ALLAN THE MAN

The Philippine Football Federation, together with the Philippine Sports Commission, is exerting all efforts to make the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium a viable home venue for the national football team should it advance to the semifinals of the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup.

When the Azkals reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup two years ago, the Filipinos were forced to play their home match in Indonesia due to a lack of venue that meets the organizers’ standard. Indonesia won the series on aggregate, 2-0, to end the team’s surprising run in the tournament.

PFF communications head Ebong Joson said that with the financial assistance of the PSC, they are now providing the necessary facilities required by the AFF and its marketing partner World Sports Group to make the Rizal Stadium eligible to host the home match of the Azkals if they move on the semifinals.

Joson also said that the PSC, through chairman Ritchie Garcia and executive director Guillermo Iroy, has been instrumental in the project.

“We feel confident that we’ll pass,” Joson told InterAKTV. “I’m very confident na as long as di bumagyo, papasa tayo sa field condition.”

“The upgrading of the 1200 minimum required floodlights is (also) currently being done.”

Joson added that the AFF wants the country to host its home match in the semifinals since the Azkals are no longer a surprise team, as compared to before.

“They still want it to happen. (They told me that) ‘we want you because you’re such a strong team now,” Joson said.

However, Joson said that the the 2010 incident may happen again if the Rizal Stadium still doesn’t pass the AFF’s standards when it makes its final inspection on November 8.

“It’s Rizal (Stadium) or bust. That’s why it’s very crucial,” Joson said. “That’s why it just can’t be Rizal. In the future, we should make more infrastructure.”

The Rizal Stadium was initially set to be renovated this year funded by FIFA. However, the project did not push through due to issues regarding the PFF’s exclusive management of the venue for 25 years – a condition which is in conflict with the Philippine Sports Commission, the agency that has full control of all sports facilities owned by the national government.

The Azkals will first play in Bangkok, Thailand in the group stages of the Suzuki Cup from November 24 to December 1.

A home-and-away format will then be adopted during the semifinals from December 8 to December 13 and finals from December 19 to December 22.

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