The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Lily O. Ramos / Philippines News Agency
It’s true that Philippine football has reached a new level in the last few years, mainly because of part-Filipino players who used their athletic abilities and good looks to draw attention to the sport, which ranks No. 1 in the world.
But to keep the country’s passion for football burning is one question that has been in the minds of leaders who have worked hard to ignite people’s interest in the sport for a long time.
It’s not enough that people see, like in a movie, guys homing in on a goal in the same way that the Philippine Azkals have been doing. It’s more important to find a way to keep on winning to make their Filipino fans happy, especially if they make it to the 2018 World Cup.
“We feel the pressure of winning, not only to qualify (for the World Cup), but also (of increasing) awareness of the sport in the country,” Azkals manager Dan Palami said.
“We help the sport by winning. The more popular football gets, the more kids play the sport. More players mean more support for the sport and, hopefully, the national team,” he added.
He also said he wants to produce homegrown talents who would inspire more young people to play football and increase the country’s pride.
A long way
Thanks to Palami’s efforts, as well as those of other football officials, the Azkals have come a long way in their attempt to boost the country’s stock in football in the last five years.
From struggling to even qualify for the group stages of the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup, the Azkals have already chalked up huge wins, including their first two victories in the World Cup qualifiers.
And with another big game against Uzbekistan forthcoming, the Azkals are determined to put in a good show to again raise the profile of the sport in the country.
Palami has been backing the team since the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan in January 2010. Since then, the Azkals have scored one major achievement after another, reaching the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup three times.
The Azkals also came close to playing in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup last year: They lost to Palestine in the Challenge Cup finals, which served as the qualifier for the final spot in the tournament.
After impressive wins over Bahrain (2-1) and Yemen (2-0) in their first two outings in the World Cup qualifiers, the Azkals also reached their highest Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Football Federation, or Fifa) ranking—No. 124—in July.
What has made this run even more remarkable is the Azkals’ performance. Showing confidence and improving their game, they have become a strong threat to other teams.
A win against the Uzbeks on September 8 at the Philippine Sports Stadium could prove crucial in their bid to reach the third round.
“We need all the support we can get against Uzbekistan. We have to protect our homefield,” Palami said.
“They (Uzbek team) may have lost to North Korea, but we still think they are the strongest team in the group,” he added.
The Uzbeks fell to North Korea, 2-4, in their first game in Pyongyang in June. That win gave the East Asian nation the top spot in the group with six points, ahead of the Azkals on goal difference.
The top team in the group will advance to the next round, while the four second-placed teams from among the eight qualifying groups will also move on and claim a spot in the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.
Tickets for the Azkals vs. Uzbekistan game are now available at www.ticketworld.com.ph.