Bienvenido Marañon and Mark Hartmann are being eyed to reinforce the national U-23 squad as overage players for the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami said the possible inclusion of both players is aimed at adding depth at the attacking position which he hopes would boost the U-23s chances of securing a medal finish in the biennial meet.
“We are looking at the striker position as the hole to fill with this squad,” Palami said in a recent press conference arranged by the Philippine Football Federation.
“Our back core is now solid, we have good and experienced midfielders already and we feel that the striker position is where we need to augment our manpower,” he added.
Each country is allowed to field a maximum of three players over the age of 23 for the coming SEA Games, which gives the Philippines the chance to add two of their veteran senior players.
The 36-year-old Marañon is coming off his first international stint since becoming a naturalized player during the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 last December, scoring four goals to share the Golden Boot award.
Hartmann, 30, previously played for the U-23 squad in the 2011 Indonesia SEA Games and has scored eight times in the international scene.
“This will be (Marañon’s) chance to have a go at it at a major tournament again. And then, we’re looking at several players, maybe even Mark Hartmann as a striker as well, so these are the options that we’re looking at,” Palami said.
The Philippines fielded Azkals captain Stephan Schrock and defender Amani Aguinaldo during the country’s hosting of the 2019 SEA Games which then allowed countries to have a lineup of U-22s plus a maximum of two overage players.
Norman Fegidero will call the shots for the U-23 squad for the SEA Games as the Philippines aims to bounce back from missing out on a semis berth in the last edition.