Returning Philippine national men’s football team head coach Michael Weiss said there’s little time to prepare the Azkals for the coming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification when it starts this October.
But Weiss said he looks forward to his second tour of duty with the team, and how the players will grow under him.
“I know the players. We have quality in our games, and we have to show that in the field,” said Weiss ahead of their two friendly matches on Thursday and on Monday.
The Azkals will first face Nepal at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, before tackling Chinese Taipei on June 19.
“I look forward to these games. We don’t have much time,” added Weiss, who recently signed a one-year contract with the team, with the officials of the Philippine Football expressing confidence on his return.
“He needs to focus, the World Cup qualifiers are about to start later this year,” said PFF secretary general Ed Gastanes.
So far, the PFF has called up players to comprise a 26-member pool, led by Fil-British goalie Neil Etheridge.
Among those in the pool are Patrick Deyto, Julian Schwarzer, Amani Aguinaldo, Jesper Nyholm, Carlie de Murga, Martin Steuble, Daisuke Sato, Santiago Rublico, Jesse Curram, Mike and Manny Ott, Sandro Reyes and Hikaru Minegishi.