The Sydney-based football academy Azkalroos will field teams in the landmark “Futsal sa Fiesta” tournament on October 6th 2014, as part of the festivities on offer during the Philippine Fiesta Kultura at Fairfield Showground in Fairfeld, NSW.
Azkalroos is composed mainly of Filipino-Australian football athletes who are trying to follow the footsteps of the highly successful Azkal football team in Manila.
The Azkal , term taken from “Aso Sa Kalye” meaning street dog in vernacular, is composed mainly of Filipino descent athletes or “mestizos” mostly coming from overseas residencies such as Europe. The Azkal football team had amazing athletic journey, having made impact in last Asian Cup and gained almost “rock star” following in Manila.
Futsal is a five-players a side football usually played indoor.
Azkalroos PRO Andrew Fletcher said the Sydney-based Azkalroos will play against futsal community teams from Nepal, Vietnam and Iraq at the Fiesta Kultura. Format of the tournament is four teams; two divisions with Youth age 16 and under and Open Age . The team with best results over both Open and Youth divisions wins the Perpetual Fiesta Cup.
Mr Fletcher said It will be the Azkalroos first anniversary with successful achievement in 2013 and bright future ahead, competing at this special tournament at the Fiesta and and the upcoming West Sydney Asian Cup.
Last year, Azkalroos ran trials for potential Aussie-Filipino footballers during the Fiesta Kultura. The group then competed successfully in tournament held at 5Sports artificial turf pitch in Caringbah.
Since their Manila trials, three Azkalroos have been playing in the UFL with two Luis Abadia and Dom del Rosario playing at Kaya FC and were selected to play in an ASEAN tournament in Brunei with the Philipine Azkals U/21 team along with Azkalroo Enzo Cheng who progressed from Azalroos under 19s.
The team is coached by former Australian Socceroo Jim Fraser, and assisted by former Azkal and Azkalroos coach Leigh Gunn.
John Kanayama who played with Cheng Enzo in the Under 19s was playing with eventual UFL Champions Global FC. John was also recently selected to the national seniors Azkals squad for the Peace Cups held in Manila sometime Iast August
Member of the original Trialists group, Josh Grommen recently returned to Manila to attend trials arranged by Azkalroos Coach Leigh Gunn, with Loyola Meralco Sparks, the current UFL runner up.
Luis Abadia will play for the Azkalroos as he recently returned to Australia to work with Jim Fraser and Leigh Gunn at the International Strikers Academy In Blacktown.
Enzo Cheng is also training at the academy and will join the Azkalroos for the Fiesta tournament and the West Sydney Asian Cup.