IT’S probably the best feeling in the world. Of course, saying that seems more in tune with Liverpool’s Reds as opposed to Chelsea. But that’s exactly what Philip Younghusband feels right now.
“It’s been amazing,” says the smiling Fil-Briton of the last several years. “To be a part of Chelsea even as a reserve—lots of kids would want to be in my position—then now, to be playing for the Philippines…. What more can I say? I feel blessed.”
At the age of 10, Younghusband was taking part of a football camp that drew scouts from Arsenal, Chelsea and quite a few other sides from the English Premiership. Chelsea immediately snapped him up to the club’s academy, where Younghusband became the youth team’s top scorer for the 2003-04 season.
The following year, he moved up to the reserve team, where he made 18 starts and scored five goals.
“About a year ago, I played in a friendly with the First Team and it was absolutely a smashing experience,” recalls Younghusband. “The highlight for me was Frank Lampard calling me over. I almost froze right there.”
Younghusband’s dreams of glory on the pitch would take an unexpected turn when he received a call from the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) about playing for the national side.
“What happened was a PlayStation 2 gamer discovered our Filipino roots when playing an EPL game,” relates the 19-year old lad from Middlesex, England. “I think he notified the PFF and they soon came calling. At first, I thought it was some kind of joke but I’m just ecstatic about how it has all turned out.”
Younghusband and his older brother James, who once was a Chelsea reserve but is now with AFC Wimbledon, first donned the national colors with last year’s 23rd Southeast Asian Games. The Games were also held at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod, where Younghusband scored two goals against Malaysia in a 4-2 loss.
“It was a little unnerving to be in a different situation with new teammates and hot weather,” admits Younghusband. “We also had to work on our chemistry and getting used to the system. I think it still showed in the early stages of this [the just-concluded Asean Football Championship Qualifiers] tournament, but once we got going, it’s like we got on a roll.”
A roll is an understatement. After absorbing a disappointing 2-1 opening-day loss to top-seeded Laos, the Azkals (as the RP Men’s Football team is fondly nicknamed) gutted Timor Leste, 7-0. Younghusband, who is a fan of the Red Devils’ Wayne Rooney, scored four goals in the rout.
That was followed by a 1-nil victory over Cambodia courtesy of an Aly Borromeo penalty kick that was a tremendous confidence booster not just for the team but for the country out to reclaim its lost glory on the pitch. Younghusband would close out the Philippines’ campaign with a pair of goals in the 4-1 victory over Brunei DS and emerge as the tournament’s (formerly named the Tiger Cup) leading scorer with six.
Younghusband and older brother James are back to England as of this writing but will be back in January when the Philippines takes part in the Asean Football Championships that will either be played in Thailand or Singapore.
Pinoys can be good at football
“COMING from a country [England] where football is a way of life, it’s somewhat shocking that Filipinos don’t generally care about a game where they can obviously become good at,” observes Greatwich who is on his third tour of duty with the national squad (dating back to the 2004 Tiger Cup).
“All you have to do is look at this press conference [referring to the sparsely attended press conference of the just-concluded Asean Football Qualifiers held at the Mizuno Corporate office in Magallanes, Makati]. But no worries, mate. That’s the kind of challenge that you get in the morning. You not only change the way the game is played locally but in the manner of people’s perceptions.”
If the Younghusband brothers were discovered through a PlayStation game, it’s the reverse for the brothers Greatwich. “I was researching online about my local club team when I came across an article about football in the Philippines,” relates Greatwich. “My dad wrote to the PFF’s web site, where eventually [national] coach Aris Caslib gave us a call. And now we’re here.”
Greatwich currently plays for the Hartwick College Hawks in New York and hopes to play professionally after college. Said Hawks’ coach Ian McIntyre, “We are very excited that Chris has the opportunity to showcase his talents on such a fantastic international stage,” said Hartwick head coach Ian McIntyre referring to Greatwich’s stints with the RP Team in the Tiger Cup and the SEA Games. “We are very proud of his efforts.”
Greatwich scored two goals in the tournament—one in the Philippines’ opening-day loss to Laos, 2-1, and one in the follow-up demolition job of Timor Leste. “It would be great to capitalize on the gains of this tournament,” suggests Greatwich.
“In the 2004 Tiger Cup, we got hammered pretty bad for a bit, but eventually like in last year’s SEA Games, we were a tougher and more competitive lot for the others. Winning three straight—that has to boost more than our confidence. Hopefully, it will get more people to support the team and football in the Philippines.”
From BusinessMirror.com.ph
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