Azkals’ coach to focus on local talents

GERMAN ‘Azkals’ head coach Hans Michael Weiss will focus on the full development of pure-blooded Filipino football players in years to come to strengthen the national team’s familiarity in every overseas tournament they play in.

Weiss told the Manila Times in an interview over the weekend that it takes a difficult time to assemble a mixture of Filipino-foreign and local players to compete in any tournament because most players will not be released by their club teams.

“Right now, familiarity is what we need in the team,” said Weiss, who is preparing the Philippine ‘Azkals’ to the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup on March 9 to 13 in Nepal where the country is bracketed with North Korea, Tajikistan and India.”

“Fil-foreign players will play for five times a year then leave. Nothing will happen after that,” said Weiss. “That’s why I’m going to focus on the local side this year maybe after the Challenge Cup because the players are available every time you need them.”

He said in other countries mostly in Southeast Asia, Asia and European all national teams have their own players who are exclusive only for the national team that they develop throughout the years.

“I’m going to continue evaluating the team because the management is also evaluating my performance based on the results of the competitions we played in,” said Weiss. “I’m hoping my players will play together for a long period of time.”

Weiss said there are many potential football talents in the province

and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) could look into it by means of its grassroots programs to put them in a national training pool together.

“We need to focus on the young local talents,” said Weiss, who remains optimistic though of the chances of the Filipinos in the coming Challenge Cup. “I’m always confident about my players. We’ll do our best there.”

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