AZKALS SPOTLIGHT: SHROCK HARD AS A ROCK

In only two matches, Fil-German Stephan Shrock has made a good impression of himself as a solid right back for the Philippine Azkals national football team. His team-up with another Fil-German Michael Ott at midfield earned raves during the Azkals annihilation of Sri Lanka, 5-1 (aggregate score), in the first round of the 2014 FIFA-World Cup qualifiers early this month. The diminutive Schweinfurt native first played organized football with DJK Schweinfurt during his teen years before hooking up with his first pro club, Greuther Fürth of the Bundesliga second division. In 158 appearances so far with Greuther Fürth, Schrock has knocked in four goals. Shrock, 24, had his first taste of international stint with Germany’s Under-18 squad in 2004. He later saw action for Deutschland’s U-19 and U-20 squads. Over-all, he had 18 caps with one goal scored. Thanks to a 2009 amendment in FIFA rules, wherein the age limit was removed for players switching nations, Schrock became eligible to play for his mother’s home country. However, Shrock’s services will be badly missed by the Azkals in the upcoming 2014 FIFA-World Cup second round qualifiers against Kuwait due to suspension brought about by his two yellow cards in the Sri Lanka tier.