the group stage in Myanmar.
Should the nationals prevail, they will meet Bangladesh, Palestine and the host nation in a single-round battle for the top two slots to the regular draw of the Asian Challenge Cup in 2012.
/via Manila Bulletin (Francisco Santiago, 3/12/2011)
Only three days left before their crucial AFC Challenge Cup qualifying rematch against Mongolia in Ulan Bator, Weiss remains upbeat the Azkals can cope up with the freezing weather condition despite losing to the Kanto University football team in a tune up match, 4-0, in Gotemba City, Japan last Wednesday.
“No worries for all Azkals fans,” the German mentor, who turned 46 Friday, told the Bulletin in an e-mail interview.
“(Yes) we had big problems adapting to the weather and had a match versus a good university side… but the result really doesn’t matter too much and it shows you that we still have to learn a lot.”
Weiss acknowledged that the college team they faced was superior in both technique and teammanship than the Azkals side, saying: “The team (Japanese) trains under professional conditions since young age, (and) they are affiliated to Yokohama Marinos, a big club in Japan. Some of these players might be pros in the future.”
Azkals team manager Dan Palami agreed.
“It’s okay (with the loss). Our intention was really not to win, but to get the players acclimatized with the cold weather,” Palami said in a phone interview yesterday.
Palami was so confident about the team’s chances that he believes the team’s performance against the Japanese team would be enough to beat the Mongolians for the second time.
“Yes (we can still beat them),” said Palami, who added that the Azkals were safe following a powerful 8.4-magnitude earthquake that triggered a massive tsunami in the northeastern part of Japan.
“The Azkals are safe… felt the tremors but otherwise OK. Airports have been closed, hopefully it will not affect our flight to Mongolia tomorrow,” Palami posted on his Twitter account.
The Azkals were playing another Japanese university team in Gotemba City at presstime and Weiss appears unconcerned if ever the team loses again because he said the locals are still adjusting with the condition and “several players have been missing, so that was also a big factor.”
Fil-American Jason Sabio and Fil-British Simon Greatwich flew from the US and joined the team only yesterday afternoon. Two more Fil-foreigners, Ray Jonsson and Jason de Jong, will rejoin the team in Ulan Bator next week to complete the line up.
Meanwhile, Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation had approved the release of a P2- million grant for the Azkals’ campaign in the Challenge Cup.
He said the amount will help foot the bill for the Azkals’ travel expenses since the mandatory $20,000 aid by the AFC was not enough.
Armed with a 2-0 edge after beating the Mongolians last Feb. 9 in Bacolod City, the Azkals need only a draw to advance to the group stage in Myanmar.
Should the nationals prevail, they will meet Bangladesh, Palestine and the host nation in a single-round battle for the top two slots to the regular draw of the Asian Challenge Cup in 2012.
/via Manila Bulletin (Francisco Santiago, 3/12/2011)
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)
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)
Azkals’ loss to Japan squad downplayed
MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine Azkals team manager Dan Palami downplayed the team's recent loss in an exhibition match in Japan.
The Azkals lost 0-4 to players from the Kanto Gakuin University.
Palami said the cold weather in Japan took its toll on the player's bodies.
However, he remains confident that the Azkals will eventually adjust to the freezing temperature.
The Azkals are training in Japan to prepare them for the sub-zero conditions in Mongolia in the second leg of their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup showdown on March 15. – Report from ANC
The Philippines-Mongolia match will be shown LIVE March 15, 12 noon on Studio 23, with a replay at 7p.m. The match will also be shown 3 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable Ch. 34.
/via abs-cbn
The Azkals lost 0-4 to players from the Kanto Gakuin University.
Palami said the cold weather in Japan took its toll on the player's bodies.
However, he remains confident that the Azkals will eventually adjust to the freezing temperature.
The Azkals are training in Japan to prepare them for the sub-zero conditions in Mongolia in the second leg of their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup showdown on March 15. – Report from ANC
The Philippines-Mongolia match will be shown LIVE March 15, 12 noon on Studio 23, with a replay at 7p.m. The match will also be shown 3 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable Ch. 34.
/via abs-cbn
Pagcor gives P2 million for Azkals’ trip
THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) will give P2 million to fund the Philippine Azkals’ trip to Mongolia and Myanmar. The Azkals are set to compete in the Group Stage of the 2011 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
“We are so very thankful to PAGCOR for believing and supporting us. Pagcor’s financial assistance will help the campaign of the Philippine men’s football team in Mongolia and Myanmar,” said Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President Mariano Araneta.
Besides the P2 million from Pagcor, the Azkals and the PFF also received US $20,000 assistance from the AFC.
The Azkals would battle the Mongolian Blu Wolves in their home turf in Ulan Bator in the second leg of the qualifying stage of the AFC Challenge Cup on March 15. After that, the team would play in the tournament’s stage event on March 21 in Myanmar.
“I remain very confident about our chances in Mongolia. This was just the first time that they played in this kind of weather and they are still adjusting,” said Araneta, who is scheduled to leave for Mongolia late Saturday night.
JOSEF T. RAMOS
/via Manila Times (3/12/2011)
“We are so very thankful to PAGCOR for believing and supporting us. Pagcor’s financial assistance will help the campaign of the Philippine men’s football team in Mongolia and Myanmar,” said Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President Mariano Araneta.
Besides the P2 million from Pagcor, the Azkals and the PFF also received US $20,000 assistance from the AFC.
The Azkals would battle the Mongolian Blu Wolves in their home turf in Ulan Bator in the second leg of the qualifying stage of the AFC Challenge Cup on March 15. After that, the team would play in the tournament’s stage event on March 21 in Myanmar.
“I remain very confident about our chances in Mongolia. This was just the first time that they played in this kind of weather and they are still adjusting,” said Araneta, who is scheduled to leave for Mongolia late Saturday night.
JOSEF T. RAMOS
/via Manila Times (3/12/2011)
Azkals lost to Kanto U, 1-8, in 2nd friendly match
(UPDATE 2) MANILA---The powerful earthquake that struck most of Japan on Friday spared the city of Gotemba, where the Philippine football team is training for the second leg of its AFC Challenge Cup showdown with Mongolia in Ulan Bator next week.
Several members of the team yesterday gave assurances that the contingent of 24 players, coaches and team staff were safe in Gotemba, a city at the foot of Mount Fuji, three hours away from the Japanese capital Tokyo.
The Azkals had actually just finished a scrimmage against Kanto Gakuin University when the earthquake, measuring 8.9 on the Richter Scale, rocked Japan.
Minus several key players, the Azkals again lost to Kanto U in lopsided fashion, 1-8, in their final tuneup before leaving for Mongolia Saturday night.
‘Dizzy from the game’
“We just finished playing when the quake hit,” said skipper Aly Borromeo on his Twitter account.
“We thought we were all dizzy from the game.”
Borromeo added: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the locals in Japan. Don’t worry about the team. We are all safe over here.”
“The team is all right here,” said defender Anton del Rosario. “It’s very bad out here. Flooding everywhere, but we’re far from it.”
“The Azkals are safe,” assured Azkals team manager Dan Palami, who arrived from Japan on Wednesday after observing their training for three days. “[They] felt the tremors, but otherwise [they’re] okay.”
Palami, however, expressed concern over the status of the flight of the Azkals to Ulan Bator tonight since the Narita Airport near Tokyo remained closed.
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta also said the PFF was still tracing the whereabouts of United States-based Simon Greatwich, who was scheduled to arrive at Narita Airport yesterday. The flight of another US-based player, Jason Sabio, arrived after the quake.
Looking for Greatwich
Greatwich was in a United Airlines flight from Houston which was scheduled to arrive in Tokyo at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Araneta said Greatwich’s flight could still be airborne or have been diverted to Osaka Airport.
Sabio’s Japan Airlines flight from Chicago reportedly arrived in Tokyo after the earthquake struck.
“Sabio is in Tokyo, but we have not gotten in touch with him yet,” said Araneta.
Sabio first contacted Inquirer Sports through Twitter and said that he has safely landed in Tokyo, but the passengers in the JAL fight were asked to stay in the plane as airport authorities inspected the damage on the airport.
"Touchdown safely. Narita evacuated. In plane for 3 hrs. Don't know how long I'll be on the plane. Ground shakes every so often," posted Sabio at 6:30pm (Manila time).
/via Inquirer (3/12/2011)
Friday, March 11, 2011
Azkals safe in Japan
MANILA---The powerful earthquake that struck most of Japan Friday spared the city of Gotemba, where the Philippine football team is currently training for the second leg of its AFC Challenge Cup showdown with Mongolia in Ulan Bator next week.
Several members of the team yesterday assured that the contingent of 24 players, coaches and team staff are safe in Gotemba, a mountainous city three hours away from the Japanese capital of Tokyo.
The Azkals had actually just finished a scrimmage against Kanto Gakuin University when the earthquake measured at 8.9 on the Richter Scalerocked Japan.
“We just finished playing when the quake hit,” said skipper Aly Borromeo on his twitter account. “We thought we were all dizzy from the game.”
Borromeo added: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the locals in Japan. Don’t worry about the team. We are all safe over here.”
“The team is alright here,” said defender Anton del Rosario. “It’s very bad out here. Flooding everywhere but we’re far from it.”
“The Azkals are safe,” assured Azkals team manager Dan Palami, who arrived from Japan Wednesday after observing training the past three days. “Felt tremors but otherwise okay.”
Palami, however, expressed concern on the status of the flight of the Azkals to Ulan Bator tonight since the Narita Airport in Japan remains closed.
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta also said the PFF was still tracing the whereabouts of two United States-based players – Simon Greatwich and Jason Sabio – who were scheduled to arrive at Narita Airport today (Friday).
Greatwich was in a United Airlines flight from Houston which was scheduled to arrive in Tokyo at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Araneta said that Greatwich’s flight may still be airborne or diverted to Osaka Airport.
Sabio’s Japan Airlines flight from Chicago has reportedly arrived in Tokyo after the earthquake struck. "Sabio is in Tokyo, but we have not gotten in touch with him yet" said Araneta.
Sabio first contacted Inquirer Sports through Twitter and said that he has safely landed in Tokyo, but the passengers remain stranded inside the airplane with limited internet connection.
"Touchdown safely. Narita evacuated. In plane for 3 hrs. Don't know how long I'll be on the plane. Ground shakes every so often," posted Sabio at 6:30pm (Manila time).
/via Inquirer (by Cedelf P. Tupas, 11/03/2011)
Several members of the team yesterday assured that the contingent of 24 players, coaches and team staff are safe in Gotemba, a mountainous city three hours away from the Japanese capital of Tokyo.
The Azkals had actually just finished a scrimmage against Kanto Gakuin University when the earthquake measured at 8.9 on the Richter Scalerocked Japan.
“We just finished playing when the quake hit,” said skipper Aly Borromeo on his twitter account. “We thought we were all dizzy from the game.”
Borromeo added: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the locals in Japan. Don’t worry about the team. We are all safe over here.”
“The team is alright here,” said defender Anton del Rosario. “It’s very bad out here. Flooding everywhere but we’re far from it.”
“The Azkals are safe,” assured Azkals team manager Dan Palami, who arrived from Japan Wednesday after observing training the past three days. “Felt tremors but otherwise okay.”
Palami, however, expressed concern on the status of the flight of the Azkals to Ulan Bator tonight since the Narita Airport in Japan remains closed.
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta also said the PFF was still tracing the whereabouts of two United States-based players – Simon Greatwich and Jason Sabio – who were scheduled to arrive at Narita Airport today (Friday).
Greatwich was in a United Airlines flight from Houston which was scheduled to arrive in Tokyo at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Araneta said that Greatwich’s flight may still be airborne or diverted to Osaka Airport.
Sabio’s Japan Airlines flight from Chicago has reportedly arrived in Tokyo after the earthquake struck. "Sabio is in Tokyo, but we have not gotten in touch with him yet" said Araneta.
Sabio first contacted Inquirer Sports through Twitter and said that he has safely landed in Tokyo, but the passengers remain stranded inside the airplane with limited internet connection.
"Touchdown safely. Narita evacuated. In plane for 3 hrs. Don't know how long I'll be on the plane. Ground shakes every so often," posted Sabio at 6:30pm (Manila time).
/via Inquirer (by Cedelf P. Tupas, 11/03/2011)
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 withChris (Simon - nicky) Greatwich, who be planing in from the United States. Peter Atencio
/via Manila Standard (3/11/2011)
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
/via Manila Standard (3/11/2011)
Azkals seeded in Ulan Bator despite obstacles
 |
| [Members of the Azkals wave the Philippine flag during the team’s bout against Mongolia in Panaad Stadiun in Bacolod City. AFP file photo] |
THE Philippine football team, Azkals, are seeded despite facing several obstacles when they face the Mongolian national team on March 15 in the latter’s turf.
Lawyer Roland A. Tulay, the president of the National Capital Region Football Association (NCRFA), told The Manila Times that the Azkals are facing extreme cold weather; the absence of some key players; the artificial turf of the home pitch and possibly, a highly-partisan crowd.
“On paper, we should beat Mongolia because of our higher FIFA standing,” he said.
But Tulay said that the aforementioned factors can present problems for the Azkals.
Foremost is the cold weather in Mongolia, which could reach four to 10 degrees below zero. Prior to flying to Mongolia, the national team trained for one week in Japan to help them adjust to the cold weather.
Tulay also said the Azkals must adjust to the artificial turf. They have trained at the International School which has this facility. “They will be playing on artificial turf. The bounce and roll of the ball is different, the ball rolls faster,” he added.
When the Azkals beat the Vietnamese during the Suzuki Cup and the Mongolians in Bacolod City, the national team played on natural grass.
Adding to the obstacles the Azkals must overcome is the absence of key player Neil Etheridge and other key players; the former having commitments to his new club Charlton Athletic in England’s Division One.
To fill up the gaping hole left by Etheridge, the Azkals will be relying on the services of the able Edward Sacapano who hails from Bago, Negros Occidental.
But perhaps the biggest challenge the Azkals will be facing in Mongolia is the expected hostile crowd.
When the Azkals faced the Mongolian team on February 10, Tulay recalled that the visiting team was welcomed with “arf, arf, arf” from the local crowd. They were told that this unique chant was the bark of the Azkals which meant “street dogs.” Nevertheless, the visiting team was feted to a warm round of applause at the end of 90 minutes.
/via Manila Times (via Condrad Carino, 3/11/2011)
Azkal Simon Greatwich safe, flight diverted to Osaka
Azkal midfielder Simon Greatwich has safely landed in Osaka, Japan. Earlier, there was no word from Greatwich, as Narita airport was closed after the massive earthquake on Friday afternoon.
Greatwich told GMA News Online that the Tokyo airport was closed and that his flight was diverted to Osaka. He said he is now in contact with team officials.
Simon's brother Chris and fellow Azkal tweeted: "Apparently Simon is stuck in Osaka airport, but is okay."
Another Azkal, defender Jason Sabio, arrived at the Tokyo airport from Alabama, USA at around 3:00 p.m. on Friday via Japan Airlines.
At around 7:00 p.m., he tweeted that he and the other passengers were still stranded inside the plane.
He said when the plane landed in Japan, the ground was still shaking. He stressed, however, that all of them were safe.
Earlier this evening, GMA News Online reported that there was no word yet from Simon. He saw the story, reposted it on his Facebook fan page, and wrote: "DONT WORRY GMA IM OK!"
The rest of the team were already in Japan when the earthquake struck but team manager Dan Palami tweeted that they were safe.
The Azkals are conducting high-altitude training in Gotemba City (with an elevation of 1,500 feet), Honshu, on the eastern foot of Mount Fuji, south of Tokyo, Japan.
They have been in Japan since Monday as part of their training to acclimatize themselves to the cold Mongolian temperature for their match against the Blue Wolves, the Mongolian national team, on Tuesday, March 15.
The United States Geological Survey estimated the epicenter at 130 kilometers (km) east of Sendai, Honshu; 178 km east of Yamagata, Honshu; 178 km east-northeast of Fukushima, Honshu; or 373 km northeast of Tokyo.-- with reports from Miakka Lim and Mav Gonzales, GMA News
/via GMA News (3/11/2011 9:30 PM)
Greatwich told GMA News Online that the Tokyo airport was closed and that his flight was diverted to Osaka. He said he is now in contact with team officials.
Simon's brother Chris and fellow Azkal tweeted: "Apparently Simon is stuck in Osaka airport, but is okay."
Another Azkal, defender Jason Sabio, arrived at the Tokyo airport from Alabama, USA at around 3:00 p.m. on Friday via Japan Airlines.
At around 7:00 p.m., he tweeted that he and the other passengers were still stranded inside the plane.
He said when the plane landed in Japan, the ground was still shaking. He stressed, however, that all of them were safe.
Earlier this evening, GMA News Online reported that there was no word yet from Simon. He saw the story, reposted it on his Facebook fan page, and wrote: "DONT WORRY GMA IM OK!"
The rest of the team were already in Japan when the earthquake struck but team manager Dan Palami tweeted that they were safe.
The Azkals are conducting high-altitude training in Gotemba City (with an elevation of 1,500 feet), Honshu, on the eastern foot of Mount Fuji, south of Tokyo, Japan.
They have been in Japan since Monday as part of their training to acclimatize themselves to the cold Mongolian temperature for their match against the Blue Wolves, the Mongolian national team, on Tuesday, March 15.
The United States Geological Survey estimated the epicenter at 130 kilometers (km) east of Sendai, Honshu; 178 km east of Yamagata, Honshu; 178 km east-northeast of Fukushima, Honshu; or 373 km northeast of Tokyo.-- with reports from Miakka Lim and Mav Gonzales, GMA News
/via GMA News (3/11/2011 9:30 PM)
Mongolian Soccer Team to Take Revenge
On March 15, Mongolian national football team nicknamed “Blue Wolves” will take a revenge against Philippines team “Azkals” in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The Blue Wolves was overpowered by Philippines Azkals by a score of 2-0 in the first leg of AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match, run in Bacolod City, Philippines on February 9, 2011.
If Mongolian team will score three goals to the Azkal’s door in the second leg of the Challenge Cup qualifying match, they will be able to continue the AFC Challenge Cup.
Members and coach of Mongolian national team received MNT 1 million respectively from Delta Service Company and the company promised to give another MNT 1 million to players who scores a goal to the opponent’s door.Also, the best player will be prized MNT 1 million.
Besides, over 100 fans from Philippines have already ordered ticket of the second leg of the challenge cup qualifying event and air passage to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
/via Mongol News (3/11/2011)
The Blue Wolves was overpowered by Philippines Azkals by a score of 2-0 in the first leg of AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match, run in Bacolod City, Philippines on February 9, 2011.
If Mongolian team will score three goals to the Azkal’s door in the second leg of the Challenge Cup qualifying match, they will be able to continue the AFC Challenge Cup.
Members and coach of Mongolian national team received MNT 1 million respectively from Delta Service Company and the company promised to give another MNT 1 million to players who scores a goal to the opponent’s door.Also, the best player will be prized MNT 1 million.
Besides, over 100 fans from Philippines have already ordered ticket of the second leg of the challenge cup qualifying event and air passage to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
/via Mongol News (3/11/2011)
Kanto U routs shivery Azkals
Philippine football team manager Dan Palami yesterday allayed concerns the Azkals will find difficulty dealing with the sub-zero weather in Ulan Bator when they play Mongolia for the second leg of their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying series on March 15.
Returning to Manila after observing the team’s training in the Japanese city of Gotemba the past three days, Palami took the 4-0 drubbing absorbed by the Azkals to Kanto University team Wednesday in stride, saying it’s only a matter of time before the national side gets to adjust to the weather.
“I think it will take one or two more days for them to finally get used to the cold,” said Palami in a phone interview with the Inquirer.
Palami said the Azkals trained at temperatures ranging from zero to five degrees. The average temperature in Ulan Bator yesterday was zero degree.
“The cold really took a toll on the player’s bodies,” Palami said. “It’s a good thing we were able to go to Japan this week. It will go a long way in our preparations.”
Palami’s return came a day after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. approved the release of a P2-million grant for the Azkals’ campaign in the Challenge Cup.
The information was relayed to the Inquirer by Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta.
Among the most affected by the cold weather were Ian Araneta and Chieffy Caligdong, whose mobility, according to
Palami, was limited.
Caligdong opened the scoring in the Azkals’ 2-nil victory over the Mongolians in the first leg in Bacolod City last Feb. 9.
Phil Younghusband, the scorer of the second goal, appears to be the most comfortable with the Japanese weather.
“He’s playing better,” Palami said of Younghusband, who has scored 13 goals for the country.
Palami said the challenge is also with the coaching staff headed by German Hans Michael Weiss to remove the “mental block” of playing in the cold weather.
Still, Palami is confident that the Azkals will overcome the Mongolians. “I think we have a good chance against Mongolia,” he added.
/via Inquirer (by Cedelf P. Tupas, 11/3/2011)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Cold weather bothers Azkals
DESPITE a weeklong training in Baguio, which was supposed to acclimatize the Philippine Azkals to the sub-zero conditions in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, some members of the celebrated squad suffered discomfort when they reached Japan on Monday.
The Japan weather dropped to 0 degrees on Monday midnight, according to a message sent by team captain Aly Borromeo via twitter. It improved to 3 to 4-degrees centigrade when they began training around noontime the next day.
The team, coached by Germany’s Hans Michael Weiss, is composed of 18 players, with Filipino-Icelander defender Ray Jonnsson expected to join them there.
The team, which faces Mongolia in the second game of their home-and-away series of the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup on March 15, has started wearing the thermal suits provided by Mizuno that are suited for the cold weather.
Still, some members of the team could not immediately adjust to the weather, with Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong reportedly experiencing colds and coughing.
How the Azkals will adjust to the cold weather in their Fukushima training camp will determine their chances when they finally meet the Mongolians at their freezing home turf next week.
“If we were training under normal conditions, I can definitely say that we will beat Mongolia. However, because of the cold weather, we want to adjust, and that’s what we want to do in Japan,” said team manage Dan Palami.
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Mariano said the team is camped at a facility owned by the Japan Football Association, located in the prefecture of Shiznoka, about 174 kilometers from Tokyo.
“OK naman ang tirahan nila doon at ang mga arrangements,” said Mariano.
Continue reading in Manila Standard ...
The Japan weather dropped to 0 degrees on Monday midnight, according to a message sent by team captain Aly Borromeo via twitter. It improved to 3 to 4-degrees centigrade when they began training around noontime the next day.
The team, coached by Germany’s Hans Michael Weiss, is composed of 18 players, with Filipino-Icelander defender Ray Jonnsson expected to join them there.
The team, which faces Mongolia in the second game of their home-and-away series of the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup on March 15, has started wearing the thermal suits provided by Mizuno that are suited for the cold weather.
Still, some members of the team could not immediately adjust to the weather, with Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong reportedly experiencing colds and coughing.
How the Azkals will adjust to the cold weather in their Fukushima training camp will determine their chances when they finally meet the Mongolians at their freezing home turf next week.
“If we were training under normal conditions, I can definitely say that we will beat Mongolia. However, because of the cold weather, we want to adjust, and that’s what we want to do in Japan,” said team manage Dan Palami.
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Mariano said the team is camped at a facility owned by the Japan Football Association, located in the prefecture of Shiznoka, about 174 kilometers from Tokyo.
“OK naman ang tirahan nila doon at ang mga arrangements,” said Mariano.
Continue reading in Manila Standard ...
Azkals on a high below zero
 |
| Members of the Phl Azkals are all wrapped up to combat the Gotemba cold in the first day of training in a mountain-resort football facility in Japan. |
MANILA, Philippines - The Azkals felt good training under zero degree weather yesterday in Gotemba, Japan.
“It’s cold but amazing. Cozy place, great soccer complex and great food,” said defender Anton del Rosario on his Twitter account.
“But no wifi,” added the 28-year-old from California.
Team captain Aly Borromeo also talked about the absence of wifi in their training quarters located near the foot of Mt. Fuji.
“We are in the boondocks four hours away from Tokyo. No wifi around here and you would’ve thought a country like this would have wifi everywhere,” he said on Twitter.
But seriously, Borromeo said everything went well on their first day of training in Gotemba as they geared up for their March 15 match in Mongolia.
“Zero degree at practice earlier. All the boys didn’t seem to mind the cold too much,” added Borromeo.
The Azkals arrived in Narita the other night and took a 174 km ride to Gotemba where they will stay and train until they depart for Mongolia on March 13.
Team manager Dan Palami posted a team picture taken upon their arrival in Gotemba, with the Azkals all bundled up in their winter clothing.
For most of them, it’s their first time to experience weather this cold. And it only gets tougher in Mongolia, in Ulan Batur, where the weather was minus-11 yesterday.
But to them, it doesn’t really matter anymore.
The match with the Mongolians will be played at 1 p.m., and it won’t make a difference because even at that time the weather will be near freezing point.
It’s the main reason why the Azkals took the trip to Gotemba more than a week before the match in Mongolia.
The Azkals beat the Mongolians at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod last Feb. 9, 2-0, under weather as high as 25 degrees.
To turn things around, the Mongolians must win by a margin of three goals at least. Otherwise, the Azkals advance to the AFC Challenge Cup group stage against Bangladesh, Nepal and Palestine later this month.
Chieffy Caligdong, who scored the opening goal against the Mongolians at Panaad, said the thermal wear provided for the team by their official outfitter Mizuno does help.
“We’re using it. The team is okay but we’re adjusting to the cold, with some coughing on my part. It’s just too cold out here. New climate,” he said.
Caligdong is also on Twitter.
/via Philippine Star (by Abac Cordero, 3/9/2011)
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