`Big Baldi' accepts call-up to Philippines
Burnaby native has chance to shine on international stage as team aims to qualify for World Cup
When some coaches look at Matt Baldisimo, they see different things: a dual-footed attacker, a towering centre back, or a physical winger.
When others look at him, they don't see anything at all.
That's been his soccer career to this point; miscast or overlooked. And neither are representative of his actual potential.
Whether it was his United Soccer League (USL) coaches at Fresno FC trying to force a square peg in a right winger's hole or at right back, or being thrown up top as a striker for Pacific FC, he hasn't had the chance to find positional consistency.
And after being a key cog in the national team system, including a run captaining Canada's U17 side at the 2015 CONCACAF Championship tournament, he dropped off of their radar.
“Honestly, in my eyes, I don't think I was under the radar in the Canadian program. I just don't think they were really like looking at me, considering the younger players that are coming up in the Canadian system,” said the 23-year-old Burnaby native, whose younger brother Michael is an emerging star for both club and country.
“I've had my share of setbacks in the professional game, but I can't complain about how my career's gone. I think I've played every position honestly, other than goalkeeper.”
When he was reunited with coach Pa-Modou Kah at Pacific — he was a player-coach with the Whitecaps USL team at the same time Baldisimo was there — he blossomed in the partnership. Deployed solely as a No. 6, he pinged passes all over the field at the CPL's Island Games, and it was then he really starting pinging another coach's radar.
Philippine national team coach Scott Cooper had been keeping half an eye on both brothers, but when Matt balled out at the Island games — he finished in the top 80 per cent of every defensive category, averaging 5.47 tackles per 90 minutes, best among midfielders — the former Leicester City U23 coach changed courses from a planned Olympic team invite to the Azkals' senior men's camp.
“It was kind of this big decision that I had to make, but it wasn't a hard decision,” said Matt Baldisimo on deciding to join the Philippine national team.
Not when he had a chance to think through the opportunity that was before him.
The Azkals start camp on Wednesday in Qatar, as they prepare for three World Cup qualifying games against Guam, China and the Maldives on June 3, 9 and 15.
The Philippines are tied for second in their group with China, setting up a massive game on June 9. The games also double as qualifiers for the 2023 AFC Asia Cup.
Should Baldisimo play three games with either the senior or Olympic side for the Philippines — he has citizenship through his parents, Samuel Baldisimo and Mely Otucan — he would qualify as an ASEAN player, meaning he would qualify as a domestic player in the lucrative Asian leagues. It potentially means a huge salary step up from the Canadian Premier League.
“I think this would be the right move for me, and I always felt the big connection honestly to the Philippines (more) than I did to Canada, even though I don't speak the language and have never been there,” he said.
The Azkals will have a 26-man roster for their camp in Qatar, scheduled to also include friendlies against Palestine and Syria, and Cooper was highly complimentary of Baldisimo's skills.
“It's a pretty strong squad, but we're excited to see him come in,” said Cooper. “It's a `take-it' situation for Matthew. There's going to be competition with players that have played in the Bundesliga, in English Football League or in Spain. So there's some challenges for him to face, but we've watched dozens of his games now, so we're confident that he can do something in the squad. It's up to him to take the opportunity that's in front of him.
“Of course there are players in the squad that played at higher levels, but that doesn't mean to say that they are any more talented than Matthew is. The first part is to get in the squad, The second part, the 11. We want to see him challenge for the starting 11.”
The Philippines are thinner at the No. 6 position than they'd like, but don't lack talent. Baldisimo's competition include Yrick Gallantes (Hibernian of the Scottish Premiership), German pro Kevin Langbehn Ingreo, Red Bull youth product and Bundesliga II Erzgebirge Aue midfielder John-Patrick Straub, and national hero and former Bundesliga standout Stephan Schröck.
“(Cooper) will just play whoever's performing and I like that. So I just had to go in there and prove myself and hopefully, I'm the best No. 6 there,” said Baldisimo. “(Cooper) said he liked that I was aggressive and that I could play on the ball and also do my off ball duties really well.”
The Azkals might sit second in their group, but the odds are stacked against them. Goal differential, not head-tohead records, is the first tiebreaker, and China (+11) has that over the Philippines. And all three games are being played in a bubble in Suzhou, China, because of COVID-19 restrictions. And even though no fans are being allowed for any other game, there will be attendance at the China-Philippines match on June 9.
“I'm not sure that the word parity is something that they're very familiar with over there,” Cooper mused. “The way this group's working out is really a massive disadvantage. From our perspective, it's a very new squad and a young squad. We're trying to build for the next Asian Cup, which is the ASEAN big tournament watched by millions here. And then we'll build towards the 2026 World Cup.”
Canada is still working on its own long-shot qualification for 2022, and will be in the 2026 World Cup as a host. Should the Philippines qualify, it potentially adds up to a fun bit of trivia: who were the only brothers to play against each other in a World Cup?
“Kevin-Prince Boateng and Jérôme Boateng,” Kah said, chuckling. “I'm a football encyclopedia right here, my friend.”
Kevin-Prince played for Ghana, while his half-brother played for Germany, with the two facing off for the first of two times in 2010.
The two brothers grew up playing on the concrete of Berlin's streets before joining Hertha's youth side together. Matt, Michael and older brother Mark had their own contests on the fields near their Burnaby home before they all ultimately went through the Whitecaps academy.
And who's the best Baldisimo?
“Come on, you know I have to say myself,” Baldisimo laughed. “But I gotta give respect to my brother (Michael). He's doing his thing in MLS. He's balling.”
The meeting could happen sooner than later, with Cooper saying he's trying to arrange some exhibition games for the Azkals in North America next year. It would also give him a chance to scout some other potential international domestics, such as Pacific's Kadin Chung.
Kah would welcome that, as he sees it as his role to usher players on to the next level, even if it harms his team. The former Norwegian international lamented the fact the COVID-19 pandemic limited Baldisimo to just 10 CPL games last season. A higher sample size might have seen him get an invitation to the Olympic team Michael played for, with Kah rating him higher than any of the other midfielders that suited up for Canada.
“Since day one that I saw him at the Whitecaps, I've been in awe about his quality, but also about him as a person. So when the chance came to coach him, it was even better,” Kah said. “I call him The General because of the football instincts that he possesses. Technically, he's very sound. He reads the game, he can control the game, and I think he's been a little bit misunderstood. He's so versatile, he can play multiple positions, but I think that that's also hampered his development a little bit.
“He is capable of greatness. He is a massive, massive piece of what we're trying to do here. I like to say he's the heartbeat of this team.”