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Football: PFF aims to build strongest Azkals roster, says Gutierrez

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Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="PFF President John Gutierrez. Photo by Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/sports/01/09/01092024-pff-president-john-gutierrez.jpg"/><figcaption>PFF President John Gutierrez. <em>Photo by Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News</em>.</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine men’s national football team is set to embark on a new journey this 2024.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/21/23/azkals-settle-for-draw-against-indonesia-in-world-cup-qualifiers">Football: Azkals settle for draw against Indonesia in World Cup qualifiers</a></li></ul><p>Following the appointment of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF)’s new president John Gutierrez, the squad, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March, will also have a new manager after Dan Palami stepped down from his position earlier today. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/09/24/football-dan-palami-steps-down-as-azkals-manager">Football: Dan Palami steps down as Azkals manager</a></li></ul><p>Gutierrez revealed that three still-unnamed candidates are eyed to take over Palami’s role, but the vision of the PFF for the Azkals remains the same — construct the strongest roster possible. </p><p>“The number one mandate of the PFF is to come up with the strongest national team,” Gutierrez said to reporters earlier today. “We do not want to embarrass ourselves. Until the locally-developed players are ready and are of the same quality as the overseas-based players, we will have to go with the same system for the meantime.”</p><p>Gutierrez also addressed the talk regarding how Palami previously favored recruiting players who were of foreign descent over those who were born and raised in the Philippines.</p><p>“I would like to dispel the false notion that sir Dan and the national team management prefer overseas-based players over locally-developed players. It’s not that,” he claimed.</p><p>“Again, the PFF has to come up with the strongest national team regardless of where they’re based. So, in the same light, once the new manager takes over, whoever he may be, he will also have to find the best possible players and form the strongest team for the federation,” Gutierrez said, while also saying that he is not in favor of putting labels over the players.</p><p>“Let this be the last time that anybody who loves Philippine football refers to them as [Fil-foreigners]. Okay? Let’s call them overseas-based players. Filipinos are Filipinos. It doesn’t matter where you live, or how much Filipino blood you have.”</p><p>“On the other side, I would like to refer to them as locally developed players. Let’s give our fellow Filipinos the respect that they deserve. Until the time that our locally developed players are ready and are at par with those overseas talents, then the system will have to go on as is,” he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/24/23/football-bright-future-awaits-azkals-harry-nuez">Football: Bright future awaits Azkals’ Harry Nuñez</a></li></ul><p>Meanwhile, Gutierrez also shed some light on the future of PMNFT head coach Michael Weiss </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/21/23/football-weiss-disappointed-by-azkals-draw-vs-indonesia">Football: Weiss disappointed by Azkals&#x27; draw vs. Indonesia</a></li></ul><p>“Right now, the coach of the Philippine men’s national team is coach Weiss. However, as sir Dan has given me the free hand on moving forward with the national team, we will also have to understand that with the new management coming in, we will also have to give them the free hand in how they want to progress,” he said.</p><p>“It will be up to the new management.”</p><p>He stressed, however, that the changes in the management will not play a role as the Azkals move ahead with their 2024 campaign.</p><p>“A change in management will have a small glitch, but we are still on schedule for whatever training camps and friendlies that are in place. We will try our best to not change the schedule too much. Very minimal effect on the preparations for the scheduled matches,” assured Gutierrez. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2923907" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Philippine men’s national football team is set to embark on a new journey this 2024.

Football: PFF aims to build strongest Azkals roster, says Gutierrez

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Football: PFF aims to build strongest Azkals roster, says Gutierrez

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 09, 2024 06:43 PM PHT

Read More:

Football

Philippine men’s national football team

Philippine Azkals

Dan Palami

PMNFT

Philippine Football Federation

PFF

John Gutierrez

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