This is how dead serious both coach Hans Michael Weiss and national team manager Dan Palami are about the Philippine Azkals’ build-up for their opening round Asian World Cup qualifying match against Sri Lanka in June.

"They may be lower in the world rankings but there is no room for complacency," Palami said yesterday.

"All of the teams will be playing in the biggest football tournament so almost everybody will improve. We just cannot afford to be lax," Palami added after inspecting the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium with Weiss.

The decades-old facility is being eyed as a possible venue for the nationals’ home match against the Sri Lankans on July 3, with the Panaad Sports Complex in Bacolod City another option, according to Palami.

"I respect every opponent and I don’t care about rankings. Sri Lanka had good results in the past; they were runners-up in the 2006 Asian Challenge Cup," noted Weiss of their rivals, who, at 174, are 23 places lower than the Filipinos in the FIFA world rankings.

He said he expects tapes of Sri Lanka’s latest matches "in the next 10 days and by then we will have a clear picture of what we will be facing."

"But regardless of the opponent our aim is to form the best team possible so that we can be extremely competitive," he stressed.

While not looking beyond the nationals’ first-round foe, Weiss said he hopes to integrate into their training the possibility of working out in the Middle East "because I understand it will be very hot in Kuwait in the event we advance."

Should they hurdle the Sri Lankans, the Filipinos will next clash with the Kuwaitis in late July, with the weather expected to be arid and dry in the Middle East country.

Bong Pedralvez, Business Malaya Insight