Struggling Philippines scouring Europe for players
Reuters - Thursday 09 October 2008, 10:08
BANGKOK - Unable to find talented players
at home, soccer bosses from the Philippines have been scouring
the leagues of Europe to beef up their struggling national
team.
Searches across England, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands
have turned up scores of players with at least one Filipino
parent, making them eligible to play for one of the world's
least-decorated teams.
Although players from Bognor Regis, NAC Breda and Fulham
reserves are unlikely to get the pulses of the Filipino fans
racing, soccer president Mari Martinez believes his new
recruits have given his humble team a major boost.
"The quality of our local players is not very good but it's
not their fault," Martinez told Reuters on Thursday. "We don't want to bring in foreigners and naturalise them.
Instead we'll tap the services of Filipinos in other countries.We need to improve and we had to do something."
Six months ago, the Philippines were ranked 190th in the
world and did not bother entering the 2010 World Cup
qualifiers. But they are steadily climbing the rankings with six
European-based players in their starting 11, most of whom have
never even been to the country.
Martinez is hoping to add 10
more by the end of the year. He said over 40 players with Filipino mothers and British
fathers had been found in London alone, while at least 20 were
being looked at in Germany.
"We're lucky because 20 years ago, we had a lot of
Filipinos moving to Europe and marrying people there," he
added. "Their kids are playing football now -- that's great for
us. We want to have a good team and we want our kids to see a
few stars."
Similar searches have been successful in the past; three years ago the national team was tipped off by a computer gamer that two young Chelsea players, Philip and James Younghusband (pictured, James at left) were dual-nationality. The brothers went on to represent the Philippines at the 2005 South Eastern Games.
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