Addazio's first 5-star recruit: Urban Meyer

Steve Addazio and Urban Meyer: Reunited and it feels so good.

When Steve Addazio got the head coaching job at Temple, I was one of the first to post my reservations. I wanted someone who had been a head coach somewhere else before Temple, not someone who had to learn on the job.

The next day I got an email from a search committee member who shall remain nameless.

"Mike, this guy is a dynamo, you are going to love him," the person wrote. "After he spoke, we all were sitting there in the room with our mouths wide open. Mark my words. As surely as he sold us, he's going to sell 5-star recruits into coming to Temple."

Well, signing day came and went and there were no 5-stars in sight.

Yesterday, though, that all changed when Addazio announced former Florida head coach Urban Meyer was going to join Temple's staff in an as yet-to-be-determined capacity. He's Addazio's first five-star recruit.

"Urban and I are best friends," Addazio said. "I kid him. He kids me. After I hired Chuck (Heater, defensive coordinator) and Scot Loeffler (offensive coordinator), I said, 'Let's make this an all-Gator staff. Why don't you join me?'

"He just laughed. A couple of weeks ago he asked how he could help. He'll be living in New York in the fall but ESPN needs him only on Friday and Saturday. He said he'd be free to help us at least three days a week.

"I'd be nuts not to take him up on it, so he's going to come down to Philly and work with us three days a week."

"He'll be living in New York in the fall but ESPN needs him only on Friday and Saturday. He said he'd be free to help us at least three days a week."

Someone asked Addazio what Meyer's title could be.

"I don't want to call him an assistant coach," Addazio said. "That wouldn't seem quite right.

"We thought about a title like 'Quality Control Specialist' and that sounds like he's working for General Electric. We're a football team, not a company, so I rejected that. Then someone mentioned 'Czar of Football Operations' and I thought that sounded old world and I rejected that.

"Maybe we should open up a title contest for the fans. We'll figure it out. When I mentioned the idea of a contest to Scott (Walcoff) in promotions, he said sure. He also asked what I thought of changing the name of Oscar Meyer Dollar Dog Day to Urban Meyer Weiner Day. I said I'd have to think about that one."

Already, Addazio knows how a typical Urban Meyer Day at Temple will go.

"He's going to get off the train at 10th and Diamond and two Temple police officers are going to greet him there and walk him down the steps to the complex.

"He's going to stop at (secretary) Nadia Harvin's desk and she's going to give him a pen and a yellow legal pad and Urban is going to have the run of the place, making notes and suggestions. At the end of the day, he's going to leave the yellow pad on my desk and I'm going to follow through."

Addazio broke out into a broad smile.

"I had to run this idea past (athletic director) Bill (Bradshaw) and he just loved it," Addazio said. "Bill said something really profound. He said that every time Meyer said something on ESPN on Saturdays, it would say Temple such-and-such coach Urban Meyer right there on the screen.

"He said you can't buy that kind of publicity, that it opens the door for Temple to every five-star recruit in the country."

Just then I woke up and realized everything Steve Addazio just said was in a dream.

Happy April Fool's Day everybody.


Also worth reading:
Big 10 shows renewed interest in Temple

Persija v Persipura Match Preview

It could be the defining game of the 2010/2011 Indonesia Super League season.

Persipura have led the ISL since putting Pelita Jaya to the sword way back in September. They have been ruthless and relentless, steamrollering lesser teams and happy to snatch a point when against stronger opposition.

Tomorrow try to protect their eight point lead when they take on Persija at the Bung Karno Stadium knowing a win would make their lead all but unassailable with just games left.

For Persija there may not be a better time to take on the Black Pearls who have had a hex over them over the last five or six years. Persipura have dropped crucial points away to Sriwijaya and Persib though coach Jacksen F Tiago may point to points gained in two very tricky away games.

After being held goalless away to Sriwjaya, and not many teams escape from the Jakabaring Stadium with a clean sheet, Persipura showed the mentality of champions when they came from 2-0 in the intimidating atmosphere of Jalak Harupat Stadium, to earn a draw against a Persib side enjoying a mild recovery.

Persija, on the other hand, will rue their missed opportunity to make up ground. They travelled to struggling Persijap and got thumped 4-1 in a game that was a great advertisement for Indonesian football.

Ironically at the heart of Persijap�s unlikely triumph was their new signing, former Persipura striker Alberto Goncalves. Prompted by the silky skills of former Deltras midfielder Jose Sebastian the Brazilian showed his old predatory skills to net twice and only an inspired performance in goal by the veteran former national team keeper Hendro Kartiko prevented the Brazilian striker from getting a hat trick.

Victory in Jepara would have seen Persija move within five points of Persipura but it wasn�t to be. Instead coach Tiago will be happy with two very difficult away points and will be guffawing with joy at seeing Goncalves further dent Persija�s title aspirations.

Overcoming an eight point deficit can seem a tough ask but the Persija coach Rahmad Darmawan won�t be seeing a chasm. Instead he will be looking at games played where Persija have one game in hand. Beat Persipura tomorrow and win that game in hand, suddenly the gap becomes two points and Tiago will start to sweat.

The game at the Bung Karno promises to be a fascinating affair between a couple of wily coaches experienced in winning the title. Tiago has won it twice, with Persebaya and Persipura while Darmawan also has two victories under his belt; with Persipura and Sriwijaya. With Arema and Sriwijaya proving to be inconsistent the ISL is morphing into a two horse race with the respective coaches eying an unprecedented third title.

This was my Jakarta Globe column this week but was never used! Another to follow...I hope!

Azkals eye Middle East training camp

By FRANCIS SANTIAGO


MANILA, Philippines � The Philippine Azkals are likely to camp out in a Middle East country for their build up for their Round 1 match against Sri Lanka in the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup, Philippine Football Federation chief Mariano Araneta said Thursday.

�We�re looking at either Qatar or UAE,� said Araneta, noting that the training could begin anywhere between June 7-17.

The Azkals will battle their South Asian rivals in a home and away series staring on June 29 in Colombo and July 3 in the Philippines.

Asked why they want to train in a Middle East country, Araneta said: �Without looking past Sri Lanka, coach (Michael) Weiss and Dan Palami (team manager) also want to prepare against Kuwait in Round 2. We know that the weather in Kuwait is extremely hot so training in a Middle East country will get the players acclimatized with the weather condition.�

Ranked 22 spots higher in the FIFA world standings, the Azkals appear favored over the 173rd ranked Sri Lanka, which the Filipino booters have never played before.

The Azkals, though, are expected to be put to their limits against Kuwait, a Middle East ans Asian football heavyweight which won the Asian Cup in 19890 and is currently ranked 101st. Round 2 is another two-leg series slated July 23 and 28.

�But we�re not underestimating the Sri Lankans,� said Araneta, adding that he was satisfied with his inspection of the 30,000-seater Rizal Memorial Satdium in Manila -- the venue being eyed to host the game against the Brave Reds aside from the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

"The conractor said the field will be ready by July so it's good. Our only concern are the dressing rooms which need to be fixed," Araneta said.

Without making a decision, Araneta sounded as if the Rizal Memorial Stadium will be the choice.

"Maybe we can set up an air-conditioned tent for the media covering the event," he added.

By the time World Cup qualifier starts, striker Phil Younghusband has fully recovered from his hamstring injury and may join his teammates in Sri Lanka, strength and conditioning coach Josef Malinay said.

The team goes to Tacloban City, hometown of Palami, on Friday to conduct a relief operation for hundreds of victims of a recent flooding there and the nearby towns.

Manila Bulletin

Rizal stadium likely venue for Azkals� qualifying match for World Cup

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer


MANILA, Philippines�It looks like the historic Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila has the inside track in the selection for the site of the Philippines� 2014 World Cup Qualifying first-round match against Sri Lanka on July 3.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano �Nonong� Araneta said on Thursday there would be enough time to construct temporary air-conditioned dressing rooms and media rooms as part of the requirements of the Asian Football Confederation.

But Araneta clarified that any kind of work to be done in the stadium should have clearance from the Philippine Sports Commission, which has been managing the facility.

Araneta, who checked the facility together with national team manager Dan Palami, also said that the match could be played at 4 p.m., so that additional lights would not have to be installed in the stadium.

The stability of the seats and the benches in the stadium should also be checked to ensure the safety of football fans, Araneta said.

�We have to really check since it�s been awhile since the stadium was packed,� he added.

Araneta said officials of La Salle in charge of rehabilitating the pitch have promised that the field would be ready in time for the match.

The stadium, which can accommodate up to 30,000 people, played host to several international football matches. Teams from Spain and China have played in the stadium built in 1930.

Araneta said the open grandstand could accommodate twice more than the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, which could also be a possible venue, having hosted the AFC Challenge Cup match against Mongolia last February.

inquirer.net

PFF Suzuki U-23 South Mindanao Champion

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) - SUZUKI U-23 Southern Mindanao Cluster Championships will kick off on April 1, 2011 at the Tionko Football Grounds, Bolton Riverside, Quimpo Blvd., at 1:00 PM. Davao FA will play in the opening game following the opening ceremony. The opponent will be determined during the Managers' Meeting at 9:00 AM on April 1, 2011. Participating are teams from Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, and Davao City. PFF Competitions Department Head Cyril Dofitas and officials from Suzuki Philippines are expected to attend. Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has been invited to grace the opening ceremony.

The U-19 Championships will be at 3:30 PM featuring Davao FA - the opponent to be determined during the Managers' Meeting.

This event is in cooperation with the Philippine National Red Cross, Task Force Davao, the Davao City Police Office, Medvil Farms, Barangay Mintal, and UP Mindanao.

U-23 line-up of Davao FA

Rufino Samuel Mantos III, Jeffrey R. Albon, Mark Anthony B. Fernandez, Abdul Mamadali, Sean Clark Labang, Imardino B. Polo, Ruben Razid E. Mohammad Said, Clifford C. Dacera, Nur Hazzanal Mentang, Al Dinn Tiboron, Roelfred T. Napuran, Enrique J. Romero-Salas, Ian Oliver Sonza, Raymon Pareda, Joey P. Arobo, Juven Benitez, Jestoni R. Felipe, Edwin Giganto Jr., and, Renelle Pino. Coaches are Ramonito "Lalas" Carreon, Danny Boy Fernandez, Stanley Canete, and Alvic Troyo.

U-19 line-up of Davao FA

Roeder Ignacio, Francis Jay Abrasaldo, Jomar Acedo, Yoshimaku Koiszumi, David Angelo Diamante, Norwyn Ortanez, Francis Patrick Lim, Marlon Demapanag, Rocky Custodio, Emmanuel Joshue Brisson, Ryven Lumabao, Jose Edgar Ilagan, Datu Von Ysmael Biruar, Bal Morata, Leo Abunas, Renz Rey Napuran, Jemerick Awing, Alexis Dayondon, Edmar Porfinan, Charleston Uy, John de los Santos, and Danilo Lascuna. Coaches are Noel Presto, Emerson Roy Demegillo, Arman Valencia, and Angelo John Adana.

Davao FA

PFF Suzuki U-23 elims get underway

By Marianne L. Saberon-Abalayan

THE Philippine Football Federation-Suzuki U23 National Cup Davao Region elimination kicks off Friday afternoon at the Tionko field with three teams seeing action.

Host Davao City, Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley will slug it out for a slot to the All-Mindanao finals from April 26-30 at still undetermined venue. The national finals are slated May 6 to 12.

A brief opening ceremony will be held starting at 1 p.m. with PFF and Suzuki executives as well as city officials gracing the affair.


PFF competitions department official Cyril V. Dofitas said the event serves as their long term program to discover talents for the national team.

"The Mindanao champion team will compete against Luzon and Visayas champions. The finals will adopt the international ruling of home-and-away game. When a Mindanao team makes it to the finals, a game will be held in the place where that team comes from," Dofitas said at a press conference at the Stadium Buffet Restaurant and Sports Lounge Thursday.


Suzuki Philippines corporate communications supervisor Areen Suria Fernandez said it was a privilege for her company to sponsor the three-year program of the PFF.

"This is our first time to sponsor the U23. We look forward to sponsoring other age groups," Fernandez said.

Bannering the Davao City squad are Rufino Samuel Mantos III, Jeffrey R. Albon, Mark Anthony B. Fernandez, Abdul Mamadali, Sean Clark Labang, Imardino B. Polo, Ruben Razid E. Mohammad Said, Clifford C. Dacera, Nur Hazzanal Mentang, Al Dinn Tiboron, Roelfred T. Napuran, Enrique J. Romero-Salas, Ian Oliver Sonza, Raymon Pareda, Joey P. Arobo, Juven Benitez, Jestoni R. Felipe, Edwin Giganto Jr. and Renelle Pino.

Davao Football Association president Rafael Vilela said the team will be mentored by Ramonito Carrreon, with Danny Boy Fernandez, Stanley Canete and Alvic Troyo as assistant coaches.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on April 01, 2011.

Iligan booters make gracious exit beating Butuan, 7-3

DESPITE yielding early the Northern Mindanao slot to streaking host Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Football Association (CMOFA), the pre-tournament favorite Iligan-LDN booters showed discipline and sportsmanship, finishing their remaining match in Cagayan de Oro City Thursday with pride intact.


Returning to Xavier University's soccer field, the Iligan-Lanao del Norte team made a gracious exit winning over Butuan-Agusan Sur, 7-3, in the final day of one of Suzuki Cup's four cluster eliminations in Mindanao.

"Iligan and Butuan teams were very cooperative to the success of the tournament. We still have to find out why Surigao team failed to show when it already signified to participate," one Philippine Football Federation (PFF) official told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.


Powered by Monte Carlo striker Emiliano Mabalos Jr., the Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Football Association team beat Iligan-LDN, 5-4, and Butuan-ADN, 3-1, to make it to the Mindanao Finals of the Suzuki-PFF U23 Football Tournament.
Other qualifying games are being simultaneously held in Central Mindanao, South Mindanao and West Mindanao. (LLS)


Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on April 01, 2011.

PFF chief: Azkals complete for World Cup qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines � The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is confident that the Philippine Azkals will have most of their key players, including those who are playing in professional leagues, in time for their important World Cup qualifying games.

PFF President Mariano �Nonong� Araneta said in an interview with ANC�s Hardball that the professional players, mostly Filipino-foreigners, are likely to be allowed by their mother clubs to join the Nationals for the FIFA World Cup qualifying games.

�Since it's already the end of the leagues (football season) in Europe, they are coming here by May or June for the preparations,� said Araneta.

Among the Azkal members playing in professional leagues abroad are Filipino-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge (Fulham Club), Filipino-Danish fullback Jerry Lucena (Danish First Division side AGF Aarhus), and Filipino-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong (Persiba Balikpapan in Indonesia).

The Azkals are due to face Sri Lanka for a home-and-away World Cup qualifying series on June 29 and July 3.

If they beat Sri Lanka, they will play the stronger Kuwaiti football team in the next round.

�[The series is] a part of the FIFA calendar so they can always be released by their teams,� said Araneta.

In some AFC Challenge Cup games, Etheridge and De Jong were not able to suit up for the Azkals because of commitments with their football clubs.

Araneta added they are mulling whether to send the Azkals to a training camp either in Australia or in the Middle East

�We�re now looking for several options for camp in Australia or the somewhere Middle East so we can prepare not only for Sri Lanka but also for Kuwait,� said Araneta.

Meanwhile, Araneta said they will inspect Rizal Memorial Stadium to check if it will be suitable for the Azkals� home game against Sri Lanka on July 3.

�We'll go to the Rizal Memorial to look at the stadium. From there, we will find out how we can prepare the stadium for the July 3 home game of the Azkals,� he said.

Also being considered for the home game is the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

The away game will take place in Sri Lanka on June 29.

ABS CBN News

Persija v Persipura 1-1

Good game. Very good game. Deserved a better crowd but then what do you expect on a work day and the way the traffic is these days in Jakarta.

First half was all Persipura. Zah Rahan and Manu Wanggai were sublime in the middle, the back three rarely troubled and I think the keeper returned to the dressing room half way through.

While Persipura threatened with every move, Titus Bonai and Boas Solassa led the cumbersome Persija a merry dance sure they did, the home team were static. Playing with one up front, Agu Casmir, they lacked the mobility of the visitors. Agu does less work off the ball than the Persipura duo, always wanting the ball to feet, playing as a lone striker he needed the service.

At half time we were entertained by a politico type walking round the pitch milking the prompted applause from the Persija support. Dunno about you but if anybody had wantonly destroyed Highbury with no plan B in place they most certainly not have been applauded. Unfortunately you need friends in high places.

Second half was all Persija. Persipura did nothing. Oh, except score. But apart from that what did Persipura do?

Persija encamped in the Black Pearls half and their late equaliser was no more than they deserved. Persipura continued to break with pace but the midfield was slow in support or maybe they were happy with a third consecutive away point. Draws at Sriwijaya, Persib and Persija? That's why they'll be champions...

Some pix can be found on Asian Football Pictures

Thursday -- March 31, 2011

Spring football practice starts today. The 2011 football year really starts with Spring practice.

UMass' Just-a-Minute blog says there will be an update on the UMass website later today.

NCAA Spring Practice rules here.

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Ryan Welsh of WWLP.com says what I've been telling you here. Villanova's decision may effect UMass' move to FBS.

Relevant quote: "Villanova is expected to announce on April 12th if it is joining the Big East in football. If it does, then Temple likely stays in the MAC and UMass could go with it, if officially invited.

If Villanova does not move up, the Big East may invite another team, possibly from Conference USA to join.  If that happens, it would open up a spot for Temple and possibly UMass in Conference USA, since TCU is already leaving the conference to join the Big East. "

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More  on the UMass football team's bone marrow registration drive.

UPDATE: the UMass website has some video from the bone marrow event.

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You've probably heard about schools taking a financial loss from appearing in bowls. Most of the loss comes from the schools being required to purchase and then re-sell a block of tickets. Case in point is UConn's bath in Fiesta Bowl. Part of that is the current corrupt structure of the Bowls.

Check out the perks Fiesta Bowl officials paid themselves.

Should UMass go FBS and then be invited to a bowl, Minutemen administrators should carefully consider the cost structure of the bowl invitation and not just swallow the hook because it would be our first bowl appearance in modern times.

Indonesia Super League

Semen Padang v Persijap 3-0 (M Rizal, Saktiawan Sinaga, Edward Wilson Junior) 6,783

Divisi Utama

Persiba v Perseru 6-1 (Gonzalez, Busari 2, Sugiyanto 2, Slamet Nurcahyo) 9,245

PSS v Persidafon 2-1 (Tri Handoko Putro, Anang Hadi Suputro; Lukas Rumkabu) 6,826

Semen Padang leap frog Persija into second place but have played two games more. Wilson hit his 11th of the season. Rare defeat for Persidafon, only their third of the campaign but while Persiba made up ground they remain four points behind having played a game more. And leading scorer Udo Fortune did not score shock horror!

SLeague

Albirex Niigata v Geylang United 3-1 (Kawakami, Okuyama, Inui; Hafiz Rahim) 1,464

CMOFA team makes it to Mindanao Finals

WITH Surigao del Norte booters a no show, host CMOFA's convincing 3-1 shellacking of Butuan-Agusan del Norte on Wednesday was enough to send the home squad to the Mindanao Finals of the Suzuki-PFF U23 Football Qualifying Tournament.

This, as Iligan-LDN and Butuan-ADN will still be back Thursday morning at Xavier University's soccer field for the remaining game of NorMin's qualifier.


"Actually, nag-commit ang Surigao nga modula mao nga gi-apil sila sa linya. We have to discuss it yet with the PFF people kon naa bay possible sanction ang ilang wala pagtunga," PFF match coordinator Conson Manresa told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.


Monte Carlo-groomed striker Emiliano "Ayat" Mabalos Jr. again did an Azkal stunt by Filipino-Spanish new enforcer Angel Guirado, scoring the first two CMOFA goals in the 31st and 60th minutes before Bon Miller Ellecion made it three in the 64th minute.

"Ayat's our Azkal Guirado here," female football fans watching the morning match-up proudly stirred Mabalos while the CMOFA bets changed their upper clothes in a bench shaded by one of the big trees circling the XU field.

Mabalos also scored two goals, including the winner, in CMOFA's heart-stopping 5-4 conquest of Iligan-LDN Club.

Butuan-ADN, which neutralized CMOFA's offense almost in the entire first half, got its lone goal from Djon Scottie Amoc in the 92nd minute.

"Dugay kaayo ta naka score, but still a win is a win," said coach Allan Medalla.

Match Commissioner Percy Guarin said the Philippine Football Federation is considering Davao as their tentative venue for the National Finals.

The PFF-Suzuki Cup Mindanao Cluster Eliminations are also ongoing in Central Mindanao, South Mindanao and West Mindanao.

Cotabato City and North Cotabato locked horns at M'lang Football Plaza for the Central Mindanao slot.

South Mindanao has Compostella Valley, Davao City and Davao del Norte competing at Tionko Football Field in Davao City.

While Misamis Occidental, Ozamis, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Dipolog, Zamboanga del Sur and Pagadian are comprising the biggest field for the West Mindanao elimination right at the Ozamis National High School football field.

Top team finisher will join the Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Football Association (CMOFA) in the Mindanao Finals before the home-and-away games of which the top-team survivor will be crowned as the PFF-Suzuki U-23 Champion. (Lynde Salgados)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on March 31, 2011.

Rizal Memorial, Panaad eyed for Azkals' home game

MANILA, Philippines � The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is now considering 2 possible sites where the country can hold its home game against Sri Lanka.

According to ABS-CBN sports correspondent Dyan Castillejo, the PFF will be choosing between Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila and Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

�As per PFF President Nonong Araneta and [Azkals team] Manager Dan Palami, our home game will be either at Rizal Memorial or Panaad Bacolod stadium,� said Castillejo through her Twitter account.

The Philippine Azkals will face Sri Lanka in a home-and-away qualifying series for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 29 and July 3.

The home game, scheduled on July 3, could take place at the 30,000-seater Rizal Memorial Stadium, site of some of the biggest sporting events in Southeast Asia (SEA), including the 1991 and 2005 SEA Games.

It could also be staged at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, where the home game of the Philippine Azkals against Mongolia for the 2012 Challenge Cup was held.


More than 20,000 football fans filled the Panaad Stadium on February 9 to witness the Azkals beat Mongolia, 2-0.

Filipino-British Azkals player, James Younghusband, said they are prepared to take on the Sri Lankans anywhere in the Philippines.

�Wherever we play in the phils is ok, cos i know we'll have the support of pinoys!,� he told Castillejo.

The away game, scheduled on June 29, will take place in Sri Lanka either at the 25,000-seater Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo or the 15,000-seater Kalutara Stadium in Kalutara.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN Sports said they will start talks with Sri Lankan authorities for the local airing of the away game.

�ABS-CBN Sports is committed to broadcast the 2 legs of the 1st round of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers. We'll start coordinating w/ Sri Lanka,� ABS-CBN Sports said.

ABS CBN News

Philippine Azkals to face Sri Lanka in World Cup qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines � The Philippine Azkals will play against Sri Lanka in the first round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

This was announced in a draw held at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday.

The home-and-away qualifying series will take place on June 29 in Sri Lanka and July 3 in the Philippines.

The Philippine Azkals team is currently ranked No. 151 in the FIFA world standings.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, is ranked No. 173.

The Azkals� qualifying match against Sri Lanka is the first of 4 qualifying rounds the Philippines will have to go through before landing a spot in the prestigious World Cup.

If the Azkals successfully hurdle the Sri Lankan team, they will next face Kuwait, which is ranked 103rd.

The reigning World Cup champion is Spain.

The Philippines recently qualified for the 2012 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup tournament proper via their successful stint in the group stage.

Azkals team manager Dan Palami said German coach Hans Michael Weiss will make sure that the Filipino squad will be fully prepared when they take on the Sri Lankans.

�We will prepare for Sri Lanka like they were Spain,� Palami told ABS-CBN�s Dyan Castillejo.

Sport analyst Christian Soler said in his Twitter account that Sri Lanka has an impressive record in the Challenge Cup.

�Sri Lanka has an impressive Challenge Cup resum�, finishing runners-up in 2006 and qualifying in 2008 and 2010,� he said.

ABS CBN News

Wednesday -- March 30, 2011

The UMass football team will be sponsoring a bone marrow registration drive today. Matty V adds some thoughts about the drive. If there are any campus readers of the blog and want to support UMass football and be a hero to boot, taking part would be a good thing. More info about the drive here.

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Alyssa Creamer of MassLive delves into the CAA's scheduling influence on a potential Minutemen move to FBS.

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A story from UMaine's Pro-Day.

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CCSU, one of UMass' 2011 OOC opponents is gearing up to try for their third straight NEC title.

Former Rhode Island HC Tim Stowers is OC/Offensive Line coach for the Blue Devils.

In addition, Football scoop has this""Central Connecticut State: We hear that Liberty HS (VA) head coach Tommy Buzzo and former Northeastern head coach Rocky Hager have interviewed for the defensive coordinator job."

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TSN's Craig Haley talks about the significance of home games in FCS football.

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Bandung Sack Coach

Liga Primer Indonesia side Bandung have sacked their coach Nandar Iskandar. The dismissal comes as no surprise as Bandung, featuring the highest paid player in the country, Lee Hendrie, are bottom of the LPI with just one win all season and four points from their opening 10 games.

Officially the club say that they probably won't be able to announce a replacement until the first round of fixtures has finished.

Bandung are, I think, the second team to change coach. Medan Chiefs replaced Jorg Steinbrunner last week.

Doing It For ...

So an SLeague side is going to take on Albirex Niigata to raise money for victims in Japan's recent disasters.

Not a big fan of these, gotta say. You know when you get people like Bono crawling out the woodwork telling me I 'must' help the victims of a disaster, man made or whatever, it sickens me. Especially when they say the way I can help is by buying a ticket for their concert or buying a t shirt with their name on it or downloading their music off the net.

The money they raise, from the likes of me, will go to their cause. And they give what exactly?

I've been to a few of these fund raisers over the years. Ones that spring to mind are games between Aldershot and Manchester United (raise money for soldiers injured in Falklands War), or Tampines Rovers v Geylang (doing it for Charmaine (whatever happened to her)) when they doubled the prices so people could see the likes of Andrew Leci and Sheikh Haikul play in a charity knock about before everyone buggered off ahead of the main event.

Do I have good cause fatigue? Not really. No harm in giving at all. I just don't like the way it's all being shoved down our throats and the implicit message is if we don't rattle the tin with silver we don't care.

Fundraisers may say that such high profile events do see a spike in their fund raising efforts so of course they will continue to hold them. People like to pay of 60 quid to watch an English premier League game so clubs will continue to charge those prices.

But for me, any giving I do will be done surreptitiously with a nod and a wink to the wise. I don't need the oxygen of publicity to feel sympathy and make me part with my cash! Not under pressure from back slapping celebs...

SLeague Cares Match Details

SINGAPORE, 30 March 2011: The S.League All Stars side to face the TAKE ACTION With Albirex Niigata Selection in the S.League Cares, TAKE ACTION With Albirex Niigata Singapore Charity Match at Jalan Besar Stadium this Saturday, 02 April has been officially announced.

The S.League All Stars are coached by three-time S.League Coach of the Year, Richard Bok of SAFFC.

Bok is assisted by another Singapore football stalwart, S.Subramani of Home United.

Courts Young Lions skipper Hariss Harun will lead the All Stars for the first half with Balestier Khalsa�s Paul Cunningham wearing the captain�s armband for the second half.

All proceeds raised from the Charity Match will directly support the Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

Football fans who attend the Charity Match can also contribute through donation boxes which will be placed around the stadium.

�We really hope that many, many people are coming down for the match,� said Bok.

�The S.League Cares, TAKE ACTION Foundation and Albirex Niigata Singapore have come together to raise funds for the people of Japan, so I hope to see a full stadium on Saturday.�

Four players from Bok�s SAFFC side make the squad, with goalkeeper Shahril Jantan, defender Shaiful Esah, midfielder Mustaqim Manzur and forward Fazrul Nawaz in the list of 22.

Meanwhile S.League champions Etoile are also represented by four players: defender Sirina Camara, midfielders Hicham Bounchem and Maxime Belouet and forward Jonathan Totoi.

The S.League All Stars team is:

Goalkeepers: Shahril Jantan (SAFFC), Izwan Mahbud (Courts Young Lions)

Defenders: Paul Cunningham (Balestier Khalsa), Afiq Yunos (Courts Young Lions), Sirina Camara (Etoile), Obadin Aikhena (Gombak United), Walid Lounis (Gombak United), Jeremy Chiang (Gombak United), Emmeric Ong (Hougang United), Shaiful Esah (SAFFC)

Midfielders: Armanizam Dolah (Balestier Khalsa), K Vikraman (Balestier Khalsa), Hariss Harun (Courts Young Lions), Hicham Bounchem (Etoile), Maxime Belouet (Etoile) Carlos Alberto Delgado (Hougang United), Fazli Jaffar (Hougang United), Jordan Webb (Hougang United), Mustaqim Manzur (SAFFC)

Forwards: Vitor Borges De Souza (Balestier Khalsa), Jonathan Totoi (Etoile), Fazrul Nawaz (SAFFC)

While not every club is represented in the All-Stars squad because of S.League match commitments, they are nevertheless contributing to the cause.

Home United, for example have donated proceeds from their match against Woodlands Wellington on 27 March to the relief efforts.

Meanwhile, Tampines Rovers will also be placing donations boxes in their designated �home� blockbuster clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium on 01 April against Home United.

A host of Japanese footballing royalty, including former internationals Hidetoshi Nakata, Masaaki Sawanobori and Masakiyo Maezono have confirmed their participation for the TAKE ACTION with Albirex Niigata Singapore Selection side.

Tickets priced at $12 (Grandstand) and $6 (Gallery) for the S.League Cares, Take Action With Albirex Niigata Singapore Charity Match will go on sale from Friday, 01 April at the Albirex Niigata Singapore office at Jurong East Stadium and the FAS office at Jalan Besar Stadium.

For more information on the limited number of $200 VIP tickets for the Charity Match, please contact Muhammad Andi Mirza of the FAS at 68803150.

Match Details

S.League All Stars vs TAKE ACTION with Albirex Niigata Singapore Selection

Date: Saturday, 02 April 2011

Time: 5.00pm

Venue: Jalan Besar Stadium

Ticketing Information

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, 01 April 2011.

Where: Albirex Niigata (Singapore) office

21 Jurong East St 31

#04-04 Jurong East Sports Complex S 609517

Tel: +65 6334 0511

Fax: +65 6334 0510

Where: Football Association of Singapore office

100 Tyrwhitt Road

Jalan Besar Stadium S 207542

Tel: +65 6293 1477

Fax: +65 6293 3728

World Cup 2014 Qualifiers

Round 1

Malaysia v Chinese Taipei
Bangladesh v Pakistan
Cambodia v Laos
Sri Lanka v Philippines
Afghanistan v Palestine
Vietnam v Macau
Nepal v Timor Leste
Mongolia v Myanmar

First leg, June 29
Second leg, July 3

Round 2

Thailand v Afghanistan or Palestine
Lebanon v Bangladesh or Pakistan
China v Cambodia or Laos
Turkmenistan v Indonesia
Kuwait v Sri Lanka or Philippines
Oman v Mongolia or Myanmar
Saudi Arabia v Hong Kong
Iran v Maldives
Syria v Tajikistan
Qatar v Vietnam or Macau
Iraq v Yemen
Singapore v Malaysia or Chinese Taipei
Uzbekistan v Kyrgyzstan
UAE v India
Jordan v Nepal or Timor Leste

First leg, July 23
Second leg, July 28

Only Brunei missing from the World Cup qualifier though if the PSSI carry on its cack handed manner they may soon face the wrath of FIFA.

Which may not be a bad thing seeing that they got thumped by Turkmenistan recently in the Olympic Qualifiers.

Eye catching is a potential Causeway Derby between Malaysia, AFF Cup and SEA Games holders, against a Singapore side perhaps at a crossroads.

Back in 2007, if I recall, Timor Leste played their World Cup qualifier home leg in Bali...

If South East Asia gets two teams through to the next round they will have done bloody well. Thailand should get through, as should Malaysia. Or Singapore.

2014 FIFA World Cup - Philippines vs Sri Lanka !

Philippines face Sri Lanka in First round of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, if they beat Sri Lanka they will play Kuwait in Second Round.

Scheduled matches :

29. June Sri Lanka - Philippines
3. July Philippines - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka`s latest matches :

16.2.2010 Sri Lanka - Myanmar 0-4
18.2.2010 Sri Lanka - Tajikistan 1-3
20.2.2010 Sri Lanka - Bangladesh 3-0
27.3.2011 Sri Lanka - Tajikistan 2-2
29.3.2011 Sri Lanka - Tajikistan 0-2

All matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will play group matches in AFC Challenge Cup against Nepal, North Korea and Afghanistan in April.

Last match for Philippines against Sri Lanka was World Cup qualifier in 1996 when Philippines lost 0-3. The match was played in Doha , Qatar

2014 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers

Kuala Lumpur: The four draws taking place in the AFC House on March 30 will be streamed live on the-afc.com.

The live webcast will start at 1000 hours (GMT +8) with the AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers draw while AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers draw will take place at 1200 hours.

The 2012 London Olympics Asian qualifiers Round 2 draw will be held at 1500 hours while 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers Round 1 and Round 2 draws will take place at 1600 hours.

Apart from the live webcast, simultaneous live updates will also be provided on the-afc.com

afc.com

Comments

For some reason I can't post any comments! So if you have posted something recently and I haven't responded, my deepest apologies...I'm not being rude...it's just I can't!

Results 27, 28, 29/03

Indonesia Super League

Arema v Sriwijaya 1-1 (TA Mushafry; Budi Sudarsono) 20,052

Persib v Persipura 2-2 (Airlangga, Herman Abanda; Zah Rahan, Titus Bonai) 25,965

1 - Persipura 18 12 4 2 48-14 40

2 - Persija 17 10 2 5 29-17 32

3 - Semen Padang 18 8 8 2 26-19 32

4 - Persisam 18 9 2 7 22-23 29

5 - Arema 18 7 7 4 27-17 28

6 - Sriwijaya 19 8 4 7 28-24

19 - Boas Solossa (Persipura)

11 - Kenji Adichihara (Bontang)

10 - Marcio Souza (Deltras), Edward Wilson Junior (Semen Padang)

Divisi Utama

Persikabo v PSLS 2-0 (Zaenal Arief 2) 7,000

Persitara v PSSB 1-0 (Brimo) 503

Persemalra v Persikota 1-0 (John Pattikawa) 2,000

Mitra Kukar v Persik 2-1 (Julien Mbom Mbom, Rully;Adrian Trinidad) 2,711

Gresik United v PSIM 2-0 (Luis Alejandro Pena, Basuki) 5,355

Barito Putra v PSIM 2-1 (Arnaldo Benitez 2; Nanda Setiawan) 3,507

Persiku v Persigo 3-0 (Agus Santiko 2, Dadan Suhenda) 6,736

PSIR v Persebaya 1-2 (M Husen; Kornelis Kaimu, Charles Orock) 10,732

Persiram v PSCS 3-1 (Didi Parov, Gideon Way, Yos Yoppirrayer) 727

Perseman v Persikab 3-0 (Choirul Hoda, Tutug Widodo, Febrian Sofiandi) 5,275

PSAP v Persires 10-0 (Sayuti 2, Osas Marvelous 5, Moussa Traore, Irfan, Suryadi) 3,175

Persiraja v Persih 2-0 (Abdul Musawir 2) 7,051

PS Bengkulu v Persipasi 1-0 (M Iqbal) 5,300

1 - PSAP 20 12 5 3 38-16 41

2 - Persiraja 20 13 2 5 35-21 41

1 - Mitra Kukar 20 12 2 6 31-16 38

2 - PSIM 19 10 3 6 20-14

1 - Persidafon 18 13 3 2 39-8 42

2 - Persiba 19 10 5 4 38-13

25 - Fortune Udo (Persiba)

21 - Osas Marvelous (PSAP)

16 - Patrick Wanggai (Persidafon)

Liga Primer Indonesia

Solo v Aceh United 0-3

Persebaya 1927 v Manado United 3-1

Persibo v Real Mataram 2-1

1 - Persema 10 8 2 0 24-8 26

2 - Persebaya 10 7 2 1 28-7 23

3 - Semarang United 10 7 0 3 13-9 21

SLeague

Home United v Woodlands Wellington 2-0 (Qiu Li, Frederic Mendy) 1,505

Gombak United v SAFFC 0-1 (Fazrul Nawaz) 1,747

Hougang United v Balestier Khalsa 2-2 (Duncan Elias, Carlos Delgado; Kim Young Kwan 2) 1,239

Thai Premier League

Chonburi v TTM Phichit 2-1

Khon Kaen v Siam Navy 0-0

Police United v Samut Songkram 0-1

Thai Port v Army United 1-0

Chiang Rai United v Si Sa Ket 1-0

1 - Buriram PEA 5 4 1 0 9-2 13

2 - Chonburi 5 3 1 1 12-6 10

3 - BEC Tero 5 3 1 1 7-4

4 - Leandro (Army United), Yeon Gi Sung (TTM Phichit), Ronnachai Rangsyio (BEC Tero), Frank Ohzanda (Buriram PEA)

A nightmarish CMOFA escape

PLAYING both enthusiastically with offense running smoothly from either side, host CMOFA got the better in the end, edging Iligan-Lanao del Norte Football Association, 5-4, in Tuesday's breathtaking opener of the Suzuki-PFF U23 Football Qualifying Tournament here at Xavier University's soccer field.


The Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Football Association faces Butuan-Agusan del Norte Football Association Wednesday at 9 a.m., while the Iligan-Lanao Norte booters -- who scored the first two goals in the match -- will try to bounce back against the Surigao del Norte Football Association.


Emiliano Mabalos Jr., fondly called "Ayat" by friends in local football circle, had his share of an Azkal-like euphoria when he shone the brightest in the opening day action.

The only "Monte Carlo player" who made the cut of CMOFA's 23-under squad, Mabalos duplicated Rey Mark Galacio's ice-breaker with another goal 6th minute in the second half to force a 2-all deadlock.

Then less than five minutes remaining, Mabalos eluded the opposition to score another goal and CMOFA worked hard on defense parrying every Iligan-LDN attack to secure the victory.

"Ayat's our big hero against Iligan. He converted the winning goal just a few minutes before the final whistle," said CMOFA Club board member Teddy Raypon.

"It seems our boys have the chance to get it to the Mindanao Finals," added CMOFA president Mike Bantiles.


The other goal takers for CMOFA were Earl Garcia (3rd) and Jaymile Conmigo (4th).


"We regrouped in the second half after Iligan made it 2-0 in the first half. Credit it to the boys as they really fought hard to the best of their ability," said CMOFA head coach Allan Medalla.

The game was so intense when CMOFA made the equalizer that three players, including one from the home team, were given yellow cards.

The five-day tourney is one of the four regional qualifying games in Mindanao, leading to the "first-of-a-kind" Suzuki-PFF U23 National Finals this coming April.

Eillen Esteban, advertising and PR supervisor of the Suzuki Cup, said their company is committed to support in two to 3 years the Suzuki-PFF Cup, considered as a local version of the AFF Suzuki Cup where the Philippine Azkals first made a noise in 2010. (With reports from Jinggoy Ilogon)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on March 30, 2011.

PFF U23 - Laguna vs Baguio

PFF SUZUKI CUP U23 - Opening in Laguna tomorrow. Azkals will be there at 11am in UP Los Banos Bakerfield. Opening game starts 3pm Laguna vs Baguio.

Azkals start gearing up for World Cup

BY BONG PEDRALVEZ


INTENSIVE scouting in three continents for new players plus four training camps beginning early May will form part of the national team build-up for the Asian World Cup qualifiers in late June, according to coach Hans Michael Weiss.

"We will have a break until close to end of the month, after which the coaches have been instructed to start looking for new players locally, particularly in the Under-23 and Under-19 competitions that will begin shortly," Weiss said.

He said team manager Dan Palami and midfielder Anton del Rosario, who left for the United States last Monday, will also hold tryouts in San Francisco on April 9 and 10, with at least 45 hopefuls from both the East and West Coasts, along with Canada, signing up.

"As for myself, I shall be leaving for Germany to conduct my own screening around Easter time," Weiss said. "We would like to form the best possible team for the Asian World Cup series."

Among the Filipino-Germans he would likely tap, Weiss said, are midfielders Manuel Ott, 19, and Stefan Schrock, 25, who are playing with German Second Division teams.

Weiss added he�s in constant touch with Filipino-British defender Rob Gier to help him recruit prospects for the national squad.

"I would like to see younger players joining the team, but we have to take it step by step," said Weiss, adding the first training camp-cum-open tryouts will be set on May 9-26 "which I would prefer to be held outside Manila."

"We will also make this camp the start of our conditioning for the players," said fitness coach Joseph Malinay.

The camp on May 27-June 2, Weiss said, will be a "recreation camp," possibly in Cebu, to increase rapport and camaraderie among the potential national team members whose families will be allowed to join them.

After a five-day respite, Weiss said he hopes to have a complete 23-man roster when the Nationals leave for Australia where they will hold camp in Melbourne from June 7-18. He said they are expected to play at least five matches with Australian sides.

The Azkals will complete the final phase of their training in the country on June 21-27, two days before the first match of the World Cup home-and-away series.

The draw for the Asian Word Cup opening round qualifying matches will be held today at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, with Weiss saying he intends to "form a strong and competent team that can go up against any opponent that we face."

"If all of our plans fall into place�players, logistics, training, etc.�I believe we do have a have a chance against any squad," Weiss said.

"However, should we be drawn against countries like Uzbekistan, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates, then we will have a challenging time under the home-and-away format," Weiss. "But this is football, so anything is possible."

Philippine Football Federation chief Mariano Araneta Jr., who arrived yesterday from an AFC meeting in Vietnam, said he�s hoping the Philippines would not be drawn against a strong squad.

"Hopefully it won�t be against strong countries like Malaysia or Vietnam," Araneta said. "If we�re lucky, we might get Mongolia again or even Macau."

Malaya

Azkals eye medal finish in SEAG

By FRANCIS SANTIAGO

MANILA, Philippines � The Philippines has never won a medal of any color in the men�s football event of the Southeast Asian Games since its debut in the biennial meet in 1977.


Seeking to end the drought, Azkals team manager Dan Palami has vowed to form the strongest football squad ever.


�I think we can safely say we will be forming the strongest team for the Southeast Asian Games,� said Palami, who will also stand as team manager of the national team to the SEA Games set in Indonesia this November.


He said chances are strong to contend for a medal considering that six players from the Philippine Azkals are eligible to play in the under-23 tournament.



The six players are goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, 21, reliever Christopher Camcam, 16, defender David Basa, 21, striker Yannick Tuason, 21, who are both members of the University of Santo Tomas football team, and Fil-German Patrick Hinrichsen, 20, and Fil-Dutch Jason de Jong, 21.

�They don�t need to try out for the team. I think with their level of play, they should be automatically included in the team,� Palami said.


"I hope we can win the medal under my leadership. That's all our aim," Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta, a former member of the national team from 1975 to '80s, said.


Malaysia is the defending SEA Games champion, with Vietnam and Singapore as the second and third place finishers.


Azkals head coach Hans Michael Weiss will mentor the squad, which he hopes to be boosted with top-calibre players from Europe. The German coach, together with Rob Gier will soon fly to Germany to scout for players.

�So far, there are at least 30 players who expressed their desire to join the Sea Games team,� Palami said.


Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo and Anto Del Rosario will conduct tryouts for the under-23 event on April 9-10 in Daly City, California.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Azkals opponent for the Round 1 of the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil will be known this afternoon as the draw will be held in Kuala Lumpur.

Manila Bulletin

Recruiting 2012--Camren Williams

Back in October I blogged about Camren Williams, 6-1 210 athelete from Catholic Memorial in MA. UMass had offered to Williams.

He committed to Penn State.

Williams' 2010 highlight video here.

Mindanao PFF U19 and PFF U23 results

PFF U23 in Cagayan de Oro City :

Cagayan de Oro 5-4 Iligan-Lanao

Pics from Azkals website



PFF U19 Kicked-off today at Pagadian City for the West Mindanao Cluster.

Results for 28 Mar 2011: Pagadian 3-0 Ozamis & Dipolog 4 - 1 Zamboanga


PFF Suzuki Cup U-23 (WEST MINDANAO) Cluster Qualifying Round Champion: ZaNDiFA (Zambo. del Norte-Dipolog Football Association)

PFF SUZUKI MEN�S NATIONAL U23 ELIMINATIONS
March 29 - March 31 � Xavier School, Cagayan De Oro
March 30 - April 3 - UP Los Banos, Laguna
March 30 - April 3 - Naga Sports Complex, Naga City
April 2 - April 4 - Municipality of MLang Plaza, North Cotabato
April 1 � 3 - Tionko Football Field, Davao City


Comment :

Looking for all results from PFF U19 and U23. Post them to me at joki20@hotmail.com or in comments

Tuesday--March 29, 2011

MassLive's Ron Chimelis comments on UMass' intended move to FBS football when its other sports are struggling. Two or three years ago does seem a long time in sports. It also seems as if that things run in cycles. When UMass was great in basketball, the A10 also had a bunch of good teams.

As everyone knows, I lack the hockey gene in my DNA, so I'm not really qualified to comment, but it did seem that UMass hockey lost a lot of talent prior to the season and the team should be capable of rebounding next year.

Basketball is more troubling. Since Calipari left, we have had maybe four or five coaches. The magic has not returned. Leaving Final Four appearances aside, a 20 win season now and then should be an achievable goal. UMass should be able to finish in the top three of the A10 more often than not.

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TSN's Craig Haley takes a look at FCS's probable number one NFL prospect Ben Ijalana.

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Since the 2010 season Wofford has booted five players off the team.

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Espinosa out to prove he can hack it

BY BONG PEDRALVEZ

DISAPPOINTED by his lackluster showing in the recent Asian Challenge Cup group matches in Myanmar, striker William Espinosa intends to show he has what it takes when he suits up for Global Smartmatic, the team of Philippine team manager Dan Palami, next weekend in the United Football League.

"I was not happy with my form in Myanmar. That was not the real me," Espinosa, 29, said during a welcome dinner for the Azkals hosted by businessman Jack Rodriguez at the California Pizza Kitchen restaurant at the Glorietta 4 in Makati City Monday night.

Espinosa, who was adopted by a German family after his Laguna-born parents migrated to Germany, was used sparingly by coach Hans Michael Weiss in Myanmar, mostly as a reliever in the waning minutes to mainstays Chieffy Caligdong and Ian Araneta.

This was hardly what the slim, 5-foot-7 Espinosa expected after he impressed Weiss with his workouts with the national team in Bacolod last month that prompted the German mentor to include him on the roster to Myanmar.

In his pre-tournament practice on the eve of their departure to Myanmar, Espinosa didn�t look fit, according to Weiss.

Epinosa said the drastic change in the weather robbed him of his usual explosiveness on the pitch.

"From 30-degrees Celsius in the Philippines I was met by minus-15 when I went back to Germany and this sapped my strength and affected my conditioning," Espinosa explained.

He claimed when he turned up in Manila a week before the nationals left for Myanmar, he still had not fully recovered his strength, which showed in the team�s lone practice at the University of Makati field right after the Azkals returned from Mongolia.

Malaya.com

Arsenal Play In Thailand?

Buriram PEA, under their flamboyant owner Newin Chidchob (named after a Burmese dictator), claim Arsenal will be playing Leicester City to inaugurate their new stadium sometime in July. The same report suggests that Arsenal pulled the plug on a tour of Japan following the earthquake there.

Buriram PEA will win this season's Thai Premier League, it's written in the tea leaves.

Leicester City are 80% owned by Thai investors with Newin believed to be the main man behind the scenes. A controversial figure in Thai politics Newin inherited his own personal fiefdom from old man Chai Chidchob and st about making a name in Thai politics but allegations of voter fraud and corruption have hindered his path to the premiership.

He 'imported' PEA, TPL winners in 2008 (before Thai football was 'discovered' by the masses) in 2010 despite their already being a Buriram team in the league set up, albeit at a lower level then Newin demanded.

Controversy has followed controversy with PEA farming out players on loan to Buriram and sending their coach to Army United, a blatantly political move that no-one seems to worried about.

There is already a dead rubber feel to this year's TPL with many feeling Newin's child have already won the league.

English football though isn't too worried who it takes its money from. It wasn't that long ago that Manchester City were happy to bend over backwards and 'wai' anything that moved to grab former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's cash and now Leicester have taken more Thai baht in the hope they can return to England's top flight.

Is Arsene Wenger, under pressure to increase Arsenal's overseas exposure, going to take his team to some pissant village in the north east of Thailand during the rainy season to sate the lust for admiration of an attention seeking politician of dubious practises?

AFC Accept Mandala Stadium

Bad news for Chonburi and South China.

Persipura have been given the go ahead to use their Mandala Stadium in Jayapura for their remaining AFC Cup games.

There are no direct flights to Jayapura (DJJ) on Garuda, the only airline I would consider for such a trek. You get to transit at places like Denpaser, Timika or Makassar depending on the flight.

Flights east leave late at night which means lengthy waits in uninspiring airport lounges or sat cocooned in the the plane itself while you would arrive in Jayapura early morning feeling totally unrefreshed.

Of course, Indonesia is part of Asia and Jayapura is part of Indonesia so, if their stadium meets requirements, there is no reason why they can't play their home games at, umm, home.

It will certainly be a wake up call for Nicky Butt!

First Past Post For Cambodia League

PHNOM PENH (29 March 2011) �Acquiescing to the requests of teams playing in the Metfone Cambodia League, the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) have decided to scrap the Super Four playoffs.

The Super Four playoffs was introduced by the FFC to decide the Cambodian League champions where after the league stage of home and away, the top four ranked teams are then drawn among each other in a semi-final match up and then the final game.

But with the majority of the participating teams wanting the FFC to stick to the time-tested practice of having the team which picked up the most points at the end of the season taking home the title, FFC acquiesced.

�We are doing away with the playoffs. The team emerging at the top of the league table at the end of the season will get the champions tag,� said May Tola, the deputy secretary of the FFC, this week.

Most of the top tier teams said they preferred a straightforward league format, arguing that the Super Four imposed additional burdens on their squads already under strain from tough competitive conditions.

Meanwhile at the FFC�s annual general meeting on Saturday, FFC general secretary Ouk Sethycheat, who had resigned from his post for personal reasons some time ago, was elected as a member of the executive committee.

CMOFA hosts Suzuki U23 qualifier

By Lynde Salgados

FOOTBALL is again "alive and kicking" elsewhere in the country today. Thanks to the Philippine Azkals' meteoric rise that Suzuki -- RP's only integrated automobile and motorcycle company -- is now taking the cue in sponsoring the Suzuki-PFF U23 Football Qualifying Tournament which opens here today at the Xavier University's soccer field.

Featuring host Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Football Association (CMOFA), Iligan-Lanao del Norte Football Association (ILNFA), Surigao del Norte Football Association (SNFA) and Butuan-Agusan del Norte Football Association (BANFA), the four-team rivalry will be played until April 2.

Survivor of the five-day tourney will advance in the Mindanao finals.


"We have only qualifying games in Mindanao. At least four regional tourneys where each top performing team will duel it out for the right to represent Mindanao in the National Finals," said Eilleen Esteban, advertising and PR supervisor of the Suzuki Cup.

And what better way to conduct the finals is to have the regional qualifiers clash in a home-and-away championship match.

"The winning team, of course, will be crowned as the PFF-Suzuki U-23 Champion," Esteban further said.

Sanctioned by the Philippine Football Federation, the PFF Suzuki Cup is considered as a local version of the AFF Suzuki Cup, the very event that served as a launching vehicle of the Philippine Askals into Asean football stardom in 2010.

And telling that her Japanese superiors at Suzuki are big football fans themselves, Esteban said "we believe that with the help of private sponsors, football is going to be the next big thing to happen in Philippine sports."


With Suzuki's valuable support, CMOFA president Mike Bantiles and the rest of the local football entities who attended Monday's forum at the VIP hotel could only thank the Philippine Azkals for all the blessings that come along the way.


"The wind of change that we can share now for the betterment of grassroots football development," added Xavier University's resident trainer Percy Guarin, himself a vintage Askal being a former member of the Philippine football team alongside Conson Manresa of Iligan.


PFF representative Cyril Dofitas also graced the Suzuki Cup briefing as well as CMOFA insiders Teddy Raypon and Percibal Batar and former UST-UAAP stalwart Julie Gerona Popovic, team manager of Monte Carlo booters that recently emerged back-to-back champion in the Marawi City Invitational Games.



Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on March 30, 2011.

National football tournament to kick off

FOR the first time in many years, a national football tournament will kick off next month.

A source from the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) told The Manila Times that the competitions, called the PFF-Smart National Clubs Championships, will be held in various regions and provinces in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and in Metro Manila, with the two teams from each of those areas advancing to the national finals.

Lawyer Roland Tulay, president of the National Capital Region Football Association, for his part, said that the competition in Metro Manila would be one of the most interesting since it pits teams that have imports from as far as Africa.

The national finals will be held from June 6 to 25 in Manila with the football federation hosting the games.

Tulay said that it was during competitions like the PFF-Smart National Clubs Championships that new talents were discovered, especially now that the Philippine football team �Azkals� were gaining multitudes of fans nationwide.

�This is where you discover new talents. It is the football clubs that re the foundation for the development of the sport. Good examples are Aly Borromeo, [Emil] �Chieffy� Caligdong and Anton del Rosario of the Azkals,� he said.

It was during March that the provincial qualifying rounds were conducted by each member association of the federation at the local level.

The group stage eliminations will run from April 1 to 16. For Luzon,
football associations representing Baguio City, Laguna, Quezon province, Rizal, Camarines Norte, Naga City-Camarines Sur, Legazpi City-Albay, Masbate and Oriental Mindoro will conduct the competitions at the provincial level.

In Mindanao, football associations representing

Butuan-Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Iligan-Lanao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Compostela Valley, Davao and Davao del Norte, Maguindanao-Cotabato City, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat. Misamis Occidental-Ozamiz, Zamboanga, Zamboanga del Norte-Dipolog and Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian will conduct the competitions.

In the Visayas, the football associations for Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental will conduct the competitions.

In Metro Manila, there will be at least 10 clubs competing.

Tulay said that the members of the Azkals could go back to their respective teams, which would compete in the tournament. He did not elaborate.

He added that with the Azkals generating fervor toward football, the stakeholders in the sport could take the development of football one step further with the establishment of academies for the sport.

Manila Times

Villaflor: PH deserves to host 2012 Challenge Cup

TOO much football never hurts, at least for us who watch the game from a safe distance.

I confirmed this last weekend when I had to monitor two important football events one after the other.

First was the 2nd All-Visayas Festival of Football for the Under-14 Girls and Under 13-Boys elite squads that also kicked off last Friday. The festival, which the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and the San Carlos City Negros FC organized, drew teams from the host city, Iloilo, Dumaguete and Cebu. The grassroots activity will also be made as basis for the national team selection for both age brackets. I will write more about the festival, which I was fortunate to witness, in my next column.


The second, of course, was last Friday�s do-or-die match and the Azkals� convincing 3-0 win over Bangladesh, a perfect result for the team to barge into the AFC Challenge Cup 2012.

And this leads to the question: are the PFF officials interested in hosting the AFC Challenge Cup 2012? (The PFF eyed the 2012 Suzuki Cup, but hosting rights for the group stage have been awarded to Malaysia and Thailand.) If I�m not mistaken, with Group D still to be settled in the 2012 qualifiers, the venue for the Challenge Cup finals has yet to be determined.


According to an article published in a national broadsheet, PFF President Nonong Araneta is �working on� getting rights to host one of the group qualifying tournaments for the 2014 edition, which could be held in 2013.

Shouldn�t we bid first for the March 2012 Finals? Unless there�s an internal agreement within the AFC, hosting rights for 2012 apparently are still up in the air. �Only the eight qualified teams for the tournament proper can bid to host the Finals,� says a Wikipedia entry on the tournament�s page.

No stranger to hosting Challenge Cup matches, the Philippines is more than qualified.

Iloilo was home to the 2008 qualifiers, drawing an average of 5,000 spectators per game. Then there�s Bacolod�s hosting last February of the first-leg playoff for the 2010 edition. Not only did 20,000 spectators troop to Panaad Stadium, which complied with all requirements, fans were treated to a decent live coverage of the match. And you very well know what we missed in the Myanmar tournament, not to mention terrible attendance from the Burmese (only 1,500 spectators watched the home team�s last match, imagine that.)


AFC Challenge Cup Philippines 2012 sounds like a success even this early. But first, bid we must.


Sun Star Cebu

Monday --March 28, 2010

The CAA Blog site has a story on  UNH's Todd Walker.

The CAA Blogger also has some news about the league including a post season audio interview with UMass All-American LB Tyler Holmes.

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Former UMass player Al Skinner defends his legacy at Boston College. Skinner was a business major at UMass and I had a couple of classes with him.

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Light news day on the intertubes.

Jakarta Casual T Shirts

I floated the suggestion on Twitter yesterday about Jakarta Casual t shirts and was blown away by the positive reaction so ...COMING SOON!

There are a couple of designs in place. Later this week I hope to meet with a manufacturer and discuss timelines and costs. Then I will set up a special website, ok, blog, which will carry full details.

Awesome interest, thanks again...

NFL lockout would not be a bad thing for "Philadelphia State"

Do you see any families in this photo? I didn't think so.

There's not a lot of empirical evidence out there to suggest that a prolonged NFL lockout would help Temple football.
Logically, though, it could not hurt.
First of all, Temple football would be the only game in town and that's a "good thing, not a bad thing" to use an offhand reference by Bill Parcells.
The NFL had strikes in 1982 and 1987 and, while attendance seemed to increase at Temple home games in both those years, it was 3-4 thousand per home game, not a noticeable 10-15.
I thought about this NFL labor dispute while watching the Owls' hoop team play San Diego State recently.
Why San Diego State?
Because I thought one of the main reasons why Temple football never captured the imagination of the "Joe Philadelphia" fan was the name Temple.
Let's face it. Temple has been trying for years to court "families" as part of the fan base.
They haven't responded. Temple needs to get Temple people to the games and that's students and mostly adult male alumni. It would also help to convince Eagles' fans to start liking the other birds in town.
We don't need no stinkin' families (I'm not referring to the families of Temple football players who, of course, are the greatest).
In my 30 years of following Temple football, I observed no more than five families who had no connection to players attending a game. Yet Temple promotions spends more damn money going after that group than all the other groups put together.

"While we have all come to love the name Temple,
the name Philadelphia University
would be a truer reflection of 
the school." _ Dr. Peter J. Liacouras

So, as Celo Green says, forget them.
Temple needs to get the "hard-core" beer-drinking, "700-level" fan, the Joe Philadelphia Guy. That's a base that has yet to be, err, tapped. That's a rowdy base, but think of the home field advantage the Owls could have.
Even though Temple is every bit Philadelphia's school as Pitt is Pittsburgh's school, I thought Pitt always had inroads to a blue-collar fan base in Pittsburgh that identified with the town. Pitt has plenty more "Joe Pittsburghs" in the stands rooting for the university than Philly has "Joe Philadelphians."
It has a lot to do with the name.
Temple president Dr. Peter J. Liacouras alluded to such in the 1980s when he suggested the school should "consider" changing its name to Philadelphia University.
"While we all have come to love the name Temple, the name Philadelphia University would be a truer reflection of the school," Liacouras told the Rotary Club one day at the Union League.
I was there as a guest of a Rotarian and heard the speech. I walked up to Pete and told him it was a great idea.
It was never realized because a school named The Philadelphia  College of Textiles and Science adopted the name a decade later.
Damn.

Liacouras was the one guy who could have pushed through a name change and he never followed up on his own terrific idea.
A lost opportunity.
Maybe not.
"San Diego State?" I said out loud while watching the Owls play. "San Diego isn't a state."
"Doesn't matter," the guy next to me said. "San Diego University was taken. They took the next name available."
Philadelphia State University.
I like it.
Even though you might not now, you would get used to it, too, and it couldn't hurt attendance.
They could even keep the nickname of Owls.
Changing the name of this blog to "Philadelphia State University Football Forever" might take some getting used to, though.