Azkals attracting SEA football clubs

MANILA, Philippines - There’s a downside to the Azkals’ amazing surge that led to an unprecedented third-place finish in the recent Challenge Cup in Nepal.

They played so well, in fact way beyond expectations, that at least some of the Azkals must have caught the eye, the attention of scouts for foreign teams.

So, don’t be surprised if in the coming days these Azkals, again the Younghusbands, Phil and James, the Guirados, Angel and Juani, or Chieffy Caligdong and Jason Sabio receive offers from other teams.

That’s if they haven’t received any at this time.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta said it’s a great possibility, and there’s nothing the local soccer association can do about it.

“If the offers come, then we can’t do anything about it. It will be up to the players to deal with the offer,” said Araneta yesterday.

“But we will not stand in the way of our players’ progress. In fact we will be happy that Filipino players are now the ones being lured by foreign teams.”

The Younghusbands faced foreign offers last year following the Azkals’ strong showing in the Suzuki Cup. They were reportedly offered as much as $8,000 a month by the Jakarta Football Club.

On top of the monthly salary was a signing bonus of $24,000, definitely something the PFF or the Azkals management headed by businessman Dan Palami couldn’t even match.

But the Younghusbands chose to stay in the Philippines, play for the Azkals and work on their Younghusband Football Academy for the benefit of young players.

“Was it difficult? Just a bit. But our priority is the Philippine national team and our football academy,” James was quoted as saying.

“We had to make sure that our family, friends and business partners were on board on this. There were complications that did not make it perfect... This doesn’t mean we’re closing the door on future offers... It just has to be perfect,” Phil told PFF media officer Rick Olivares.

They were rewarded with the admiration of Filipino soccer fans, and later on came lucrative endorsement deals that perhaps made it easier for them to forget about the offer from Jakarta.

But nobody knows what kind of an offer may come next. Perhaps something that may be truly hard to resist.

“We can only hope that if they agree to play for foreign squads they will still be available for the Philippine team just like what Neil Etheridge (of Fulham) does for us,” Araneta added.

The PFF president is definitely keeping his fingers crossed.