Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Just over a week before the AFC celebrates its 60th Anniversary in Manila, where the Asian Football Confederation was officially formed, the Philippines national team will be looking to continue their recent renaissance when, on November 22, they kick off their 2014 AFF Championship campaign against Laos.
While the AFC 60th Anniversary will showcase the country’s history in the formative years of the Confederation, an increasingly popular domestic scene and a strong national team alludes to a bright future for Philippines football.
No longer the ASEAN whipping boys, the Philippines have risen to a genuine contender for regional glory having finished runners-up to Palestine at the last edition of the AFC Challenge Cup. And for defensive stalwart and Azkals vice-captain Rob Grier, the genesis of this rapid rise is easy to identify.
“In my opinion the most significant moment has to be the Philippines’ recent journey starting from reaching the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-finals,” the 33-year-old told www.the-afc.com.
“We were as surprised as anyone to even qualify for the final stage of the competition but to draw with Singapore and then beat the defending champions Vietnam has to go down as one of the biggest shocks of in the tournament’s history.
“The playing memory of that tournament will live with me forever but the part that gives me the most satisfaction is how that success helped a new generation of football fans in the Philippines. Because of the success of that campaign in 2010 football in the Philippines underwent a huge renaissance.”
After a stoppage-time strike from Chris Greatwich earned the Philippines a creditable 1-1 draw with Singapore earned Gier and his team-mates a well-deserved point, the tournament outsiders went one better in their next fixture at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi – where the Azkals will take on Laos in the opening match of their 2014 campaign.
Greatwich was on target once again before Phil Younghusband also found the net as the Azkals silenced a 40,000 strong crowd and shocked hosts Vietnam with a 2-0 victory at the same venue.
An impressive goalless draw against Myanmar followed as the Philippines ended their Group Stage campaign unbeaten and while they lost both legs of the semi-final against regional powerhouse Indonesia, the Azkals could hold their heads high after only losing to a single Cristian Gonzales goal in each of the encounters played at a packed Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, one of the most intimidating arenas in Asian football.
The Philippines were then under the helm of Scotsman Simon McMenemy, who is currently head coach of Loyola Meralco Sparks in the Philippines’ ever-improving United Football League, having had spells with clubs in the Maldives, Indonesia, and Vietnam following his impressive work at the 2010 AFF Championship.
And the contribution of McMenemy, Gier, and that class of 2010 in kicking off a bright new era of football in the Philippines in not lost on current head coach Thomas Dooley.
“One of the most historic football events for the Philippines was when they reached the final stage of the AFF Championship in 2010,” the USA’s 1998 World Cup captain told www.the-afc.com.
“The Philippines beat Vietnam, who back then were the defending champions. This put the Philippines back on the radar and I know that everyone just gave these ‘underdogs’ a new level of respect after that.”
Photo: AFP