I don't know about you guys but I am seeing 1st hand from where I live how the Azkals' success is definitely working for the improvement of Phil football.
Here are some of those:
1. Since the recent football matches that took place in Cagayan De Oro City, the Pelaez Sports Center (our football pitch) has opened its doors to soccer players (a.k.a. people wearing the maintenance-hated football shoe cleats). Football practices for high school and colleges are now being held there again.
2. Related to number 1, the Sports Center is also seeing more and more private soccer coaches holding drills and practices there. Back when cleats were banned, coaches had to hold practices on subdivions with pitches or just some clear open grass area. What I notice is that the kids who enroll in said private coaching are increasingly younger and fatter (this means that it isn't just for the athletic kids anymore). Basically any type of kid from jock, nerd to the normal are starting to play.
3. I see kids in the streets playing. Now this is a milestone. Rich kids paying private coaches isn't exactly the victory we want. Papa and mama forcing little Raymond William to play soccer isn't the grassroots we want. What we want to see are kids who are as young as 7-10 years old playing in the streets. We want little Jose playing the game for the fun of it. This is what I saw and I hope will continue for the future.
4. Grade school, high school and college girls are huge fans! Although it was disappointing that the Younghusbands turned out to be complete snubs as far as I've heard, it's great to hear that Misagh Bahadoran is also growing his own fanbase. The more popular the azkals become, the more interest it will garner. I just hope next time the Younghusbands will not disappoint the fans as they did in Cagayan De Oro. Literally the fans have shifted their interest to Misagh Bahadoran because the Younghusbands apparently disappointed the fans. Next time they should be like Misagh in my opinion.
