Amid a turbulent few days marked by the sudden departure of Tim Saintfiet from the program, the Philippine Men’s National Football Team is poised to make a statement at this week’s 2024 Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Stepping into the breach almost immediately is Philippine football legend Norman Fegidero.
The 54-year-old Bacolod native, renowned for scoring the decisive goal against Malaysia in the 1991 Southeast Asian Games, is eager to work his magic once again.
“My job is to make this team very competitive,” Fegidero stated. “It’s a very unique situation, but I believe in them. Of course, we want to win. That’s for sure.
“It depends on the players that I have, but we’re all on the same page. We want to win for our fans, of course.”
The Merdeka Cup, held to celebrate Malaysia’s independence day, will see the Philippines face the host nation on Wednesday at the Bukit Jalil Stadium at 9:00 PM.
A victory in this match would propel the Filipinos to the final, where they would meet the winner of the Lebanon-Tajikistan clash scheduled for Sunday.
Although these matches are classified as friendlies by FIFA, the stakes are high with regional bragging rights on the line.
Historically, the Philippines has struggled against Malaysia, securing only one win – the 1991 SEA Games semifinal – alongside six draws and 12 losses.
The odds might be stacked against the Filipinos, who face a team primarily composed of players from their domestic league.
“For the past few days, we watched videos of your team,” Fegidero remarked.
“I know Malaysia is really good because they’ve been together for two weeks, one week. Your advantage is maybe all the players you have in the national team are playing here. That’s the big advantage.”
Regarding other tournament participants, the Philippines has a favorable record against Tajikistan, with two wins and one draw.
That includes the memorable March 27, 2018 victory where Kevin Ingreso and Phil Younghusband’s goals led to a 2-1 win and a ticket to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in Dubai.
However, the Philippines previously suffered a 3-0 loss to Lebanon in 2001.
The Merdeka Cup serves as part of the Philippines’ preparation for the upcoming Mitsubishi Electric Cup later this year.
While it remains uncertain if Fegidero will continue in charge by then, his performance in this tournament could strengthen his case for the role.
“All of the players are excited to play here in this Merdeka Cup,” Fegidero said. “We’ve been together for a long time, so the players are familiar with one another. I think we can play a very good game.
“For me, it’s a good preparation for us to play top-level football. Of course, Malaysia, Lebanon, and Tajikistan are good teams, and maybe one of them will be in our group in the third round.”
