Schedule Of 2024 AFF Cup Intensive Schedule, Philippines Coach: Difficult To Join

Philippine coach Alberto Capellas Herms. (Gonang Susatyo)

SOLO - A tight schedule in the 2024 AFF Cup makes the teams only have a short preparation time. Philippine coach Alberto Capellas Herms still finds it difficult to understand and accept the fact that his team is playing games on a busy and close schedule.

The Philippines had to travel long to Solo to face Indonesia in the last match of Group B of the 2024 AFF Cup. The match between the two teams was held at Manahan Stadium, Solo, Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 20.00 WIB.

In a match that must be won by the Philippines in order to open up opportunities for the semifinals, Capellas admitted that the team only had two days to make preparations. This makes it difficult for him to understand that a football championship is held with a close range of matches.

"We just arrived after a long journey. We have to travel at night and only have two days to prepare for this match. Frankly, I find it difficult to understand this schedule," Capellas said.

Furthermore, this Spaniard, said that he was only trying to keep the players from experiencing fatigue and staying fit during the match. How not, the team had to compete up to four times with a break of only two days.

The 2024 AFF Cup match which has a close distance is also inseparable from the geographical conditions of Southeast Asian countries which are quite far away. This makes the team's journey from one place of match to another to be taken for a dozen hours. Moreover, tournaments use home and away systems.

"I don't understand how to maintain [conditions and fitness] players who have to compete four times in a row with a time lag of only two days," said the former Barcelona assistant coach.

"However, this is not our reason not to give our best. We are 100 percent ready and aiming for victory because we still have a chance to qualify from the group stage," he said again.

Only Capellas admits that it is not easy for the Philippines to beat Indonesia who plays at home. Support from supporters is definitely increasing the enthusiasm and motivation of players.

"We are dealing with a very good team and playing at home. Many people will watch the match which will certainly support Indonesia with enthusiasm. But we have a chance to beat them as long as they play very well," said the coach, who has only handled the Philippines four times.

Regarding the problem of the team that always concedes a goal through a set piece, Capellas stated that it was just a coincidence. He made sure that the team had prepared a dead ball from Indonesia.

"Goals from sets pieces can happen just because of mistakes. In football sometimes can happen. We have prepared ourselves for sets pieces. But sometimes mistakes also occur that make us concede," he said.

The Philippines is ranked fourth with three points. They have a chance to qualify from the group stage if they beat Indonesia. But the Philippines is also still taking into account the results of Myanmar's match against Vietnam.

Indonesia also needs a victory to ensure a step to the semifinals. Shin Tae-yong's team is in second place with four points. This makes the Red and White team have to win the last match.