Younghusband brothers skip Azkals US training

By Bong Pedralvez | malaya.com.ph

[Photo courtesy of S. Kieron Tan]

DUE to previous commitments, siblings Phil and James Younghusband are skipping the Philippine Azkals’ training camp on Aug. 8-25 in the United States that kicks off the team’s build-up for he Suzuki Cup later this year.

“Due to our previous commitments we have informed the Philippine Football Federation that we have declined to attend the US training camp,” Phil said during a press launch yesterday announcing the celebrity goodwill match featuring him and his elder brother on Aug. 28 at the University of Makati.

“But our commitment to the Philippine team remains very strong and will be for all major competitions of the Akzals,” added the Filipino-British striker.

James explained they have already made plans in advance before they were informed of the US training camp last week. He said this included going back to England late next month to attend to family business involving the estate of their late father, Philip, and to undergo a training course with their former club, Chelsea, which has a tie-up with the Younghusband Football Academy.

“Aside from attending to our father’s late estate, Phil and I have to attend a training course with Chelsea because of the agreement our academy earlier signed with Chelsea,” he said.

Cathy Rivilla, the Younghusbands’ business manager, said immediately after the siblings end their stint with the Loyola Meralco Sparks in the UFL this week “they already have a busy schedule ahead they cannot back out off. They also have that trip in England that was planned way ahead.”

Rivilla pleaded with the public not to be too harsh on the brothers when they miss some of the national team’s engagements “because, remember, the Younghusbands really have to work for a living since they no longer have parents and have to look their 11-year-old sister Kery. They are family breadwinners.”

This is not the first time the popular soccer-playing brothers, who are regarded as the poster boys of Philippine football, have missed the Azkals’ stints.

They also failed to see action in the Filipino booters’ international friendly against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur last June 1 that ended in a 1-all draw.

During the “Dream Match,” Phil and James will head opposing squads in the charity game whose beneficiary is the Tulay sa Don Bosco Foundation.

The roster will come from a pool of 50 players, among them UFL standouts Nate Burkey, Anton del Rosario, and Freddy Gonzales, varsity players Mabanag, Shirmar Felongco and Patrick Deyto and football-loving celebrities Andrew Wolf and Daniel Matsunaga.