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James Younghusband goes back to grassroots football

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Levi Joshua Jr. Verora

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="James Younghusband (second from right) serves a special guest at the Aboitiz Cup opening ceremony. Handout" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/11/15/james.jpg"/><figcaption>Clifford Academia (from left), vice president for operations, Lima Land Inc.; Maribeth Marasigan, president and CEO, Aboitiz Foundation Inc.; Azkals legend James Younghusband; and Rely San Agustin, head of RSA1 Group and Aboitiz Cup Organizing Partner attend the Aboitiz Cup opening ceremony. Handout</figcaption></figure></div>LIPA City – James Younghusband couldn’t help but grin when parents kept on egging their children, clueless about who the Philippine Azkals legend is, to take pictures with him during the opening of the 22nd Aboitiz Football Cup.As more and more youngsters snapped their selfies with Younghusband, the more it dawned on the retired Filipino-English star that he is now 36 years old, and that a dozen years have passed since the historic “Miracle in Hanoi” which ignited the rise of football in the country.“It just hits me,” Younghusband, chuckling, said. “Wow, I’m 36. I look in the mirror and it’s a realization that time flies by and that it is valuable.”As comedic as it looked like, one half of the Younghusband brothers thought it was coming full circle.“It’s fun. Next generation. The parents are excited they got to see us. I am happy to be taking pictures,” he added.Since Younghusband capped his lengthy career in 2020, which included a final stop with Ceres-Negros, the 6-foot-1 midfielder has kept following local football.Being invited as the special guest during the Aboitiz Cup’s opening ceremony proved to be a proud experience for him as he saw the future stars of the sport up close. The opening day of the competition featured the Mixed Under-7, Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, and Boys Under-15 divisions.“I still follow (Philippine football) and the next generation of players. I still talk to the coaches,” Younghusband shared.“It’s really about the younger players now. I see players developing well, playing for the national team that have potential.”With 101 caps and 12 goals for the men’s seniors’ national team, Younghusband is one of the longest-tenured Azkals in history.After a youth career with Chelsea, James, along with his brother Phil, made the leap and represented the Philippines in the 2005 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at home. From there, Filipino fans witnessed what had unfolded with both stars in the picture.But as Younghusband says, it’s about honing the future generation of football players who will carry the torch and continue the legacy they have left.“There are some players now that I have coached in my mid-20s as 8-, 9-year-olds. They are now 18, 19, and 20-year-olds. They’re the future,” he said.“It&#x27;s important to have grassroots programs and give them as much opportunity as they can to play, learn, and develop.”<div>--Batangas gets own grassroots program--</div>Originally founded in Cebu, the Aboitiz Cup was moved to Lipa, Batangas in 2019. The Cebu-based parent company sponsoring the tournament deemed it would be a wise marketing move partly to draw more people into the Aboitiz Pitch, which is part of the sprawling LIMA Estate and Technology Center complexes in Lipa City and the Municipality of Malvar.For the 22nd edition, Agustin, a former Ateneo Blue Eagle and national team goalkeeper himself, noted that over 1,000 players representing 39 teams are participating across 14 age categories. The Cup will last until December 10 with a Boys Under-23 category concluding the five-week competition.But business aside, football’s presence in the province fittingly complements what neighbors Cavite and Laguna have been doing in recent years in the CALABARZON region.Professional club Stallion-Laguna F.C. has been a partner of the City of Binan since 2014, an on-going collaboration that grows the sport locally through clinics.Mendiola F.C. 1991, on the other hand, struck a partnership with the City of Imus to likewise represent the area; youth programs are also in place with the help of the Imus Football Club.&quot;The focus has always been grassroots development. It&#x27;s community-building through sports and through football,&quot; Rely San Agustin, organizing partner, said.With Batangas entering the picture and sustaining its own program, Younghusband added that it would be a boost for grassroots football beyond Metro Manila – giving locals a chance to compete against quality competition that will benefit their growth in the long run.“When I entered, I saw there were teams from Manila and teams from here, from Lipa and the rest of Batangas. That’s great, because it’s important you play against different opponents and areas around the country,” Younghusband furthered.“It’s fresh and it changes the way you play. It’s good to change up and have a variety of tournaments. It just changes the way you play and it becomes a learning experience. I think that’s what makes the Premier League so good – it’s not predictable. The more football, the better.”

James Younghusband, a recent guest during the opening of a grassroots football program, says he sees younger Filipino players 'developing well'.