ALAS Pilipinas Men will gamble on an all-Filipino national team in the 2025 AVC Men’s Champions League from May 11 to 18 in Hirakata, Japan.
Similar to the women’s edition of Asia’s biggest club competition, each team can field a maximum of three foreign guest reinforcements for the week-long tilt.
Both Creamline and Petro Gazz maxed out their three-import allocations while PLDT stuck with just two.
Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) chief Ramon 'Tats' Suzara shared how the men’s national team, set to be branded as the Cignal HD Spikers for the tournament, wants to make the most of its forthcoming AVC tilt to strengthen the bond of its local core ahead of 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship on home soil in September.
“I heard from coach [Angiolino] Frigoni na hindi tayo kukuha ng import even if you’re allowed to get three imports. Ang thinking niya, let the national team be as it is,” Suzara said.
Headlining Cignal-Alas' pool in the Asian tilt are reigning Chinese Volleyball Men's League champion Shanghai Bright and star-studded Japanese squad Osaka Bluteon.
While the nationals’ final AVC roster has yet to be revealed, the concurrent AVC and PNVF chief bared that a series of intensive international training camps will follow within the 100-day stretch before the worlds.
It won’t just be an Asian camp this time as Alas Pilipinas will take their preparations to Europe and North America.
“After that [AVC Champions League], they will have a training camp in Japan. Then, they go to New York, to the U.S. for exhibition matches and then go to Europe,” Suzara said.
“Babalik na sila dito by July na. It’s good that they’re out there training.”
One set’s the goal, one win’s the dream
Pool A of the global meet proves to be a stacked one as the Philippines will duke it out with African and Asian powerhouses in Tunisia, Egypt and Iran.
That’s why for Suzara, even if wins won’t come easy by any means, going all out to prepare for the international showpiece on home soil is of utmost importance.
“Tunisia is not an easy team, also. They were African champions. Egypt also, and Iran, world-class ‘yung Iran,” Suzara said.
“I’m hoping. Masaya na ko kapag maka-one set tayo sa mga kalaban but who knows, we might have a chance. Sa AVC [Women’s] Champions League, PLDT yung nag-five sets, Petro Gazz nag-five sets.
“It will show the leverage of our skills if we improved or not.”
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