The Philippine Under 14 football team known as the Little Azkals will soon compete again as various tournaments were lined up for them in the country.
Last Sunday, members of the Little Azkals returned to their respective provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, after having been together for the whole summer.
They won’t be apart for long since they have been invited to compete in a tournament in Cagayan de Oro City on the second week of August.
Another training camp is set up for them during the semestral break late October with the venue still to be decided upon. An invitational tournament in San Carlos City on the same month is also being planned.
Then on December, the boys will be called again for country duty for three friendly matches—one each in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao—against a foreign team, which is currently being worked on by their team manager Richard Montayre.
According to Montayre, the foreign team will likely come from Malaysia or Indonesia.
NEW SPONSOR
The team is also on the verge of signing a two-year contract through Montayre for a new sponsorship from a company based outside the country.
“It will supply us with all our outfit needs for the next two years, travel and competition gears from top to bottom, etc.,” said Montayre.
The new benefactor will also sponsor a major competition in the Philippines for the Little Azkals and one international camp each year under the contract.
Plans are also already laid out for the Little Azkals next year, wherein they will now be moving up to the U-15 age category. The same as in the U-14, the boys will have to maintain or better their level of performance as already being members of the national team will not ensure them an automatic spot in the U-15. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON