“BE prepared for the hardest weeks of your life.”
Quoting Australian coach Alen Stacjic, football chief Mariano Araneta Jr. said this is what the Filipinas, the national women’s football team, can expect as they enter the homestretch of their preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Down Under in July.
“This is what coach Alen said, and he also told them that they should be 90 percent fit when they appear at their training camp in Sydney in mid-June,” Araneta said during the unveiling of the Filipinas’ new adidas kits (uniforms) at the BGC Ampitheater in Taguig City last Tuesday night.
“The 90 percent fitness (requirement) is important because I believe coach is anticipating the challenges they would be facing,” he added.
National team manager Jeff Cheng, who was also present during the well-attended colorful affair, confirmed that the national team would be back to train in the Australian city where he co-owns the Western Sydney Wanderers club.
They said Stajcic, whose workouts have been likened to that a Prussian drillmaster, wants his charges to be in the best physical shape before they make their debut in Group A of the global women’s football showcase on July 20 in New Zealand.
They kick off their campaign against Switzerland on July 21 in Dunedin, face the hosts four days later in Wellington, then cap their drive in the group on July 30 against Norway in Auckland.
Sharing his own personal thoughts on the abbreviated campaign of the Filipinas in the 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian Games, Araneta said was proud of how they bounced back from their stunning 0-1 defeat to Myanmar at the start of the group stage play.
