Ex-Azkals skipper quits
Former Philippine Azkals captain Rob Gier announced his retirement yesterday, ending a career marked by appearances in some of the country’s most memorable victories on the international scene.
The 35-yearold Fil-British centerback took to social media to make the announcement, while reflecting on a career that began in 2000 in England before donning the national colors 66 times from 2009-2015.
“All good things must come to an end so today I would like to announce that my playing career has now drawn to a close,” Gier said on his Facebook account.
“Football has given me everything: I have traveled the world, won trophies, played for and against some amazing teams, met wonderful people, played in the best stadiums in the world, in front of the most passionate fans in the world, seen a whole country’s footballing landscape change virtually overnight, scored some (not many) goals, made some great tackles, captained a nation, laughed and cried. But most importantly I managed to realize my childhood dream of being a footballer.”
Gier will now concentrate on his budding coaching career, the operation of the Zenith Soccer Tours which he launched recently, and spending more time with his wife and two kids in England.
Born to an English father and a Filipina mother, Gier made his national team debut in 2009, but his most memorable moment came in 2010 when he took part in the Azkals’ stunning 2-0 victory over Vietnam in the AFF Suzuki Cup in Hanoi.
That victory led to more success for the Azkals, with Gier serving as captain of the Azkals team that reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup three times and the final of the AFC Challenge Cup in 2014.