The Philippine Online Chronicles

Spanish football club Internacional de Madrid (CFIM) may open a football academy in the Philippines to help in the development of the sport in the country, the club’s chairman Stephen Kenneth Newman said in a report.

The third-division club is visiting the Philippines to play on Saturday a charity match titled “Dili Kamo Nag-iisa” against the stars of Philippine Azkals and the United Football League (UFL). The proceeds of the match, which will be held at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, will be donated to the victims of tropical storm Sendong in Northern Mindanao.

"We clearly have come over with one objective, which is to help raise money for this charity..But after having spoken to a number of people and having received such a warm welcome, I think the Philippines has a great hunger for learning and developing football,” Newman said.

Newman said their organization is willing to "discuss the possibility of having a football academy here in the Philippines" after the charity game.

"Clearly, you have good players in Europe, born in Europe from a Philippine family," Newman said, referring to Azkals’ Phil and James Younghusband. "But I don't think in the future, going forward, you will be able to depend entirely on those type of footballers being imported back to the Philippines," he said.

Newman said young children who show potential for football must be trained in a strong grassroots program.

The CFIM chief expressed confidence that the Philippines will continue to climb up the international rankings.

Last year, the Philippine Azkals was ranked 159th by FIFA while Spain, whose national team won the 2010 World Cup, was ranked No. 1.