PH Azkals to go head-to-head against Vietnam

CNN Philippines

It's back to work for the Philippine Azkals as they defend home turf in round two of the World Cup and Asian Cup Preliminary Joint Qualifiers this week.  Joining us to go all out on this story Azkals Team Captain and Goal Keeper Neil Etheridge live via Zoom.   Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

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00:00 back to work for the Philippine Assholes as they defend home turf in round two of

00:04 the World Cup and Asian Cup preliminary joint qualifiers happening this week

00:08 already joining us right now to go all out on this story is none other than

00:12 Assholes team captain and veteran goalkeeper Neil Etheridge live via zoom

00:17 he arrived in Manila Saturday. Neil good evening great to have you I wish I could

00:22 have you here in the studio but I understand you had training but welcome

00:26 back to the show man yeah thank you very much for having me obviously I would

00:30 have loved to have been there I've literally just got off the field jumped

00:33 in the shower and I'm here now so I'm delaying team dinner just to be on this

00:37 for you guys I appreciate that don't worry I owe you dinner if in case you're

00:42 late for dinner I owe you whatever you want buddy okay so let's talk about this

00:45 Thursday Neil you arrived Saturday you just got off the pitch training from

00:53 your perspective as captain and veteran how confident are you guys already for

00:57 Vietnam how ready are you guys heading into this match yeah we're ready I think

01:02 it's we need to manage expectations to be honest I think you know I'm so happy

01:06 with the turnout that potentially that we're gonna have and obviously we would

01:09 love more supporters there to fill Rizal Memorial Stadium we're extremely happy

01:15 at the place that we're in and you know we're putting ourselves in a great

01:19 position to to perform well on Thursday night Neil let's talk about the roster I

01:25 believe we're gonna flash it on our screens right now the the lineup

01:30 unveiled by the Philippine Football Federation or the PFF 26 squad here it

01:34 is 26 man lineup for the AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers World Cup and 2027 AFC

01:41 Asian Cup joint qualifiers last week we had coach vice and he says the roster

01:48 for the joint qualifiers is basically a mixture of young and pretty much

01:52 experienced and seasoned players what are your thoughts about this particular

01:57 lineup that you have right now Neil I think he's hit the nail on the head I

02:01 think that we have a good mixture of youth and experienced players I know

02:04 that everyone calls me the veteran of the team but I'd like to be called more

02:08 experienced player I'm looking forward to it and I think the team that we've

02:12 got has now been together for nearly a year now so I think that we're settled

02:17 and we've had some good results over the last international appearances so I

02:23 think going into this game on Thursday I think we've put ourselves in a great

02:27 position obviously no one can predict the outcome of the game or the score but

02:32 we're putting ourselves in a great position for to perform well and you

02:36 know hopefully put three points on the board for ourselves mm-hmm well we saw

02:40 the lineup earlier you know it feels like it was just yesterday Neil where

02:44 you were one of the you know the young the young chickens on the team and now

02:49 you're the team captain you're the vet I remember that very clearly first coming

02:53 here to Manila Neil Etheridge goalkeeper now you're the veteran of course you

02:57 have the Ott brothers still there Manny Mike you know most of the players well

03:02 all of them Patrick Dato Simone is also on the team Carly Daisuke what do you

03:08 think of course Stefan Schrock Schrock he one of my favorites Biene also part

03:11 of this lineup and a lot more but what do you think will be your edge of this

03:17 team will it be the defense offense or all around what do you think I think our

03:22 togetherness I think it's something that I've spoken about before and I feel like

03:26 the coach has allowed me to become the captain that I want to be and he's

03:31 allowed me to bring a togetherness and a winning mentality and that's shown over

03:34 the last few camps you know a small loss against Bahrain last camp

03:39 unfortunately but we put wins on the board we're very happy where we are and

03:44 the togetherness of this team is great and it's something that I feel have been

03:49 missing until this coach came in and I've been able to implement a win at all

03:53 cost mentality mm-hmm well as I said Neil you're one of the veterans you know

03:58 these players but let's talk about former team captain your teammate your

04:03 good friend and also our good friend I just love talking to him you know the

04:06 the passion that he gives to the country and I'm talking about Shraki

04:10 Stefan Shrak a lot has been said about Shraki he had the early retirement

04:15 coming back but I you know I always call him a machine because this guy it's like

04:20 he never ages you know did you see his body like this guy is like still he can

04:25 run with the young dogs he's like he's in his 20s but your thoughts on on having

04:31 Shraki back here in the team with you he's very talented I think it's

04:36 unquestionable how talented he is and you know how he was before and how he

04:41 still is he obviously keeps himself in fantastic shape he's a leader he's a

04:45 different sort of leader to myself and me and him combined extremely well both

04:49 off the field and on the field he's obviously taken a slightly different

04:52 role over previous camps in terms of a coaching style which he works very well

04:57 with coach Rice and he works well alongside me now as team captain so you

05:02 know he has so much to offer off the field and on the field and you know his

05:06 presence among the squad and the team is always welcome and like you said the

05:10 passion that he shows all the time yeah sometimes he would admit it can be too

05:17 much and he needs me to calm him down but that's exactly the way that we were

05:20 when we were playing together on the field so yeah I'm very happy for him to

05:24 be here happy for him to to be you know an integral part of this this roster and

05:31 not just that a part of the squad and the team moving forward I still remember

05:35 I can't really remember which match that was or what that was but that was years

05:40 ago where Shraki removed a shirt he was waving it and going around there is a

05:44 memorandum after the win I sure you remember that so that's the fire that

05:48 Shraki brings to every single match that he plays one big factor here for you

05:54 guys for the Azkabas is playing in front of the Filipino crowd and now you know

06:00 given how passionate Filipino sports fans are especially now in football with

06:04 the emergence of the Filipinas you've also seen the support they gave you even

06:08 back when you just came in with the young husband brothers do you feel more

06:13 pressured now considering the matches will be held here in front of let's say

06:18 10,000 or more than 10,000 fans at the Rizal? I think you know it's fantastic

06:24 playing in front of the supporters and I obviously want to thank all the

06:27 supporters who have purchased tickets now and I urge people to buy tickets

06:33 obviously for the game on Thursday and next Tuesday it's something that you

06:37 know myself I've seen Rizal Memorial fully packed with Shraki scoring a goal

06:42 and I've seen the other side of it where it's not so full the supporters

06:47 the Filipino supporters are second to none across the world and they cheer us

06:50 on no matter what and we really respect that and and for me as a player it's

06:55 something and the team I think we have wanted for a long period of time to have

07:00 support at the stadium and it's now down to us on the field to fulfill the

07:05 expectation of the supporters so as a player and the captain you know it's

07:10 something that I'll be talking to the players about this is what we've wanted

07:12 and if we want this to continue we need to perform in the field. You have a great

07:16 coach coming in you know him perfectly Michael Weiss is back you have veterans

07:21 coming in you have Shraki, BNV, you have Simone, you yourself you've been in big

07:26 matches you are back how confident what do you like like how do you like your

07:31 chances against Vietnam and then Indonesia you have the crowd on your

07:36 favor here home turf save that answer later on Neil I don't want to put too

07:40 much pressure on you but I gotta ask this question man can you guarantee two

07:44 wins take a timeout grab a glass of water answer that when we return we will

07:51 take a quick break but when we return veteran Ascals goalkeeper and team

07:56 captain Neil Etheridge will still be here with us on a show via zoom but as

08:01 we go on a break let's take a look at the results of today's NBA game stay

08:05 tuned to sports test over here on CNN Philippines where we go all out the day's

08:08 top sports stories we'll be right back. Back to sports test over here on CNN Philippines

08:12 and our guests again today Philippine Ascals team captain and veteran

08:16 goalkeeper Neil Etheridge arriving Saturday he's ready to go Ascals are

08:21 ready to go Neil let's talk about those questions I asked you before we took a

08:25 really quick timeout you got Vietnam first on Thursday and then Indonesia on

08:30 the 21st Vietnam how do you like your chances against Vietnam and what do you

08:34 think what makes them a threat and a challenge to you guys? They are higher

08:40 ranked than us in the world rankings but for us I think we've got to take every

08:45 opponent seriously I know that we are prepared and I can see that the focus is

08:51 there after today's training session I feel that the focus is there for the

08:54 players and obviously we're all wanting to win and I can see you know the closer

08:59 we get to the game you can see the boys really starting to shine which is which

09:03 is really good and the togetherness of the team is fantastic still. How about

09:08 the 21st Tuesday you got Indonesia next what do you expect from that team? Yeah I

09:13 think you know they're not as highly ranked as us but football is a funny

09:18 game like every sport it's a funny game where anyone can win it's who's the best

09:21 team on the day for us we need to concentrate on ourselves we need to

09:25 concentrate on the style of play that we want to play and obviously tactically

09:30 coaches trying to implement a style of play and for me it's all about

09:34 implementing a mentality that we win these games at all costs. Well you're

09:41 right about that you never know especially football and in any sport

09:45 basically there can be upsets it's very tricky as we see the as we saw the

09:50 Filipinas having that historic win at the World Cup recently in New Zealand

09:54 okay I'll put the the hot seat I'll put you on a hot seat Neil can you get I

10:00 know it's tough you just arrived but can you guarantee two wins? You know what my

10:06 answer to this is that my answer to that is this I can't guarantee two wins

10:10 because in football in any sport it's so hard but what I can guarantee that there

10:15 will be 11 players wearing a Filipino shirt on Thursday and Tuesday that will

10:19 give everything and everything to win those games the passion the heart the

10:24 blood the sweat the tears will be going out on those two games we know how

10:27 important it is for both ourselves the country and everyone involved for us to

10:33 get six points out of those two games so I can't guarantee it but I know that

10:37 we'll be doing everything to to get the points that we need to put on the board

10:40 I like that answer great answer man you can't guarantee the wins but you can

10:44 guarantee you guys will give it your all looking at the lineup again you see

10:48 veterans you see young guys who do you think will surprise the fans with with

10:54 the games and their performance give me a couple of names or name that you feel

10:58 will have a big one well we don't know the lineup yet but you know after today's

11:05 training I can see that our defense is is growing in strength after the last

11:10 games that we've had you know Jeff Tabon has at the back is strong on team he

11:13 scored the other time against Afghanistan so I'm looking at it

11:18 defensively obviously we know what we're gonna get from Sato Jesse at the right

11:23 back is progressing and then the players going you know OJ has played really well

11:27 over the last couple of games we have Kevin Mike or Manu are playing really

11:34 really well and obviously we've got Patrick Ryschel up front I mean I don't

11:38 know if that's gonna be the team we've also got some very young players who

11:41 have like Bugas has really surprised everyone so does he deserve a starting

11:46 position only coach can answer those questions yeah but it's starting to

11:49 become great that we have that in our squad now yep exactly I think this is a

11:54 very deep line it's a very talented lineup you got everything here

11:57 experience youth energy passion and competitiveness we touched up on it

12:04 earlier Neil before the break the PFF launching that stand your ground 10k

12:10 strong campaign in hopes to draw in a really huge crowd for the two games

12:14 you've played in front of big crowds in the past here in the country be in the

12:20 UK around Asia you've you've been around you've seen how crazy fans can get in a

12:27 stadium in a football match tell us how important this will be to invite

12:31 everybody also for you guys to have not just 11 men on the field but to have

12:36 that 12th man in the arena cheering and supporting for you guys yeah like I said

12:42 before I want to thank every person who's purchased a ticket so far I

12:45 encourage people to go and buy tickets leading up to this game and the game

12:49 next Tuesday it's it's it's so important for us you know to hear that our own

12:54 supporters our own fellow people are supporting us we love it every single

12:59 time they come into the stadium and it really urges the players to give maybe

13:03 that extra bit that they didn't think they had in the tank and every time I

13:08 played at was out and there's been thousands of people there we feel so

13:12 encouraged to play even better than maybe we expected we could against

13:16 Afghanistan I think we only had 3,000 supporters maybe 2,000 supporters and we

13:21 were able to show them the blood sweat and tears and the passion and the heart

13:25 that I was talking about before and we want to do that once again to to a

13:29 larger audience and a larger crowd you've been there since 2008 Neil from a

13:35 young goalkeeper to now a veteran 18 captain you've played with the young

13:41 husband brothers James Phil Simon I can't mention all of their names Ali all

13:47 the veterans who've played Anton what do you think now is how would you compare

13:53 your time back when you remember your first year with the Ascots and then now

13:58 the biggest difference that you've seen on the team on the pro of the program

14:03 here for the Ascots I think if I'm honest nothing I've said this before I

14:09 think that the the talent that we had before with those guys with you know the

14:13 likes that you said with the young husband brothers and and you know this

14:17 yeah you yes what gear there's this Ali Borromeo's and so on isn't so the Great

14:21 Rich Brothers so many of them those names and obviously missed some out

14:25 there was a togetherness there was a real togetherness that we had off the

14:28 field and on the field and maybe there was a period of time where we had more

14:32 talent on the field but we weren't as strong together off the field mm-hmm now

14:37 I believe that we've got both and we've got a togetherness off the field the

14:41 guys all get on we just socialize constantly and on the field now you can

14:45 start to see the togetherness and the passion that we're bringing to so not

14:50 just play good football but to also show everyone what we're about as a team as a

14:55 squad and as a family Neil I really appreciate your time I hope you can give

15:00 a quick message just a really quick one to the Filipino fans once again invite

15:04 them and we'll see you Thursday go ahead Neil once again I just want to thank

15:09 everyone who's purchased a ticket I know that it's not always easy but I want you

15:14 all to purchase another ticket if you can come to the game on the 16th and

15:18 there's another game on the 21st your support is greatly greatly appreciated

15:23 and we would love to see you there at the stadium and you know spend time with

15:27 you guys after and yeah thank you for those who have purchased a ticket and

15:31 for those who haven't please go out and buy one the best of luck to the Ascots

15:35 always a pleasure talking to you man you know that you're one of my favorite

15:39 football players to represent the country I appreciate your time go get

15:43 your dinner if in case there's no more food don't worry you bill me okay I owe

15:49 you buddy great to see you again even via zoom next time we wish we can have

15:53 you back in the studio it's been years man thank you the best of luck good luck

15:58 to the Ascots thank you man that was Philippine Ascots team captain

16:01 veteran goalkeeper one and only Neil Etheridge joining us here on the show

16:05 tonight

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