MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine national football team will sign new players to boost the Azkals’ lineup, a team official said Monday.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami told ANC that the team’s core members will be the same, but they will be on the lookout for midfielders and strikers who can fill in the gaps.
“We are open to new players. There are talents who want to come over,” he said.
“We will augment… to make sure we will be stronger than we are now. We want to make sure we have other options available, someone to give them surprise when they come over to the pitch,” he added.
The unheralded Azkals, considered as minnows in international football competitions, reached the ASEAN Suzuki Cup (AFF) semifinals for the first time by defeating defending champion Vietnam, 2-0.
The Philippines lost both semi-final games against Indonesia last week, both by a score of 0-1.
The Azkals will next see action in February against Mongolia in the qualifying rounds of the AFF Challenge Cup.
The tie is on a home-and-away format, with the Philippines’ home game to be held either at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod or the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila. –
Source: Report from ANC
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/12/20/10/philippine-azkals-recruit-new-players
