Azkals Development Team

The Azkals Development Team, commonly referred to as ADT and occasionally as ADT Manila, is a Filipino professional football club which will make its debut in the Philippines Football League's 2020 season.[1]

Azkals Development Team
Full nameAzkals Development Team
Short nameADT
Founded2020 (2020)
Head coachScott Cooper
LeaguePhilippines Football League
2020TBA

The team is under the control of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) but will be managed as a professional club. Most of the club's players are members of the Philippines' youth national teams.[2]

History

Following the participation of the Philippine U22 team in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games which was hosted in the Philippines, it was reported that there were plans to had the national youth team participate in the 2020 season of the Philippines Football League (PFL) as a guest team.[3] However, such plans were dropped and a full-fledged professional club under the name ADT F.C. will enter the league instead. The formation of the club is an initiative of the National Teams Committee of the Philippine Football Federation.[4] The coaching staff of the Philippine senior national team will be involved with ADT[5][6] with Scott Cooper as head coach.[7]

The ADT was formed after it was observed that other countries participating in the games already had many players participating in professional leagues while Filipino players of the same age still involved in collegiate football. The development team is intended give "professional club environment" exposure to mainly youth players as well as select overage players from the senior national team such as individuals who recently recovered from an injury.[2] According to Dan Palami, the ADT is a platform to develop "homegrown" players for the national team.[8]

By January 2020, the club has began signing its first set of players.[1] ADT played their first friendly match against Philippine Army F.C. on March 5, 2020 as part of Philippine Army's 123rd founding anniversary. ADT won 6–0.[9] ADT's debut in the PFL was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic forced the postponement of the 2020 PFL season.[10]

Players

First team squad
As of 31 Jan 2020[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK Quincy Kammeraad
GK Anthony Pinthus
DF Dean Ebarle
DF Kristófer Reyes
DF Simen Lyngbö
DF Fritz Brigoli
DF Elias Mordal
MF Christian Rontini
MF Curt Dizon
MF Kainoa Bailey
MF Lance Ocampo
No. Position Player
MF Mathew Custodio
MF Jerome Marzan
MF Marvin Angeles
MF Troy Limbo
FW Oliver Corbitt
FW Carlo Dorin
FW Jarvey Gayoso
FW Chima Uzoka
FW Kennedy Uzoka

Head coaches
Name Year(s)
Scott Cooper[7] 2020–

See also
  • Young Lions FC, a Singaporean professional football club whose players also play for Singapore's national youth teams.

References
  1. Hjelvik, Eirik Nesset (29 January 2020). "Norske Elias og Simen blir fotballproffer – på Filippinene!" [Norwegians Elias and Simen become football pros - in the Philippines!]. TV2.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  2. del Rosario, Paolo (7 March 2020). "Future of Philippine football is bright with Azkals Development Team". ESPN5. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  3. Tupas, Cedelf (13 September 2019). "A time to learn". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  4. Dela Cruz, Jaime (29 January 2020). "Exciting Transfer movements as 2020 Philippines Football League draws near". Huddle PH. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  5. Rabelas, John Maverick (2 February 2020). "Paradigm Shift: The ADT Program launches". Huddle PH. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  6. Tupas, Cedelf (16 February 2020). "Gayoso, SEA Games standouts join Azkals cadet squad". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  7. "ADT is the sure way forward – Palami". ASEAN Football Federation. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  8. Leyba, Olmin (5 May 2020). "Azkals open to naturalized player". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  9. Co, Adrian Stewart (7 March 2020). "PH Azkals Development Team blanks Army in friendly match". Panay News. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  10. Suyu, Ian (4 May 2020). "Young Azkals stay ready for big stage". Daily Tribune. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
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