Philippines scour Europe for eligible players

• omgukilledkenny

  10 Oct 08, 11:28

  Unable to find talented players at home, soccer bosses from the Philippines have been scouring the leagues of Europe to beef-up their struggling national team.

  Searches across England, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands have turned up scores of players with at least one Filipino parent, making them eligible to play for one of the world's least-decorated teams.

  
  

  Although players from Bognor Regis, NAC Breda and Fulham reserves are unlikely to get the pulses of the Filipino fans racing, soccer president Mari Martinez believes his new recruits have given his humble team a major boost.

  
  

  "The quality of our local players is not very good but it's not their fault," Martinez told Reuters on Thursday.

  
  

  "We don't want to bring in foreigners and naturalise them. Instead we'll tap the services of Filipinos in other countries.

  
  

  "We need to improve and we had to do something."

  
  

  Six months ago, the Philippines were ranked 190th in the world and did not bother entering the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

  
  

  But they are steadily climbing the rankings with six European-based players in their starting 11, most of whom have never even been to the country. Martinez is hoping to add 10 more by the end of the year.

  
  

  He said over 40 players with Filipino mothers and British fathers had been found in London alone, while at least 20 were being looked at in Germany.

  
  

  "We're lucky because 20 years ago, we had a lot of Filipinos moving to Europe and marrying people there," he added.

  
  

  "Their kids are playing football now -- that's great for us.

  
  

  "We want to have a good team and we want our kids to see a few stars."
• Agenda

  10 Oct 08, 11:31

  Chelsea got 2 pinoy boys right?

• deathwish

  10 Oct 08, 11:39

  Phillip Younghusband and 1 more

• omgukilledkenny

  10 Oct 08, 11:43

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Younghusband

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Younghusband

  Phil is still at Chelsea.

• zocoss

  10 Oct 08, 12:07

  Originally posted by deathwish:

  Phillip Younghusband and 1 more

  
  Is that really his name? You are serious...  "Young husband"    

  I wonder whats the other ones name... Must be quite funny also... "Old wife"  

• Trump_Card

  10 Oct 08, 12:10

  Youngbachelor better

• spike_jose

  10 Oct 08, 13:42

  got half-Singaporean playing in England or not? since got alot go to England to study. US also can.