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Stephan Schrock: 11-year PH career —PHOTO CONTRIBUTION
Stephan Schrock revealed that he has appeared in the national team shirt for the last time on Saturday when the Philippine Azkals finished another early exit in the Asean Football Federation Mitsubishi Electric Cup.
The veteran midfielder is expected to be given a warm send-off by fans attending the Azkals’ final group stage match against Indonesia at the Rizal Memorial Stadium after 57 caps in 11 years of stints filled with success and controversy.
“It’s quite emotional for me,” he said after confirming the decision in a prematch press conference held on New Year’s Day at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium store, adding that it was not done without a lot of surrender.
“Not many people know what I have to sacrifice, how many European contracts I have for the national team. [and] how many moments I missed with my family. So I sacrificed a lot,” added Schrock. Schrock made his debut in 2011 when the Philippines beat Sri Lanka, 5-1, on aggregate in the first round of the FIFA (Federation of International Football Associations) World Cup Qualifiers.
He would then score his first international goal in style, firing a strike in the second leg of the second round meeting with Kuwait in the same qualifier before a crowd at the Rizal Memorial. But the Azkals lost 5-1 on aggregate.
The Dooley controversy
It was the first of six goals Schrock produced for his flag and country, including a goal in the Philippines’ first appearance in the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
It was a 3-1 loss to Kyrgyzstan as Schrock launched a long-range effort to prevent the Philippines from being shut out for the third time in a row.
He also had two assignments in 2019 and the 2021 edition that was delayed by the pandemic in the Asian Games as an overage player, because the Azkals’ appearance became regular after being a player on the domestic scene in 2016.
But the Azkals’ career was also marred by a dispute with former national coach Thomas Dooley, first between 2014 and 2015 when the European-born Schrock left the team.
The two eventually reconciled, but it appears the feud resurfaced in 2022 when Dooley, who was re-hired to take a shot at Asian Cup Qualifiers in Mongolia, left Schrock out of the squad. INQ
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