BIENVE Marañon is under consideration for a possible stint with the Azkals U-23 in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Bienve Maranon in SEA Games team?
Azkals team manager Dan Palami said that two players are high on the list as they are looking to add strikers into the SEA Games line-up.
The SEA Games is an Under-23 football tournament in the men’s side but each team can include two overage players.
Most of the players from the Azkals Development Team are expected to compose the roster for the SEA Games. Norman Fegidero has been appointed as head coach of the SEA Games squad.
“We are allowed to have two senior players. We are looking at the striker position as the hole to fill with these squad. Hopefully, we will be talking to the senior players in our camp in Singapore as to who could be available.
“We are looking for example at Bienve who wants to play for the Philippines. This is his chance to go at it at a major tournament again. We are looking at several players. Maybe even Mark Hartmann as a striker as well. These are the options,” Palami said of the Spanish striker.
Marañon recently got naturalized and play for the Philippines in the AFF Suzuki Cup. He is currently playing for JDT in the Malaysia first tier league after stints with Ceres Negros FC and United City FC domestically.
Palami believes that the Philippine squad already has the tools to be competitive against other Southeast Asian countries. The Young Azkals finished fourth in the last edition of the SEA Games, losing to Myanmar in the bronze medal match.
“Our back is solid. Our midfielders are good and experienced. The striker position, that’s where we feel we need to augment our manpower. That’s where we will be focused on,” said Palami.