THE coaching staff of the Philippine Under-19 known as the Teen Azkals will be holding a grassroots development program from May 14 to 17 at the Aboitiz Sports Field in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.
The Teen Azkals coaching staff is headed by head coach Marlon Maro, who is also an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Philippine Football Federation (PFF) instructor.
He will be assisted by assistant coach Glenn Ramos, goalkeeping coach Noel Marcaida, Marlon Pinero and Jerome Orcullo.
The clinic is open to all age groups and is aimed at identifying players with potentials to be endorsed to national team coaches.
Registration is pegged at P2,500 per participant. Those interested can contact Ramos at 09326048917 or Teen Azkals manager Alvin Carranza at 09175314403.
Ramos said that he plans to ask Carranza to let out of school youths to join the clinic for free.
To provide local support for the clinic is the BRO-Nationals ERCO. Ramos, who is also the coach of the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC), said they will also be looking for players to add to the Teen Azkals pool which has 39 players mostly midfielders.
He said that they are still looking for defense players and strikers.
According to Carranza, the final cut of 22 to 25 will be made either in June or July.
The national team will be competing in Barotac in Iloilo this June, a tournament spearheaded by Philippine Azkals team captain Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong, before going to Australia for a training camp and friendly matches in preparation for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) tournament in September and AFC tournament in November. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON