Thrilla in Manila: Dooley in The Philippines

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad Academy' started by bshredder, Jan 20, 2014.

  1. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #1 bshredder, Jan 20, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2014
    Thomas Dooley in the running to coach the Philippines national team

    http://sports.inquirer.net/140891/ex-us-world-cup-captain-in-talks-with-azkals

     
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  2. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Feel free to help with a better thread title
     
  3. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow, very nice for him. I guess I need to go and see how the Philippines stacks up with other teams in their region.
     
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  4. Gorky

    Gorky Member+

    Jul 28, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Philippines NT has some Yanks on it, I believe.
     
  5. INKRO

    INKRO Member+

    Jul 28, 2011
    Mitebecool
     
  6. xyz1000

    xyz1000 Member

    Jan 8, 2003
    Many Yanks in the Philippines NT (Azkals). However, none of them, as far as I know, have any close connections with Thomas Dooley.
     
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  7. m vann

    m vann Moderator
    Staff Member

    Colorado Rapids, Celtic FC, & Louisville City
    Sep 10, 2002
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You mean other than being dual national Americans........... ;) :D
     
  8. RobtheAggie

    RobtheAggie Member+

    Sep 10, 2001
    Middle Georgia
    Club:
    Rochester Rhinos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I remember watching a LA Galaxy match against the Philippines NT back a few years ago. Stadium looked like it was all concrete. Maybe it was just the camera angle.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_national_football_team

    They were in the 190s according to the FIFA rankins a few years ago. Not too good.
     
  9. xyz1000

    xyz1000 Member

    Jan 8, 2003
    Donovan and Beckham were there. Don't know if Dooley was there, but if he was, that may be the connection that made him in the short list.

    The NT is now at FIFA 127, and if the previous coach for the last (almost) three years was more competent, probably higher.
     
  10. Beantowner

    Beantowner Member

    Aug 19, 2005
    HK / Shanghai / NY
    Club:
    New York City FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  11. dsnipes1

    dsnipes1 Member

    Aug 12, 2005
    Was at that Galaxy match. What a shockingly awful stadium and pitch. The Philippine national team is terrible with no hope of improvement save mass recruitment of dual nationals that have grown up abroad. But theyve been trying that for a few years now and Im not sure there are too many undiscovered players out there for them to bring in. Developing their own talent isnt going to happen anytime soon with the complete lack of facilities and the dire state of coaching there.
     
  12. Jamooky

    Jamooky Member+

    Mar 24, 2006
    Cleveland, OH USA
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ugh. Sounds grim.
     
  13. RobtheAggie

    RobtheAggie Member+

    Sep 10, 2001
    Middle Georgia
    Club:
    Rochester Rhinos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  14. RobtheAggie

    RobtheAggie Member+

    Sep 10, 2001
    Middle Georgia
    Club:
    Rochester Rhinos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There would have to be an upside with the population in the nation, as well as the significant amount of Filipino's abroad. One would suspect that they could improve.
     
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  15. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This might help for those looking to find a better title (lyrics included):

     
  16. Elninho

    Elninho Member+

    Sacramento Republic FC
    United States
    Oct 30, 2000
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There's been a huge improvement in the Philippines NT over the last 5 years or so, but it's all been a result of foreign recruiting. In any given match, 8-10 of their starters are foreign-born. 16 of the 21 players called up to the Philippines NT's most recent squad, and 25 of the 34 players who were called up in 2013, were dual nationals recruited to play for the Philippines. In their last two competitive tournaments: 16 of 23 players in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and 19 of 22 players in the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup were dual nationals.

    More of those dual nationals come from the US than any other country: at least 9 US citizens have been capped by the Philippines in the current WC cycle, and a number of others (such as the English-born Greatwich brothers) are based in the US. There are probably more Filipino-Americans out there who might be convinced to play for the Philippines, especially given that the standard is pretty low. Most starters on mid-level D1 college teams are good enough to get caps, and anyone who starts for a top-25 D1 college team or a PDL playoff team has a decent shot at the Philippines starting lineup.
     
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  17. xyz1000

    xyz1000 Member

    Jan 8, 2003
    This shows a complete lack of knowledge of what's been going on. If you think that things have been stagnant in terms of development, think again. The Philippine Stadium is under construction (https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineArenaConstructionUpdate). There are smaller pitches that continue to sprout up. The United Football League has attracted sponsors and is now on TV, and there are plans for a national league in three years.

    Home grown talent making significant contribution to the NT may not happen in the next 5 years or so, but no mistake, it's going to happen.

    FIFA 192 to FIFA 127 in three years is no small feat.

    With the progress that has been made, there's no lack of interest in the NT coach position, unlike years ago when they would quit. The PFF actually had to fire the last one -- that must be a sign of progress. :)

    So it's no surprise that Thomas Dooley would be interested. He made the short list and others in it are supposedly from Europe.

    Before you make sweeping generalizations based on watching one game, I suggest you keep up with the news.
     
  18. RobtheAggie

    RobtheAggie Member+

    Sep 10, 2001
    Middle Georgia
    Club:
    Rochester Rhinos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks for the report.
     
  19. Hararea

    Hararea Member+

    Jan 21, 2005
    If @Pelefan is still on the board, he'd probably be able to give us some insight, as well.
     
  20. Pelefan

    Pelefan Member+

    Mar 17, 1999
    Chicago
    #20 Pelefan, Jan 21, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2014
    Yes I am here. Just as I mentioned in the other thread, they are now looking for a coach and Dooley is being considered. They are indeed looking for dual citizen nationals just like the US and many of those they have found are still quite young or in the youth team ranks. They are no different than the US who have been doing these for decades(prime example is Thomas Dooley himself as well as the latest current German and Icelandic recruits) although not as aggressively as the USSF, who have a massive database(in the hundreds) of dual citizen nationals worldwide, compiled especially by Thomas Rongen during his time as U-20 coach. Also unlike the USSF, which has a history of recruiting players from abroad(including some who were not US citizens like Joe Gaetjens and Ed McIlvenney) since the 1930's, they have only started doing this a few years ago.

    The Philippines(which prefers American sports in general which were promoted when they were still a territory of the US) was in a similar situation as the US before the NASL, with very few interested in the sport. They needed to spark interest in the sport, and they noticed other nations using dual citizen players, so they decided to initially recruit the Younghusband brothers(who were in the Chelsea FC youth ranks at that time). The brothers provided so much quality to the team, that they decided to look elsewhere and found many abroad(because of the huge Filipino diaspora). Since the Philippines only recognizes citizenship by blood(jus sanguinis), this players whose parents or parent have to be Filipino citizens, were eligible to apply for citizenship.

    This players and the success they engendered, helped sparked a resurgence of interest in the sport, so that many local kids are now playing the sport. It will take some time before some of this kids will contribute to the men's team, but they have already started seeing success at the earlier age groups with one player in particular 9 y/o player Sandro Reyes, being recruited by Barcelona to their school FCB Escola in Barcelona, after undergoing through several trials.

    Because, they are starting at such a low level, infrastructure is still limited, but improving gradually. For instance, from none 2 years ago when the LA Galaxy last visited, they now have 9 new artificial soccer pitches in Metro Manila alone, with 3 more pending, including this blue pitch built for the Chelsea soccer school:

    http://ph.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/th...ea-blue-pitch-unveiled-circuit-175339240.html

    Barcelona FC, which has been setting up a series of soccer clinics over there every year, just like they do in the US, have indicated plans to open up an Academy over there as well, hoping to find more prospects like Sandro and many other pro teams have also investigated the possibility. If you combine this with the massive grassroots development program that the PFF has implemented recently with the help of FIFA and the German federation(DFB) who sent them a technical director, I think the future is quite bright, both in terms of finding talent at home and abroad.

    Here is a listing of current players who are playing abroad who have made themselves available for the Philippines:

    http://soccercentralph.com/feature/pinoy-footballers-abroad-december-14-january-10-edition

    They include 2 players who are currently playing in the top tier in Europe(as well as one under contract with Fulham but loaned out to a lower division team) and many others in the 2nd division and lower including many who have had experience in top tier leagues as well. Some are still very young and just starting their careers, but are highly rated in Europe. One of them, Alphonse Areola(who has said he will join the Philippines if not called up by the French men's team) is the starting goaltender for the FIFA U-20 World Cup championship team France and is considered one of the best young goalkeepers in the world.

    The current interest has also allowed a professional league to prosper with marketing and TV contracts giving them a good financial foundation to built on, with many players from Europe and the US signing on with different clubs.

    Finally as xyz mentioned, they are still awaiting construction of the Philippine stadium, that will be able to host bigger games in the future, which should be finished next year.

    Having said all this, I just want to point out that Thomas Dooley is not only coach being considered, with a few other European managers having sustained continuing coaching success in Asia and elsewhere, also on the list. They should decide though by the end of the January or early Feb.
     
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  21. dsnipes1

    dsnipes1 Member

    Aug 12, 2005
    I'm not making sweeping generalizations based on one match, I lived and coached in the Philippines for 2 years. Has the Philippines made progress from where it was 5 years ago, sure. But ultimately, Elninho's post has it exactly right, a mid-level d1 college player in the U.S. is likely to get caps, while an above average d1 player would likely start. That is a poor standard. The UFL is laughably bad, play on a small pitch at Emperador Stadium, have horrible referees (http://ph.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/th...anga-pldt-home-fibr-win-erring-170215571.html), and do little in terms of youth development. Sure there are ongoing efforts, the mere fact that the UFL exists is a big positive, but I was just trying to add context here for those that have never been to the Philippines and have no idea about the level of play, facilities, coaching, etc. There are some huge obstacles to overcome for the Philippines to become competitive within Asia, and it's not likely to happen anytime soon.
     
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  22. Pelefan

    Pelefan Member+

    Mar 17, 1999
    Chicago
    #22 Pelefan, Jan 22, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2014
    I have been following Philippine football for more than 20 years. Trust me there has been a lot improvement withing the past 2-3 years alone. Very few kids even wanted to play the sport 5 years ago, pretty much like the US before the NASL brought their stars here in the US and started the grassroots program at the youth level. Before then pretty much only immigrants or children of immigrants played the sport in the US.

    Infrastructure was bad in the Philippines, because previously, they were tearing them down because of lack of interest instead of building them up. Now it is the opposite and facilities are being built everywhere. 2 years ago there was no artificial pitches like Emperador in Manila. Now there are 9 including the Chelsea Soccer School, International School Manila, Turf BGC, Emperador Stadium, De La Salle Zobel, FEU Diliman, The Camp, Kick-off Indoor Football Center, and King's School near MOA with 3 more pending in Metro Manila alone some of whom are of FIFA regulation size. So don't go around comparing talent here to the Philippines. They are just starting a little late so give them time.
     
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  23. dsnipes1

    dsnipes1 Member

    Aug 12, 2005
    Exactly, give them time. I coached players involved in the youth national team setup there; my assistant coaches were former national team players now heavily involved in youth soccer and development in the Philippines; I coached there from 2011-2013 so I saw the development that you referenced in your excellent earlier post first-hand. I'd say the biggest problem going forward is the dearth of coaching talent and lack of knowledge of the game. Facilities are important, increasing youth participation is important (and difficult when basketball still rules the sporting landscape), but without adequate coaching, those things are for naught. So with all the challenges facing the game in the Philippines, it looks to be VERY LONG TIME before regional competitiveness is achieved.
     
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  24. Pelefan

    Pelefan Member+

    Mar 17, 1999
    Chicago
    #24 Pelefan, Jan 22, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2014
    That is why they need to recruit Filipinos from abroad. Being one of them, I know for a fact that my kids would jump at the chance to represent their parent's country. It is not too big a jump for the locals since they have many relatives abroad(almost everyone has one) who they consider just as Filipino as them. Until the local kids develop, the Filipinos abroad can help them sustain the interest needed to keep the sport going, by having a moderately successful national team.

    As for the coaching, it is a good start that Chelsea FC has opened up a school in partnership with their former Chelsea youth team players Younghusband brothers. It is also good that they have a German technical director from the DFB, helping set up a good program. It will take time but they will get there eventually.
     
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  25. USvsIRELAND

    USvsIRELAND Member+

    Jul 19, 2004
    ATL
    12th largest country in the world (by pop.) and a decently fast growing economy.

    As Pelefan, xyz and a few others pointed out, things basically started from scratch there a few years ago.

    There is a whole lot of opportunity for Philippines. Even Manny said he wanted his kids to play soccer ;):D

    I'm looking forward to seeing the growth.
     

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