Philippine Azkals are currently making preparations for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup. It comes with having the right pool of talented players and coach.
This time, they’re having something old back and something new in their talents.
Something Old
They’re making Cebuano-British Chad Gould again part of the 34-man training pool for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup. This is not the firs time Gould became part of Philippine Azkals. He first played for the country in the 2004 Tiger Cup wherein he scored the Philippine’s lone goal against Malaysia.
“I was very happy to be selected for the training camp. I have worked so hard over the last 2 years for this and I am grateful to be given the opportunity,” the former Azkals said.
The Injury & Stints
He left the team in 2010. He was supposed to be back in 2011 but was derailed due to an infected mosquito bite which needed a minor surgery. His training was cut short per doctor’s advice. Seeing this problem in his training, he opted to back out from the invitation for the best of team.
Before his comeback this year to PH Azkals, he had a stint as a member of the England national beach soccer team. In the summer of 2012, Gould was back in the Philippines by signing up for the Meralco Sparks FC in the United Football League (UFL). During his stint with the Sparks, he made 48 goals in 26 games.
“I had such a wonderful time with the club not just domestically but internationally too. Scoring in the Singapore Cup has to be one of the highlights. To end my time at Meralco lifting the clubs first vet trophy was stuff dreams are made of. Scoring in the final was the icing on the cake too.”
PH Azkal’s Talenter Player Comeback
After his two successful stints, Gould is called back to join the national team. It is an inevitable call for him to join the training pool as he has scored six times in 13 matches for the country. And, it is a calling which he cannot refused.
“I’ve always made myself available for the Azkals. Playing for the national team has been the pinnacle of my football career. In football though, sometimes the face doesn’t fit. Unfortunately for me Coach Weiss (German Hans Michael Weiss) wanted to use other players which is fine. I know being a coach must be a tough job especially when it comes to breaking the hearts of players.”
Something New: Coach
This time, the old-timer Gould will be under a new coach, Thomas Dooley, the former skipper of the US national side.
“I have been told good things about him already from my fellow teammates. I’m excited to work and learn off him. I remember watching him in the FIFA ’94 & ’98 World Cups and it is a testament to how far Philippine football has come that we can have someone of his caliber at the helm of the team.”
Something Constant: Running
But one thing that will be constant in this talented Cebuano-British football player of Philippine Azkals, Chad Gould, is running. According to him:
“Running is a massive part of my training plan in maintaining a good base level of fitness for football. Especially in my current situation where I am waiting to join a new club. However, even when I’m attached to a club I still do extra work in the gym which includes certain running programs.
It is good to mix up speed play in football related running. Fartlek is a good method which I use.
As well as this I find that 30 minute runs at a high pace helps me massively when it come to playing a 90 minute football match.
This with a specific weight plan gives me the ability to do what I want on the pitch. Football is such a fast paced game, if you’re not at your peak in fitness then you will get found out when it comes to the match. Give your body the best possible chance to perform at its optimum by preparing in the correct manor.”
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* Chad Gould at the Center of the Featured Photo provided by Marsvenus International Cebu
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