The Philippines’ grassroots and youth development program for football got a major boost from no less than Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss whose recommendation spurred the German Football Association and the German Foreign Ministry to send a football expert to work with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) to solidify the country’s football grassroots youth development program.
Last April, German Ambassador Joachim Heidom and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia signed the agreement appointing Thomas Roy to work hand-in-hand with the PFF and Weiss.
Before his appointment as head coach of the Philippine Azkals, Weiss had worked in a youth development project in Rwanda wherein he identified and trained players aged 12 to 18 years old. These players are now in the national team.
When Weiss applied for a job here in the Philippines through the German FA in 2010, he already expressed interest in the grassroots and youth development.
“I knew that the Philippines as a developing country in football also needed the same thing (referring to the youth development project in Rwanda) so I was hoping that through my contacts with the German FA and with the Foreign Ministry, we could set up a program like this here,” Weiss said.
Germany will be spending more than a million dollars to help the country’s football development.
Weiss’ recommendation for Germany to help the Philippines was also bolstered by his nomination in the search for the German Football Ambassador 2013.
PINOYS LACK
PROPER DEVELOPMENT
Ironically, Weiss has always been criticized for choosing Filipino players coming from abroad over homegrown talents during international events.
He defended himself by saying that Filipinos players lack proper development.
“They don’t have the attitude, they don’t have the level, they are not good enough, they don’t have the mentality, they don’t have the proper spirit. This is why they are ignored and not because they are Filipinos.”
Weiss further explained that an average player from Germany will always be better than the best in the Philippines because the German football player grow up with football. “He eat, wake and sleep football, that is not the case here.”
However, he hopes all these will change with the arrival of Roy.
Roy is expected to arrive next month. Although he will be based in Manila, he will be travelling all over the Philippines to assess the country’s football landscape.
“He (Roy) will take care of scouting, training and handling of youth players to build the house from the floor because we are building the house from the top with the Azkals, but the Azkals help us to actually make the sport popular among the youth,” Weiss said.
He added that everywhere he goes, he hears kids saying that they want to follow in the footsteps of Neil Etheridge, the Younghusbands—Phil and James, or Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong.
The German coach added that holding a weekly competition is the only way for the boys to learn.
“If you don’t learn to fight and win games, how can you go out there and beat Malaysia, Indonesia or the nations who are far more developed than the Philippines?”
The German FA will also be sending technical experts to train coaches, conduct physical seminars, goalkeeping seminars, etc.