Saintfiet combing UAAP for fresh talents

The chance to play for flag and country awaits collegiate players who succeed in making quite an impression with the Philippine Football Federation.

Men’s national team manager Freddy Gonzalez said head coach Tom Saintfiet has been watching games in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines scouting for the best talent available for the national team.

Before he was formally appointed as the new head coach of the national team, Saintfiet was seen around Metro Manila watching matches in the UAAP and tune-up matches of the professional clubs preparing for the Philippines Football League.

Currently, the 50-year-old mentor is taking a breather in Belgium before going to Dubai for the squad’s four-team training camp in Dubai for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers match against Iraq on 21 March (22 March in Manila) at the Basra International Stadium.

“It shows a lot of the players nationwide that if you see coach Tom in your game, you have got to show out,” said Gonzalez, a former national team player.

“I’m glad we did this. It shows that several players are capable of making it into the squad. They just need to be shown what to expect from Coach Tom.”

Among those collegiate players getting their national team call-up are Jeremi Darapan, Karl Absalon, Martini Rey, Marc Joseph Alapoon and Selwyn Mamon of the Far Eastern University, March Jessar Tobias, Ramil Bation lll and Francis Tacardon of the University of the Philippines and Dov Cariño and Leo Maquiling of Ateneo de Manila University.

While the final roster against Iraq has yet to be named, Saintfiet is already impressed with the quality of the local players.

Also expected to join the Dubai camp are goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, defender Santi Rublico and forward Geritt Holtmann.

“There is so much quality. I am positive for us with the quality of players we have here,” Saintfiet said.

“I was immediately impressed with their ambition. I was looking for an ambitious task to write history somewhere.”