Next breed of Azkals pure Filipinos
Philippine Football Federation officials are looking to develop their Under-11 players over the next seven years, aiming to field an all-Filipino team in various international competitions, particularly in the qualifying tournament for the 2019 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Under-17 World Cup. Palami said the PFF is intensifying its grassroots development program, which started last year. "Right now, our focus is to train our Under-11 players. Eventually, our dependence on players outside the Philippines will be lessened because of PFF's local development program." "It will take a while because honing their skills and talents, plus giving them the right kind of experience, may take years. But eventually, we are hoping we will have more of the locally trained players representing the country," added the Philippine Azkals manager. Palami said that, as of the moment, the Philippine national team will still be composed of Filipino-for...