THE AZKALS name has been revived for a Philippine team that will compete in the international competition in the Asia 7’s Championships from October 9 to 12 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Former national players Stephan Schrock and Misagh Bahadoran will be the co-captains of the Philippine team, with Hamed Hajimedhedi serving as coach and Patrick Ace Bright as team manager for the seven-a-side tournament.
Azkals name dropped
The Azkals name for the national men’s team was dropped by the Philippine Football Federation following a leadership change that also led to Dan Palami stepping down as team manager after 14 years.
The seven-a-side team wants the Azkals name to be revived as a tribute to its contributions to local football over the years.
“This is the next step in keeping alive the Azkals name which has become synonymous with Philippine football,” Schrock said.
“It is very important to continue the Azkals legacy on how as the former minnows of Asian football, we were able to rise and overcome the challenges before. Hopefully by using the moniker again, we can once more inspire all aspiring football players in the country,” Schrock said.
Bahadoran added: “It has been years since I represented the country but the desire to do so has always been there. It is a great honor for me to wear the national colors one more time.”
National seven-a-side teams from Malaysia, India, Japan, China, Brunei, Singapore, and Indonesia will also be in action, with five more squads also expected to participate.
“The main goal is to make 7 aside more accessible all over Asia. This competition can be as big as the Asian Football Confederation’s tournaments and we just have to work extra hard to make this possible. The Asia 7’s Championships is a positive step towards that direction,” said Asia 7’s commissioner Anton Del Rosario.
The Azkals will conduct tryouts from September 7 to 8 to determine the rest of the members of the team. A tune-up game against celebrity football players is also scheduled on October 6 with the final roster to be announced on or before the exhibition contest.
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