Clare Henney: What Happens Now

12:12 PM | | Posted by Clare Henney

Yes, the Azkals lost to Kuwait.

Yes, we lost our chance at the World Cup — for now.

What happens to the Azkals now? As sad as I am that the Azkals lost to Kuwait in the World Cup Qualifiers, I am not that disappointed. Kuwait was obviously the more experienced team and they used it to their advantage. I wasn’t surprised that they won but I did hope and pray that our boys could deliver a miracle and help the country move further up in the qualifiers. I know some people have already lost their interest in the team because of the loss but I think those are people who were only following because it has become a popular thing to root for the Azkals. For others, I believe that they are looking forward to better things for the team. On my end, I think that this is just the beginning for Philippine Football. I think the Azkals have gone a long way in terms of bringing the sport to the consciousness of Pinoys in the country and this is just the first step in solidifying the place of football in Philippine culture.

I heard that the team will be playing friendly matches with other Asian teams and of course there’s still the AFC Challenge Cup and the SEA Games to look forward to.  There’s also news of having regular broadcasts for the Philippine UFL that would keep everyone’s interest in the sport going while the Azkals are out of the limelight.

And, if reports are to be believed, there is even a possibility of a match with an all-star Zidane-led team (wow!) in the near future. I guess that will be the NBA vs PBA of football…I hope it does push through, I’d love to watch that!

Having watched and appreciated the sport since my college days, I would love for football to be around on a long-term basis in the country.  The Azkals may not have made it to the next World Cup but I hope that they can make this the beginning of a more promising future for Philippine football.

Photo Source: I-Movie Channel