NEW Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez sees no distinction between overseas-based players and locals suiting up for the national team.
“This issue about Fil-foreigners, let this be the last time to refer to them as that. Let’s just call them as overseas-based players,” Gutierrez said the other day when businessman Dan Palami announced his resignation as the team manager of the Azkals.
“Filipinos are Filipinos and it doesn’t matter where you live or how much Filipino blood you have,” stressed the PFF honcho, adding that he preferred that homegrown-talents be referred to as “locally-developed” ones.
He stressed that “the federation’s mandate is to form the best national team possible” to play for flag and country in overseas competitions.
“Until the locally-developed players are ready and are of the same quality as the overseas-based players, then we will have to go with the same system for the meantime,” he added.
He dispelled the notion that the PFF prefers players from abroad representing the country in international meets.
“The PFF has to come up with the strongest national team, regardless of where they (players) are based. In the same light, once the new manager takes over, he will also have to find the best possible players and form the strongest team for the country and the federation,” Gutierrez said.
He said they have three candidates to succeed Palami as the manager of the Azkals but did not name them.
Palami said whoever succeeds him “should also have a passion for football and patience in meeting the coach, players and other people that the role requires.”
Gutierrez said that whoever the new national team manager is, “we will give him a free hand regarding the coach,” although he said they would honor the contract of re-hired German coach Michael Weiss, which will be up to the end of 2024.
Palami said he decided to resign early so that his successor would have enough time to know the German mentor and the players better.
“There might be some hitches during the transition but I believe that this will be minimal. Our schedule for the Azkals regarding their training and tune-up games will still be on track,” Gutierrez said.
