All Grown Up!
Philippine national men's football team manager Dan Palami and coach Michael Weiss believe the Azkals are a more mature and cohesive unit this time around than the squad that competed in the 2012 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup main draw. Palami said that the Azkals no longer need motivation since they know what should be done. "They (Azkals) know where the team wants to go. We are on the same page on the significance of the tournament. We've taken it several steps at a time." He added that the Philippines' strong performance in the 2012 Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup and the AFC Challenge Cup is an indication of the Azkals' willingness to secure one of the remaining 12 spots in the AFC Asian Cup, which Australia will be hosting in 2015. "The players are motivated and everybody knows what’s at stake," said Palami, a few days before the Azkals again try to qualify for the Challenge Cup's 2014 edition in the ...