Where's The Famous Aremania?

They won the league last year with a spectacular 5-1 victory at the Bung Karno Stadium in front of 45,000 of their travelling supporters. They have been frquently crowned best supporters in the country. But now, when things ain't going so well what has happened to the famous Aremania? Check out their recent attendances with the most home games at the top. Their last two attendance have been bloody awful doubly so when we consider Arema are one of the teams who have to rely on their own resources to pay their way.

v Deltras 10,916 (local derby)

v PSPS 9,258

v Persija 32,597 (love in between fans)

v Persib 19,382

v Sriwijaya 20,052

v Persiwa 24,452

v Persipura 36,994

v Persiba 19,238

v Pelita Jaya 24,510

v Semen Padang 10,396

v Persijap 14,751

The fans didn't even give the AFC Champions League much of a warm welcome judging by these attendances

v Jeonbuk Motors 30,000

v Shandong 5,600

v Cerezo Osaka 4,000

The Arema fans have shown their loyalty in the past but when the chips are down they do seem to fade away. If Arema fans can't be bothered then what does that say about the rest of the league?

Each game you go to in Indonesia, be it Arema or Persitara, you'll see a banner saying sampai mati, till death (or till I die like the English version) or Loyaltis Tanpa Batas, ( loyalty without limits or unlimited loyalty).

But we don't see the small print that says "As Long As We Win).

PH Azkals to embark in more intensive training

Their one-week team bonding here in Cebu City already over, the Philippine Azkals will immediately embark on a more intensive training in preparation for their first round match of the 2014 Asian World Cup (WC) Qualifier against Sri Lanka on June 29 in Sri Lanka and July 3 in Manila.

The team will leave for a training in Germany on June 12 and will stay there until the 26th.

Azkals team manager Dan Palami said the team�s coaching staff headed by German Michael Hans Weiss will have to come up with a lineup of 25 players soon who will join the training in Germany.

Palami said Europe and US-based players who will be joining them in Germany are Angel Aldeguer, Stephen Shrock, Rob Gier and Ray Johnson.

Palami revealed that none of the Azkals is yet assured of a slot in the team that will play with Sri Lanka even those who played in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.

He said that each Azkal has to fight for their position which he believes is good.

The team manager also said that they are in the process of finalizing the players� positions and they need a backup for team captain Aly Borromeo and Gier.

Palami also confirmed that the inclusion of Cebuano-British Chad Gould to the lineup for the Sri Lanka match is slim. Gould�s return has been derailed by an infected mosquito bite that needed surgery.

But Palami said they can still get Gould in the Azkals� future matches. However, that is not the only problem as Palami said there are already many strikers, a position that Gould plays in.

�If maybe we could change him into an attacking midfielder, then we will see,� Palami said.


inquirer news

Persipura Edge Closer To ISL Title

Yeap, it's still going on, hard though it is to believe. Why not many games in May? Who knows...

PSPS v Pelita Jaya 1-0 (Junaidi) 10,975

Persiba v Persib 2-0 (Khairul Amri, Bahtiar) 4,873

Sriwijaya v Persija 3-3 (Keith Kayamba, Budi Sudarsono 2; Bambang Pamungkas, Agu Casmir, Greg Nwokolo) 15,101

Arema v Deltras 3-0 (Yongki Aribowo 2, Roman Chhmelo) 10,916

Persela v Persipura 0-1 (Titus Bonai) 10,015

1 - Persipura 23 15 6 2 55-18 51

2 - Semen Padang 24 11 9 4 42

3 - Persija 23 12 5 5 45-25 41

4 - Arema 24 11 7 6 38-23 40

5 - Persisam 25 12 3 10 33-39 39

20 - Boaz Solossa (Persipura)

16 - Edward Wilson Junior (Semen Padang)

14 - Aldo Baretto (Persiba)

12 - Bambang Pamungkas (Persija), Julio Lopez (Persisam)

Young Lions Run Ends

You never know what you're oing to get with Gombak United. Before last night's game with Geylang United they had won six and drawn six of their opening 15 games. Well, now they have lost seven so figure them to win their next game. Geylang defeated them 1-0 thanks to Vasile Ghindau's second half penaty. Both teams had players red carded in the game at Bedok Stadium.

In last night's other SLeague game Young Lions scored twice but it wasn't enough to stave off defeat against Albirex Niigata because they hadn't read the script. They only went and scored four! It ended Young Lions best run of the season that had seen them win their last two games of the season.

How did the fans respond to two games on one night? Well, SLeaue official attendances bear as much resemblance to reality as a day with Jack Warner but they do at least serve as indicators of trends.

Albirex attracted 1,338 while Geylang brought in 970. People who actually bought tickets make up a small proportion of that number.

Not Getting It

So this pro reform group in the PSSI, you know, them what supported Nurdin until he quit and have now decided football needs reform? Well, they have decided to keep supporting George Toisutta in his bid to lead the PSSI claiming he is the only person to take football into an era without government subsidy.

These reformers, who were not reformers a few months back, are insistent George is the man and are continuing to face down FIFA who recently announced the PSSI has another month to sort itself out or face suspension 1st July. Indeed it is only FIFA's 'difficulties' at the present time which seems to be keeping the Indonesians in a position to still attempt to hold elections.

While these people who have just discovered reform hold the game to ransom Indonesia is no position to ready itself for the World Cup qualifiers against Turkmenistan in July. Other nations are arranging friendlies to help them prepare while the PSSI is stuck in institutional inertia with no one to make decisions are sign cheques.

It seems the pro reform group are more than happy to sacrifice Indonesia's good work in last year's AFF Cup and see their national team banned from the World Cup qualifiers to satisfy their own lust for power.

Football: Iloilo Captures PFF Men�s National U-19 title

By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

The Iloilo Football Association beat National Capital Region Football Club-B (NCRFA-B) thus capturing the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Men�s National Under-19, 2-1 held at San Carlos City, Negros Occidental here recently.

The Negros Oriental Football Association (NORFA) also defeated NCRFA-A, 3-0 to claim third place.

Eight teams bracketed into two participated in the tournament which started May 20 to 29, 2011.

The other teams are Bukidnon Football Association, Football Association of Rizal along with NCRFA-A and NORFA in Group 1.While Iloilo Football Association,
NOCOFFA, NCRFA-B and Naga-Camarines Sur Football Club in Group 2.

Individual awards were also given to outstanding players. Julius Sumagaysay of Iloilo Football Association romped off with Best Goalkeeper award; his teammate Jenery Gabuan won the Best Defender award; Paolo Salenga of National Capital Region Football Association-B (NCR) as Best Striker; and native of San Carlos City and regular member of Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) loaned to Iloilo, John Marcellana was voted Most Valuable Player.

Iloilo Football Association also won the �Fair Play Award�.


US News Las vegas

Azkals matches in Germany

Azkals schedule for matches in Germany :

15. Juni Association D�ren 19:00 Uhr
17. Juni Bonner SC (5. Division)
20. Juni Ingoldstadt (2. Division)
24. Juni Darmstadt 09 (3.Division)

UFL All Stars team against Azkals

Source : UFL Facebook

Match on 5. June , 6 pm at UMAK (University of Makati)

Happy Birthday, Steve Addazio

Upgrades at DC with Chuck Heater and OC with Scot Loeffler
mean Addazio could be in a better position to succeed than AG was.

Tomorrow is Steve Addazio's 52d birthday.
June 1, 1959 was the day he came into this world.

You might think the first gift he received was last week's commitment of promising Washington, D.C. quarterback Benjamin Onett.
I don't think so.
To me, the gift came a few days earlier and was this terrific statistical analysis of Al Golden's work at Temple.

Make no mistake, Golden set the bar high for Addazio.
To me, with this kind of talent Golden has left here, Addazio will have to go at least 10-2.
That would represent both an improvement of each of the last two seasons and a MAC championship.
But it would not mean wins over Penn State and Maryland (although those would be nice). He can do it by running the MAC table.
The statistical analysis seems to indicate that the bar is not all that high for Addazio, although the Owls can't afford to stub their toe like they did in losses at the end of the season to Ohio and Miami.
What it doesn't address is the lack of imagination in Golden's offensive schemes and his failure to stop the read option of Frank Solich's Ohio teams in each of the last two seasons.
Does Scot Loeffler inject that imagination in the offense?
Does Chuck Heater, who comes with a far more impressive resume as a DC than Mark D'Onofrio ever had, have a handle on the read option?
Is Addazio a better overall motivator and CEO than Golden was?

We'll have a good idea about five minutes after the Villanova game.
If it is a gut-wrencher, like the last two were, it's going to be a long season.
My money is on the Owls to cover that night and a short and brilliant season to follow.
Happy birthday, Steve.

Monday--May 31, 2011

This article by Mike Blaudschun of the Globe talks about the future of the Big East.

He says something I've been saying here for three years:

"A basketball-football split seems a question of when, not if.

UConn coach Jim Calhoun foresees the split coming sooner rather than later, which would leave the Big East with an eight-team basketball league of Marquette, DePaul, Seton Hall, Villanova, Georgetown, St. John�s, Providence and perhaps Notre Dame and a football branch of UConn, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Syracuse, Rutgers, TCU, and, for the sake of argument, Central Florida."

He goes on to speculate that the Big East would add two teams. I don't think Army or Navy would join. Army tried that with CUSA. The service academies need to be able to tailor their schedules to have some teams they can beat.

I think two teams would be a good fit. One is a state school in the east in a big media market...

The other is Notre Dame. Changing circumstances in college football and the collapse of Catholic identity have reduced the Irish to just another (good) football team. The days of Notre Dame being the 600 pound gorilla of college football are over.

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The Richmond Spiders have become more open to FBS transfers.

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Speaking of splits, a CBS Sports writer thinks college football could split into BCS and non-BCS levels.

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I've got the scans from 1988 almost ready to go. I hope to have those ready by tomorrow. There should be some more recruiting news later in the week.

Jorg Still Keen On Indonesia

Jorg Steinbrunner is not put off Indonesian football after his short spell with Medan Chiefs where he was given the heave ho for refusing to accept interference in team affairs. The German who also coached Woodlands Wellington and Sengkang Punggol is reported locally to interesting Divisi Utama side Persikabo who are already looking ahead to the new season. Whenever it may start!

Confusion Surrounds LPI Future

Again claims are being made that the breakaway league, the Liga Primer Indonesia, will not continue after the mid season break. Again though the claim is being made by PSM which doesn't seem to stop them being linked with Edward Wilson Junior and Pierre Njanka.

Yesterday, on Twitter so it must be true (!), one of the foreign players asked the LPI spokesman who regularly tweets and exhorts people to change the game what was happening with LPI, PSSI and FIFA. The response? Ask one of your team mates with a 'ha ha ha' thrown in for good measure.

The fact that said team mate didn't speak much English and that said foreigner was no longer in country didn't seem to matter. Also the flack that the PSSI, and now FIFA, have come under attack for their opaqueness and their overbearing attitude didn't seem to come into the equation.

Now obviously there may have been a subsequent private correspondence between the two but the initial response to a sensible question does beggar belief especially considering the whole spiel that comes out of the LPI about emulating the best western leagues.

Azkals to face UFL All-Stars in a friendly match Sunday

By Cedelf P. Tupas


MANILA, Philippines�The Philippine national football team gets to gauge its progress in its preparation for the 2014 Fifa World Cup Qualifying when it takes on the United Football League All-Stars on Sunday in a friendly at the University of Makati pitch.

It will be the last test match for the Azkals before they leave for Duren, Germany, on June 12 for a two-week training camp as part of their buildup for their first-round qualifying match against Sri Lanka on June 29.

Some of the Azkals based abroad are expected to play in the friendly, including starting goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, midfielder Simon Greatwich and defender Jason Sabio, who will join regulars like Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario and Chieffy Caligdong.

The Azkals return to Manila on Tuesday to resume training at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, after a five-day camp in Cebu.

Meanwhile, the UFL title match between Air Force Rider and Global Smartmatic was reset to Wednesday night after rains rendered the UMak pitch unplayable Sunday night.

Army Fritz and Macziol IBM and Kaya Cignal battled to a 2-2 stalemate in an ill-tempered match that saw four players ejected, while Loyola Meralco Sparks overwhelmed Green Archers Orient Freight, 5-2.

Army locked up third place after increasing its output to 20 points, while Kaya dropped to fifth with 14 points, although it still has a remaining game.

The Sparks, who drew four second-half goals from Mark Hartmann to rally from a two-goal deficit, finished the season with 15 points to secure at least a fifth-place finish.


Inquirer.net

Baguio Football - Visiting Nomads rule Victory Cup

VISITING squad Nomad Sports Club snatched four age group championships to run away as the top winner in the recently concluded Victory Cup 2011 at the Brent International School football field.

Thirty-one teams from different schools and clubs in Luzon duked it out for the coveted Victory Cup award, a yearly competition organized by one of the country�s largest and most trusted bus liners, Victory Liner Inc.


Victory Cup 2011 marks the eighth consecutive year Victory Liner has sponsored the football match.


For two days, football fanatics trooped to the grounds of Brent International School to cheer on their favorite teams.

Nomads Sports Club went on to win the top prize in four categories � 10 under, 12 under, 14 under and the Open Ladies Division.

Other winners include Tarlac Football School � 8 under division and Brent Baguio � 18 under division.

Football fever has risen this year and with the appetite continuing to surge, we can all expect Victory Liner to continue fuelling the passion and excitement for the game. (Roderick Osis)


Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on May 30, 2011.

Timor Leste Deny WC Qualifier In Nepal

The Nepali FA had recently claimed both legs of their World Cup Qualifier would be played in Kathmandu, Nepal. Timor Leste lacks any kind of stadium that meets FIFA standards, whatever they maybe (!), and in the last qualifying campaign played Hong Kong In Bali.

In an email to the Nepal FA they said that they wanted to use Maguwoharjo Stadium in Yogyakarta, usually used by PSS Sleman.

In more Nepali news it looks like ormer Totteham defender Graham Roberts could well stay on as coach there though nothing has been signed yet.

Big Boys Don't Scare Tanjong Pagar

SLeague new boys Tanjong Pagar United have only scored six goals in their opening 14 games and one of them came in their only win so far, away to Woodlands Wellington. Doesn't look too good, does it?

Until you look at who they scored against;

v SAFFC 1-2

v Tampines Rovers 1-4

v SAFFC 2-2

v Home United 1-3

Their next two games? Against Tampines Rovers and Etoile!

They should be ok as long as their foreigners are playing. In fact the only Singaporean to have scored for the Jaguars is Razaleigh Khalik...and he plays for SAFFC!

Thailand's Relegation Battle

With the TPL long destined for Buriram PEA time to look at the relegation struggle in Thailand.

Good news for Thai Port fans as back to back home wins have seen them climb away from the drop zone. I wonder if the six goals in those two games were linked by any chance to salaries getting paid? But they won't be breathing any easier there because a record of five wins, five draws and five defeats with 16 goals scored and conceded by look a mathematician's wet dream but coach Sasom, whether he stays or leaves, won't be fooled.

Goals are at a premium down there with seven out of the bottom eight averaging less than a goal a game, Chiang Rai United being the only exception thanks in no small measure to Wasan Natasan, the second top scorer in the TPL who has hit nine of their 17 goals.

Talking new boys newly promoted Sri Racha are bottom while fellow newbies Khon Kaen are second bottom separated by Raj, or is it Siam, Navy.

We should never make assumptions in the whacky world of South East Asian football but let's have a laugh and assume three teams will get relegated this year from the TPL which, apparently, ends on Christmas Day.

These then are the teams in those slots

16 - Khon Kaen 15 3 3 9 14-30 12

17 - Raj Navy 15 2 5 8 11-28 11

18 - Sri Racha 15 2 4 9 10-21 10

Bottom club Sri Racha's next two games they will think are winnable, at home to 15th placed TTM Phichet, without a win away from home all season and just one point from their travels, before they make the short journey to take on Raj Navy in the last game before the mid season break.

Khon Kaen have a tougher couple of games with 4th placed Bangkok Glass at home before ending away to a resurgent Thai Port.

Things are so tight down that end of the table, Thai Port's climb based on back to back wins will give everyone hope they can emulate that feat. But be sure that come the transfer window all the strugglers will be looking for that striker whose goals, like Wasan up north, can just keep their heads out of the dreaded relegation places.

Either that or hope someone somewhere unilaterally decides to do without relegation this year...on purely football terms you understand!

Malaysian Groundhopping!

Anybody know how to get to Majlis Perbandaran Selayang Stadium, capacity 11,098 (!) using public transport and, more importantly, how to get back after a game?

Malaysia insists on the daft 8.45 pm kick offs which makes things difficult if you rely on buses or trains especially when stadiums aren't alwaya that close to facilities.

So far the best way I've found to go to a game in Malaysia is stay in Singapore and cross the border to go see Johor at Larkin Stadium!

CHAMPIONS!!!

Malaysia Premier League

1 - Selangor PKNS 20 17 3 0 49-5 54

2 - Sarawak 20 13 3 4 49-16

3 - Sime Darby 20 10 4 6 22-11

Well, it doesn't get more convincing than that, does it? Still two games left to play

including Sarawk v PKNS!

Of course Malaysia, in common with neighbouring Indonesia, do have a habit of deciding at the last minute to do away with relegation/promotion at the end of the season, I guess it depends on which team finishes at the bottom. I'm sure such decisions are taken purely for footballing reasons

July Good Time For EPL Fans In Malaysia

13/07 - Malaysia XI v Arsenal

21/07 - Malaysia Select v Chelsea

Also rumours Liverpool may come over as well. No sign of Manchester United which could lead to questions being asked in parliament...

SAFFC Win Big To Stay In Hunt

Balestier Khalsa v Geylang United 3-1 (Kim Kwang Young 2, OG; Amy Recha) 858

Woodlands Wellington v SAFFC 1-5 (Goh Swee Swee; OG, Mislav Kaoglan, Fazrul Nawaz 3) 681

Home United v Tanjong Pagar 3-1 (Frederic Mendy2, Ashraf Rashid; Kim Jong Oh) 1,441

1 - Home United 16 11 2 3 40-15 35

2 - Tampines Rovers 14 10 3 1 30-11 33

3 - SAFFC 14 9 2 3 30-16 29

Tonight sees Tampines play Tanjong Pagar with victory against the cellar dwellers taking them back to the top of the SLeague.

12 - Frederic Mendy (Home United), Aleksander Duric (Tampines Rovers)

11 - Mislav Karoglan (SAFFC)

Aceh To Host Mini Tournament?

Anybody know anything about a mini tournament to be held in Aceh next month? Possibly featuring teams from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia?

The Biggest Story Of Recent Days

And no, it's not me winning gold at a tug of war or getting ratted all weekend, can Persiba Bantul survive in the Indonesia Super League? Read about it in the Jakarta Globe why don't you...

Hiroshi wins CAFC

This report came out on Sun.Star Cebu on May 30

ALTHOUGH they were down early in the Men�s Open championship match of the 11th Cebu Amateur Football Club National Interclub Football Cup yesterday at the University of San Carlos-Technology Center pitch, Hiroshi FC showed the will of a champion to score a come-from-behind win over, 5-4, over Waterfresh-Queen City United (QCU) in penalty shootout.



Waterfresh-QCU had the first half advantage with a goal in the 40th minute from Rocky Garciano, one of former Hiroshi players who have transferred to other clubs.

The arrival of the Azkals must have been a lucky sign for Hiroshi FC because just as their bus stopped right behind the QCU goal, Hiroshi FC team captain Voltaire Montebon scored an amazing 25-yard free kick from the left flank, getting through the wall and through the Waterfresh-QCU goalkeeper in the 62nd minute.

There was a brief five-minute pause in the match, as the crowd flocked near the sidelines when the Azkals, led by goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, disembarked from the team bus and walked up the stage to watch the ongoing Men�s Open championship match. The Azkals were also in attendance to award the winners of the tournament.

As soon as the Azkal-mania subsided, both teams continued to play physical football but neither squad could hit the target at the end of regulation, with the match tied at 1-1.

Hiroshi had a chance to dispose of its rival squad in the first half of extra time with two shots on target but the Waterfresh-QCU�s custodian was able to deflect both shots. A volley by Harold Buot just from outside the box forced a save, while Junard Aguilar also had his shot deflected.

Waterfresh-QCU started to find its rhythm in the second half of extra time but they also failed to hit the back of the net.

In penalty shootout, Hiroshi FC once again found themselves trailing, 2-1, after Waterfresh-QCU stopped second kicker Rommel Cortes. Both teams next kickers hit the back of the net to make it 3-2.

Then misfortune struck Queen City. Rene Menchavez hit his shot wide, opening the way for Jan Michael Flores�s equalizer.

Queen City�s last kicker and former PHL 23-Under teammember Arnie Pasinabo also missed his strike, hitting the right post, while Buot calmly hit the back of the net to spark a wild celebration of the club.

Composure

�We didn�t lose hope. We were really aiming for a championship,� Montebon, who was named the MVP, told Sun.Star Cebu.

Montebon and Frederick Alazas worked hand in hand for the revival of the club, which used to dominate local football.

�We started from scratch but we believed in ourselves. It was a matter of composure,� said Alazas, who added the team wasn�t able to practice much owing to their busy schedule.

Alazas said it has been a long time since they won an 11-a-side title that he can no longer when their last title run was.

Earlier that day, Abellana National School-Pomeroy remained unbeaten and overwhelmed home team USC-TC, 6-2, to win the Boys 17 crown.

Fair Play: A blast from the past

I MET two of my most favorite Azkal players over lunch�Alexander Borromeo and Emilio �Chieffy� Caligdong�during a lunch with the team at The Port just last Saturday.

I like the two because they were with the team when this whole football turnaround started, in the Tiger Cup 2004 in Malaysia. For me, that was when this renaissance started, and it culminated in that unforgettable night in Vietnam.


Chieffy, Ali, Anton del Rosario, Chris Greatwich, Roel Gener and Ian Araneta are the only members left of that squad, which also had Chad Gould (who had to leave this year�s tryouts due to an infection), Michael Casas (making his international debut as an 18-year-old starter) and Ariel Zerrudo, who for me, will always be remembered as the guy who missed a golden opportunity to score first against Thailand.

I didn�t expect much from that team, considering in the 2002 Tiger Cup, we conceded 24 goals in 4 losses and scored only three.

But things changed in 2004. And for the life of me, I forgot to ask Chieffy and Ali how they did it.

Aris Caslib, the then coach of the team, told me after the tournament, �We were able to play decently, it is a remarkable improvement and totally different from the previous teams, ngayon lang siya (then PFF president Johnny Romualdez) nakakita ng team na willing magpakamatay.�

And it is the willingness to give their all on the pitch that has endeared the team to Pinoys�fans and non-fans alike.

Against Myanmar, the team conceded an injury time goal to lose, 1-0, and against Malaysia, Casas stopped a penalty but the team still lost, 4-1, with Gould scoring off a diving header in his debut.

But it was against Timor Leste that the never-say-die attitude was shown and Chieffy was right in the thick of things. Still trailing, 1-0, Chieffy scored the equalizer in the 89th and the go-ahead goal in the 93rd.

�Grabe gid to,� Chieffy said when I asked him about those two goals. �Feed to ni Ali, duha ka flick headers.�

It was because of that game that, for the first time, me and the two other football fans in the office then, had high hopes for the last match against Thailand.

It was also the first time that a Philippine football sort of became a unifying factor as the two fans�who had a disagreement over a Pacquiao fight�hadn�t talked, or even looked at each other, prior that Thailand match.

We all shouted at Zerrudo for his miss in the 14th minute�taking a harried shot when he had no defender in the penalty box�and we were all shouting like crazy when Chieffy scored in the 27th minute.

�Pwede nako mamatay! 1-0 against Thailand!� I remember screaming.

We lost that one, of course, and we had so many heartbreaks and disappointmentss�on and off the field�since that day. Even I lost interest in the team, disappointed by the political intramurals of the PFF.

But all of that changed in December last year.

And I was very glad that Ali and Chieffy, and Anton, Ian, Gener and that spunky Chris Greatwich all got to savor it, to walk off a football giant�s home field, as the winner.

They certainly earned it for what they started almost seven years ago.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. I try to avoid writing about European football because I feel I don�t have enough knowledge to give it justice, but I lost a bet.

Well, what can I say? It was wrong to bet against the football genius that is Roy Moore. The majestic Barcelona played such fluid football that it broke gender stereotypes. Their dominance over Manchester United was so complete that the Barcelona B team would have probably stood a better chance of touching the ball.

Roy is also the coach of Payatas FC and Kasiglahan FC, which brings football to underprivileged kids, and also did the Tweetcast during the Challenge Cup matches. Smart loved it so much that he�s been asked to do the same for the World Cup qualifiers in Sri Lanka. To follow the tweetcast, just follow �roymondous� on Twitter.

Davao kids in PH team

TWO young footballers from Davao City have been named to the Philippines U13 boys football team, which will compete in the Asean Football Confederation (AFC) Festival of Football from June 1 to 7 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Darius Joseph Ramos Diamante and Javier Romero-Salas, both of the Ateneo de Davao University, were the only players from the Davao Region taken in by the national team. The PH boy booters will be playing nine other countries in the week-long tournament.

Both 13 years old, Diamante and Romero-Salaws didn't just earned slots to the national squad, they were also picked captains of the young booters bound for international competition. Diamante was picked skipper of the first team and Romero-Salas was named captain of the second team.


Joy Ramos Diamante, Jed's mother, said Philippine Football Federation (PFF) officials made the announcement of the two Davao players' inclusion to the PH team last Saturday in Cebu where the players participated in a clinic conducted by some members of the Philippines Azkals at the Aboitiz Field.


Diamante and Romero-Salas had undergone training with other U13 players from others parts of the country since April 25 before they officially secured slots to the national team. Both players have been teammates since the time they played in the U6 tournaments.

Jed, as Diamante is called, has two brothers who were also named to the PH U14 team--Gio and Gelo. Diamante, who started playing soccer whe he was still five years old under coach Christian Eya, graduated from Grade 6 as salutatorian.

Both Diamante and Romero-Salas qualified to the PH U13 team when they were selected by coach Bing Colina during the PFF Mindanao finals held at the Deca Homes in Davao City. Both players have been teammates in Palarong Pambansa tournaments as well in a series of as competitions in Europe.


Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on May 30, 2011.

Cebu Football - Hiroshi ends drought

ALTHOUGH they were down early in the Men�s Open championship match of the 11th Cebu Amateur Football Club National Interclub Football Cup yesterday at the University of San Carlos-Technology Center pitch, Hiroshi FC showed the will of a champion to score a come-from-behind win over, 5-4, over Waterfresh-Queen City United (QCU) in penalty shootout.

Waterfresh-QCU had the first half advantage with a goal in the 40th minute from Rocky Garciano, one of former Hiroshi players who have transferred to other clubs.

The arrival of the Azkals must have been a lucky sign for Hiroshi FC because just as their bus stopped right behind the QCU goal, Hiroshi FC team captain Voltaire Montebon scored an amazing 25-yard free kick from the left flank, getting through the wall and through the Waterfresh-QCU goalkeeper in the 62nd minute.


There was a brief five-minute pause in the match, as the crowd flocked near the sidelines when the Azkals, led by goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, disembarked from the team bus and walked up the stage to watch the ongoing Men�s Open championship match. The Azkals were also in attendance to award the winners of the tournament.

As soon as the Azkal-mania subsided, both teams continued to play physical football but neither squad could hit the target at the end of regulation, with the match tied at 1-1.


Hiroshi had a chance to dispose of its rival squad in the first half of extra time with two shots on target but the Waterfresh-QCU�s custodian was able to deflect both shots. A volley by Harold Buot just from outside the box forced a save, while Junard Aguilar also had his shot deflected.

Waterfresh-QCU started to find its rhythm in the second half of extra time but they also failed to hit the back of the net.


In penalty shootout, Hiroshi FC once again found themselves trailing, 2-1, after Waterfresh-QCU stopped second kicker Rommel Cortes. Both teams next kickers hit the back of the net to make it 3-2.


Then misfortune struck Queen City. Rene Menchavez hit his shot wide, opening the way for Jan Michael Flores�s equalizer.

Queen City�s last kicker and former PHL 23-Under teammember Arnie Pasinabo also missed his strike, hitting the right post, while Buot calmly hit the back of the net to spark a wild celebration of the club.

Composure

�We didn�t lose hope. We were really aiming for a championship,� Montebon, who was named the MVP, told Sun.Star Cebu.

Montebon and Frederick Alazas worked hand in hand for the revival of the club, which used to dominate local football.

�We started from scratch but we believed in ourselves. It was a matter of composure,� said Alazas, who added the team wasn�t able to practice much owing to their busy schedule.

Alazas said it has been a long time since they won an 11-a-side title that he can no longer when their last title run was.

Earlier that day, Abellana National School-Pomeroy remained unbeaten and overwhelmed home team USC-TC, 6-2, to win the Boys 17 crown.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 30, 2011.

Philippine team to hold mall tour today

SUPPORTERS of the Philippine National Football Team will have the chance for a meet-and-greet with their idols as the team heads to Ayala Center Cebu today for their mall tour at The Terraces, at 3 p.m.

Among the crowd favorites who will be present in the event are Phil and James Younghusband, goal keeper Neil Etheridge and Simon Greatwich.

Joining them are Cebuanos Paolo Pascual and Nathan Burkey, Roel Gener, Yanti Bersales, William Espinosa, Yannick Tuazon, Ricardo Becite, Eduard Sacapa�o, Christopher Camcam, Nestorio Margarse, James Rochmitz and Misagh Bahadoran.



Team Captain Aly Borromeo, Ian Araneta, Chieffy Caligdong and Anton Del Rosario flew back to Manila last Saturday for their game in the United Football League. Borromeo will be back for the event while Araneta and Caligdong are still unsure of returning.

Aside from the players, coaches and staff of the team will be around, headed by team manager Dan Palami and head coach Michael Weiss.

Only those who have a meet-and-greet pass can access the VIP area during the event. The pass is good for two persons only.

Meet and greet passes can be availed of by shoppers who will purchase the �I Heart Azkals� shirt worth P300 at the Privilege Desk. Holders of the meet and greet pass will also have a picture taken with the team.

Ayala, in partnership with the Cebu Football Association, also held a weekend football clinic for kids 5 to 12 years old. The participants had their culmination exercises yesterday with the national 13-Under team, also known as the Little Azkals.

The proceeds of the clinic will be given to the CFA for the benefit of the Little Azkals, who will be competing in an international tournament this June.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 30, 2011.

Sunday----May 29, 2011

Well, Memorial day weekend is  usually a slow couple of days for football news  and so it is this year. I hope to have another year of game programs scans up later this week. The football magazines should start showing up is a week or so. I'm sure there will be a lot of football stuff to talk about.

In the meantime, Mrs Blog and I wish everyone a safe and pleasant holiday weekend.

The Wall Street Journal has an essay by James Hornefischer about Memorial Day and World War II vets that is an excellent read.

So is his book "The last stand of the Tim Can Sailors" if you should be looking for something to read on a summer vacation.

UFL - Sunday`s results / Global vs Air Force cancelled

Green Archers 2 (Pasilan 11" 27") - Loyola 5 (Cutamora 22", M. Hartmann 70" 82" 87" 93") FT

Kaya 2-2 Army . Goals Kaya : Aly Borromeo, Anton Del Rosario
Army : Meliton Pelayo and Romano Vestal


Global vs Air Force at 6 pm was cancelled because of unplayable field. Match will be played on 1. June

Cebu - Azkals at Ayala

Wear your love for AZKALS for only P300 and get a meet and greet pass good for two (2) on May 30, 3PM @The Terraces! Available in the Privileges Desk starting Friday, May 27. Limited edition only! Good until supplies last! (Proceeds go to Cebu Football Association)

PFF U19 - Iloilo Champions !!

PFF U19 Finals Sunday in San Carlos City

Iloilo 2-1 NCR B

Iloilo PFF U19 Champions !!

Third place match

NCR A 0-3 NORFA (Dumaguete)

NORFA (Dumaguete) win third place match

Sri Lanka easy prey for Azkals?

by Peter Atencio


LITTLE is known about the Sri Lankan national team�the Brave Reds�the Philippine Azkals� first opponent in their first home-and-away match for the World Cup qualifying encounters.

Most of the Brave Reds came from the Sri Lankan Premier League and have yet to come up with an impressive showing in the international scene.

In the group stage competitions of the 2012 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup two months ago, the Brave Reds finished Group D with a draw and a loss.

Azkals team manager Dan Palami said members of the squad feel upbeat of their chances in coming up with convincing wins after viewing the game tapes of the Brave Reds recently.

�We watched the tapes of their game. If we continue what we�re doing and with new players coming in, I think we have a good chance of getting past them,� said Palami.

The Brave Reds have four experienced players, whom they are counting on playing in club tournaments in India, namely goalkeeper Sugath Dammika Thilakaratne, Channa Ediri Bandanage, along with midfielders Mohamed Izzadeen and forward Kasun Jayasuriya.

On the other hand, the Philippines will be fielding its best lineup in recent years and could give the Brave Reds a run for their money.

The presence of Fil-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, Rob Gier, Aly Borromeo, the Younghusband brothers Phil and James, Ray Jonsson, Angel Guirrado, William Guerridon, Chris Greatwich, Lucena, and Anton del Rosario will enable to the Philippine Azkals to hurdle their assignments against the Brave Reds.

At the moment the Azkals are in Cebu for a weeklong training camp, and are staying at Plantation Bay in Mactan.

Manila Standard Today

Cebu Football - Aroroy upsets USC-TC, 1-0

Aroroy FC scored a 1-0 upset over division leader University of San Carlos-Technology Center (USC-TC) to bring home the crown in the Girls 17 category of the 11th Cebu Amateur Football Club yesterday at the San Roque pitch.

USC-TC was unbeaten in the elimination round and defeated Masbate�s Aroroy FC twice in the tournament. But somehow the visiting squad found a way to beat USC-TC, courtesy of an early goal from Tessa Marie Jazul, who was awarded with the Golden Boot, in the second minute.

USC-TC had countless scoring opportunities the whole match, including two free kick attempts outside the box in the waning minutes of the game, but somehow the ball just wouldn�t hit its target.

MTI successfully defended its crown in the Boys 14 division after a razor-thin 1-0 victory over Abellana National School-Pomeroy.

Mark Joseph Felicilda, who won MVP honors, scored the lone goal of the championship match in the first minute.

Meanwhile, San Carlos City�s Los Amigos edged out home team Paref-Springdale and grabbed the Boys 12 crown with a 1-0 win yesterday at the Paref-Springdale football field.

Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, on the other hand, defeated San Roque Royal United, 2-0, to clinch the Players 10 title also at the Paref-Springdale pitch.

The championship games of the Men�s Open and Boys 17 divisions will played today at the USC-TC pitch followed by the formal awarding, which will be graced by the PHL National Men�s team, the Azkals.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 30, 2011.

Azkals share expertise with kids

The Philippine National Football team shared their expertise with selected kids in a football clinic yesterday at the Aboitiz Field.

The Azkals trained the members of the Under-13 national team who dubbed themselves the Little Azkals. The young players are set to leave for Malaysia this Monday to face nine countries in the Asean Football Confederation Festival of Football.

�It�s an inspiration for the kids who are looking forward to be one with the Azkals someday,� said Richard Montayre of the Cebu Football Association.

Five Cebuanos made it to the lineup of the Little Azkals, who will be sent on the first international Under-13 competition of the AFC. The country was able to send a national team for the Under-14 tournament last year.

�This is a stronger team this year,� said Montayre.

Coach Elying Toledo revealed that the kids were excited to meet their idols but he constantly reminds his players to stay focused as they are down to the final days of training. �Masaya kasi dito rin kami nagsimula. Magandang way ito para mapromote yung football grassroots,� said striker Ian Araneta.

Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who is visiting Cebu for second time, said he hopes for more kids to be involved in football clinics.

�Helping children learn football is a great experience for me,� Etheridge said.

Injuries

Meanwhile, Azkal forward William Espinosa dislocated his elbow in a non-football related accident when he fell off-balance from a jetski while frolicking with the team.

He was brought directly to Mactan Doctors� Hospital but no fracture was reflected in the X-ray results. Espinosa is in half cast right now.

�He will be ready in one to two weeks. There is no problem on fitness,� said conditioning coach Josef Malinay.

On the other hand, Anton Del Rosario caught a viral infection that was very similar with what derailed Chad Gould.

He was hospitalized but is expected to recover in the next few days.

�I feel fine. I had instructions not to sweat too much. Just give me a few days and I�ll get right back into it,� Del Rosario said. (CDG)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 29, 2011.

Recruiting 2012--Erick Haywood

Rivals.com image

Rivals.com reports UMass has offered to Erick Haywood, a 6-2 212 pd Athlete from Orange Park, FL.

His Rivals.com page is here.

Haywood played both ways for Orange Park, HS. Ran a 4.48 40. Averaged 8.2 yards a carry running the ball.

Besides UMass, Haywood holds offers from Illinois and Southern Mississippi. Showing interest are Arkansas State, Duke, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Southern Florida, Syracuse and USF.

'Judgement Day' Sunday as Air Force Rider, Global Smartmatic clash

The race for the United Football League title boils down to one final game as defending champion Air Force Rider meets Global Smartmatic Sunday at the Uniiversity of Makati pitch.

Kick off is at 6 p.m. with the UFL league crown at stake. The two squads also played for the UFL LBC Cup with Global winning an enthralling final, 3-2, last January.

Air Force, with a league-leading 26 points and plus-23 goal difference, is looking to complete a sensational ride to a second straight title.

Global, on the other hand, will be seeking to punctuate its remarkable turnaround from second division titlist to top-flight champions and add to its Cup triumph earlier in the year.

Global set the stage for the final-day drama as it dismantled Navy FC, 8-0,Wednesday night at the UMak pitch, behind a hat-trick from Izo El-Habbib.

The result meant that Global moved up to 23 points in 11 matches with a plus-22 goal difference.

The Airmen only need a draw on Sunday, but a 1-0 win for Global will also be enough for them to wrest the title.

Two equally interesting matches are also scheduled Sunday with Kaya Cignal facing Army Fritz and Macziol IBM at 4 p.m. after Green Achers Orient Freight plays Loyola Meralco Sparks at 2 p.m.

Attendance in Sunday matches has steadily risen this year and another huge crowd is expected when the league's top two teams collide.

Despite its unbeaten record, Global seemed to have faded out of the title race after a run of five draws.

During that same stretch, Air Force started picking up its game, allowing them to nearly pull away from the UFL pack.

But Global gave themselves a lifeline with a 1-0 win over Kaya Cignal Sunday where Aaron Altiche scored the goal that saved its title aspirations.

Air Force could have sealed the title earlier, but they lost to Kaya, 0-1. The Airmen came to life anew with a 6-0 drubbing of Army Fritz and Macziol IBM last Sunday.

With both squads in a rich vein of form, the final should be too close to call. Air Force and Global also played to a 1-1 draw in the first round.

Army is coming off a 3-nil win over Loyola Wednesday.

UFL Website

Where to catch the Azkals

What I am most excited about this weekend is the fact that the national football team is in town.

The Philippine Azkals are so popular that it is difficult to take them around without attracting hordes of fans.

This 4 p.m., the team will be holding a practice session at the Aboitiz Sports Field in Subangdaku, Mandaue City. I was told that there is an entry fee of P100 for those who want to watch. There is ample parking in the Aboitiz Sports Field so you don�t have to worry much about your vehicle.

The Azkals will be back there tomorrow from 7 to 10 a.m. and in the afternoon they will be at the University of San Carlos-Talamban field for the awards ceremony of the 11th National Interclub Football Cup.

This football event is organized by the Cebu Amateur Football Club, the mother association of the Queen City United teams.

The Azkals are again scheduled to be back at the Aboitiz Field on Monday morning still from 7 to 10 and then in the afternoon, they will be at Ayala Center Cebu.

Having followed football for a long time as a sportswriter and at many instances also a player in the school and club tournaments, I am very happy to see the sport get that much attention.



There is, however, a price for fame and I�m sure that the Azkals would also appreciate it if the fans would allow them to do their practices without being bothered by autograph seekers and those wanting to snap pictures that they would post on their Facebook pages.

Maybe after the practices, this can be done, so please bear with the team officials if you are told not to go near yet and wait for the proper time.



Freeman

Welcome To The Party

It's not often Indonesia leads the world in anything beyond natural disasters, man made disasters and boasting the world's largest Muslim population...what, you never knew that? How remiss of CNN and BBC not to mention that every time they mention the place.

For the last couple of years at least Indonesians have been clamouring for a reform of their national football association, known locally as the PSSI (which of course is an anagram of piss). The reasons are like the leaves on a tree but for starters include having a convicted felon running the game from behind bars for a while. At the time FIFA, and the AFC, did nothing which of course implies acit support at the very least.

It's worth remembering that small titbit as both Sepp Blatter and Mohammed Bin Hammam squirm under the glare of corruption allegations brought about by England's failed World Cup bid and Qatar's successful one.

Incompetency, abuse of power and political savvy are prequisites for positions of power in the world we live in and there is no reason why FIFA, AFC and PSSI should be any different. But does that explain how Indonesia was able to host the Asian Cup in 2007 with a convicted corrupter in charge?

For a long time it seemed Indonesian football fans where pissing in the wind. Oh, do I like that! Then Indonesia's World Cup bid, anyone remember that, fell by the way side with the government saying they wouldn't support the effort to bring the 'biggest show on earth' to their country, saying they would rather the PSSI concentrated on improving the performance of the local league and the national team before moving on to world domination.

With the government now actively saying the PSSI needed reforming things started moving. A special football congress was held in Malang which gave recommendations to the PSSI to clean up their act. The PSSI said thank you very much for your suggestions but we're charged with running the game in Indonesia and we will do what we see fit. and of course they were right. Because they had FIFA's support.

The calls for reform grew stronger with more and more people getting involved. The fans were always there but now politicians, their finely tuned antennae sensing votes saw a band wagon worth jumping on adding their voices to the growing calls for change.

PSSI continued to do nothing and cries to FIFA for help were ignored.

Then came the Liga Primer Indonesia with its slogan Change The Game. Funded by a wealthy businessman they attracted three teams from the official PSSI sanctioned leagues and started kicking a ball in January of this year. PSSI responded by taking a large number of officials to Qatar for the Asian Cup and Bali for a chat. The PSSI members, those with the vote, remained firmly behind the leadership, Nurdin, while the PSSI threatened to deport foreign players and coaches involved in the rebel league.

FIFA too firmly opposed the LPI and said they would under no circumstances talk with them. Without PSSI recognition the LPI was just a well paid pub league in the eyes of Sepp Blatter and co.

2011 is an election year in the PSSI and a congress was held in Palembang to elect a new leader. Various candidates had been disqualified by a PSSI authorised committee including a general and the man with the money behind the LPI leaving only two candidates, the incumbent and a scion of a wealthy and influential political/business family long involved in Indonesian football.

The congress ended in a PR disaster for PSSI. A FIFA delegate in town to attend the meeting didn't attend. The PSSI claimed he decided the scenes of mayhem were too much and he had gone home. The delegate replied by saying the PSSI had prevented him from attending.

The fiasco in Palembang had finally shown the incompetence of the leadership to a wider audience. From a position of strength, they had the full unqualified support of FIFA despite Nurdin's conviction, they had become pariahs and the leadership soon scurried away from the scene humiliated.

Suddenly, as if from nowhere, there was a reform group in the PSSI membership demanding the general and the businessman be reinstated as candidates. A reform group that was not heard from during the Qatar and Bali trips. A second attempt at setting up an election also ended up in disaster with FIFA and AFC delegates looking on bemused.

And that's where we stand now. Indonesia is on the precipice of expulsion from FIFA competitions as it struggles to elect new leaders to head the PSSI. Yet had FIFA acted swiftly when Nurdin was first convicted of corruption charges and had change been effected then we would not be in this mess now. FIFA has seen fit to suspend Brunei, tiny Brunei, over allegations of political interference in the running of their FA yet they have been strangely quiet over Indonesia and the convicted felon running the game there.

Both Blatter and Bin Hammam have promised to clean up the game and make it more transparent. Perhaps they can start by explaining why they saw fit to support the PSSI while Nurdin was behind bars.

The spotlight is now on FIFA of course with allegations of corruption flying around and the odious members rushing to cover their individual arses in the wake of charge and counter charge. But let's understand why this is happening. England and the US bids failed. They are in effect kicking up a storm in the role of sore losers. Had they won we would not be involved in this mud slinging now. Everyone, it seems, accepts impropriety as the norm. Until they lose out.

It's great that FIFA is under the spotlight at last for its murky transactions carried out in dingy, dark lit corridors among the rats and cockroaches. What would have been better though would have been if the whistles had been blown, in unison, during the campaign. Withdraw then, on a point of principal, and you have the moral high ground. Complain after the fact and you sound like a sore loser.

Now we have sections of the international media calling for FIFA to be reformed and for the elections to be cancelled. For us, here in Indonesia, it's deja vu.

Fair Play: The best farce forward

THIS is getting ridiculous.

And I�m talking about the factions in Cebu football, whose fighting, believe, is stopping the growth of local football. Both, mind you, think they are right and in a case like that, nobody wins.

One of the latest issues was Carmelo Genco�s inclusion in the national U13 team.


When it comes to the selection of a team, what the coach says is usually enough. But no, the other faction said. The selection is biased, they cried. And off they wailed to the PFF director, coming up with an anonymous letter from concerned U13 parents asking why Genco got in over the other members of the Cebu Elite U13 team.
And what did that get them? Cebuanos getting called arrogant.

�Why would,� the critics say, �members of Cebu�s Elite U13 team expect to have first shot at the national team in the first place? It�s a national team, not the Cebu team.�

I agree. I wanted to write about that issue but the thing is, Genco getting in wasn�t the real issue. And could the problem have been avoided if the communication between coach and players was not hampered by factionism?

Carmelo Genco�s fault was not being named to the national team over members of the Cebu U13 elite team. His lone fault was being the son of Rachel Genco, one fourth of the current CFA leadership�the other side of the faction.

And now come the Azkals and there�s another petty quarrel? Fighting over who gets to be with the team the way childish Slytherins and Griffindors fawned over 11-year-old Harry Potter?

�We got Potter!� Gryffindor said.

�It was our club officers who fetched the Azkals from the airport! Where were the CFA officials?�

Where, indeed was the CFA? As the local representative of the PFF, they should have been there. And did CAFC�s whisking away of the Azkals from the airport have something to do with the snub on local media?

�The Azkals will join our awarding ceremonies,� CAFC said.

�No, they invited them but I don�t think they will attend because of their busy schedule,� the CFA countered.

�It�s the time to unite, not to fight,� The Sorting Hat said.

The CFA wants to drag the Azkals to their own activities, while the CAFC wants them on their own turf, too. I think it�s a childish tug-of-war and not the best face of Cebu football to show members of the national team.

This infighting started with a clash of ideas, over two years ago, of how Cebu football should be run. The then PFF president drove a wedge between the two groups last year, and this year, things are just as bad.

I have friends in both groups and I take no sides, it would be foolish for me to do so. I support each group�s activities, as long as it is not directed at each other.

It is sad because Cebu football needs the two groups to work together. If they don�t believe what each other is doing, I hope both can respect each other, they certainly deserve it. The CAFC, for what is has done for the sport, staging one of Cebu�s biggest tournaments for 11 years, and the CFA as the local authority of football who led the oust You-Know-Who movement.

How about a truce, guys? Besides, you can take the fight in the RIGHT stage in only a
few months. The CFA elections is this November, right?

THEY SAID IT. �We�re at Plantation Bay!� Tweets from the Azkals, moments after checking in at Plantation Bay, whose staff told Sun.Star Cebu a day earlier that they were under instructions not to reveal where the team was staying and that local media, and fans, were barred from the hotel.

�$#%$(^^&^NG (&^$*@!! F*&%&*&%#ING #@%!#$^%$�--My reply, not tweeted, but shouted at the monitor.

GREETINGS. Happy birthday to Joseli Pascual Mahusay, a football fan and Azkal tita. Jo, they say folks who were born on May 27 do great things. I think they�re right, right?

Cebu Football - Springdale boots out SHS-Ateneo to advance

DESPITE the muddy football pitch which made it difficult for the players to pass the ball, Paref-Springdale booked a finals seat today against the Los Amigos in the 11th Cebu Amateur Football Club Interclub (CAFC) National Football Cup at the Springdale football field.

Springdale defeated Sacred Heart School- Ateneo De Cebu 2-1 in yesterday�s Boys 12-Under semifinals.

Jomigo Rafols scired first for Springdale in 4:31 minutes, before Ateneo�s Kurt Cuizon tied the match with a goal in the 12th minute.


With eight minutes left and Ateneo making two failed attempts to score, Springdale�s Ryan James Haosen shocked the crowd as he took the ball from the halfway line and made an incredible score to lead, 2-1.


�It was really a difficult game for my players on the muddy pitch but I am glad that they were able to pull it off. I just hope we will have a good weather for tomorrow�s finals,� Springdale�s head coach Mario Ceniza said.

Springdale will have a tall order when they face tough players from Los Amigos of
San Carlos City, who scored an 8-0 win in their semifinal match against Danao.

Los Amigos� Shanden Vergara contributed four goals for Los Amigos, while Tristan Perez had three. Derick Clivert Domicello contributed one for the team.

Last year, Springdale bowed to Don Bosco Technological Center in the 12-Under boys finals.


In the Boys� 10, San Roque Royal United (SRRU) booted out Danao in a penalty shootout, 4-3, for today�s finals. SRRU will face Ateneo, which defeated Queen City United, 5-2.


Mandaue Technological Institute won against Ateneo, 2-1, to face Abellana National School in the Boys 14-Under finals. ANS booked a finals seat after blanking Ormoc FC, 4-0.

In the Boys 17-Under, Blessed John Seminary bowed to Manila Soccer Academy, 6-2, while Ormoc FC pummeled University of San Carlos North Campus, 8-0.

USTC faces Aroroy FC of Masbate in today�s Girls 17-Under finals.

In the last day of the men�s open elimination round, D-League bowed to USTC, 7-0, and SRU won against Hijos Del Pueblo, 5-2.

In today�s men�s open semi-finals, Hiroshi will face SRRU, while Waterfresh Queen City United will play against USTC.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 28, 2011.

Friday--May 27, 2011

Jeff Thomas has an article on UMass making the cut on the NCAA's APR. In the past, UMass and Delaware have accepted a lot of transfers, which has a negative effect on APR, so those two schools have usually finished near the bottom of the CAA in APR.

Now that we are FBS, any transfers would have to sit out a year, so we will likely be taking less of them, with a corresponding positive move in APR.

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The UMass website has a story about an image of James Ihedigbo being entered in the NFL's Hall of Fame Photo contest.

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They also have a link to an Arizona Cardinals alumni event attended by Marcel Shipp.

Shipp is still on the roster of the Las Vegas Locomotives.

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Craig Haley of TSN has the Top Ten FCS special teams players.

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Boise State will play at Toledo this year and the game has been moved to Friday Sept 16th in front of a national TV audience on ESPN or ESPN2. Boise State's 2010 #7 ranking will make them the highest rated home opponent ever for Toledo.

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Timor Leste World Cup Preparations

Andy's 1890

The FIFA World Cup Qualification had just announced the draw for the Asians football teams. Timor Leste were put against Nepal, the Himalayas Nation. Nepal whose rank only 172 ; meanwhile, Timor Leste only rank 201.

The first leg of this tournament will be at in Kathmandu, Nepal which have 42 degrees in temperature. This is a challenge for Timorese players who live in humid and hot weather. The first leg are set in June 29. 2011. Orlando Mendes, a deputy general of Federacao de Futebol de Timor Leste said that, our players will be warm by wearing a long sleeve football shirt and we will arrive in Nepal, two weeks earlier so that we could use to the weather in Nepal.

Timor Leste seleccao�s preparation for this world cup, would start in April 27, 2011; They are going to spent their training in Dili for three weeks and then they go to Jogjakarta for training and exhibition games with Indonesia�s football clubs.

29 Players will be participated in the World Cup squad, 16 players are from overseas and 13 players from local. This squad will be using Maguwoharjo Stadium, which hold 30,000 capacities, for training and second leg.

Coach Antonio Carlos Viera will be joining the seleccao in April 25, 2011. The seleccao will left Jogjakarta in June 13, 2011 and will be arriving in Kathmandu on Morning June 15, 2011. Here are the Exhibition games and the list of Players.

Exhibition Games

Persip Pekalongan, May 27, 2011 -

Persija Jakarta, May 30, 2011, Gelora Bung Karno Stadium

Arema FC, June 3, 2011, Kanjuruhan Stadium

Persipura Jayapura, June 8, 2011, Maguwoharjo Stadium

First Leg FWCQ: Nepal Vs Timor Leste, June 29, 2011, Dasarath Rangasala Stadium

Second Leg FWCQ : Timor Leste Vs Nepal, July 3, 2011, Maguwoharjo Stadium (Check this story for an alternate venue...)

The Squad List

GK 1, Diamantino Leong ( Adi), October 8, 1986, FC Rusa Fuik (Timor Leste)

GK 14, Rodrigo Cruz, November 13, 1984, GD Mealhada (Portugal)

GK 29, Leonel, July 5, 1986, FC Porto Taibesi (Timor Leste)

DF 2, Cabita Lebere, August 15, 1980, FC Rusa Fuik (Timor Leste)

DF 6, Chris Nunes, January 6, 1985, Marconi Stallions FC ( Australia)

DF 10, De Jesus, August 10, 1987, FC Porto Taibesi ( Timor Leste)

DF 12, Afonso Carson, May 16, 1987, Gwangju Gwangsan FC ( S. Korea)

DF 18, Ed Dino, Febuary 9, 1983, Bandung Jaya (Indonesia)

DF 20, Ede Araujo, April 29, 1988, Persik Kediri ( Indonesia)

DF 22, Ernesto Da Costa Pinto ( Eney), January 3, 1984 , UTP FC ( Malaysia)

DF 24, Juvito, January 27, 1987, Ad. Dili Leste ( Timor Leste)

DF 26, Miguel Santos Soares, July 4, 1984, Ad. Dili Leste ( Timor Leste)

MF 5, Americo Ximenes, October 11, 1986, Creveela FC ( Northern Ireland)

MF 7, Cipriano Branco, August 24, 1985, FC B River ( Brazil)

MF 9, Emmanuel Nonny, December 25, 1986, Persibo Bojenegra ( Indonesia)

MF 11, Eusebio, June 9, 1985, FC Porto Taibesi (Timor Leste) ( Captain)

MF 13, Helder Mota Ricardo (Eric), August 1, 1977, Ad Dili Leste ( Timor Leste)

MF 15, Jose Joao Pereira,October 9, 1981, Ad. Dili Leste ( Timor Leste)

MF 17, Robert M. Aja, July 7, 1985, Portuguese Youth FC ( Malaysia)

MF 25, Sidonio Augusto De Jesus ( Donny),July 18, 1981, Grants Braes FC ( New Zealand) ( C0- Captain)

MF 27, Torres Vidigal, January 19, 1990, Portuguese Youth FC ( Malaysia)

MF 28, Vicente Ramos Freitas, December 28, 1985, Ad Dili Oeste ( Timor Leste)

FW 3, Anggisu,March 16, 1993, FC Porto Taibesi ( Timor Leste)

FW 4, Emillo da Silva ( Ary), April 5, 1982, Ad. Dili Oeste ( Timor Leste) ( Third Captain)

FW 8, Ermera, April 1, 1985, Bandung Jaya ( Indonesia)

FW 16, Felipinho Nessa, March 5, 1978, Portuguese Youth FC ( Malaysia)

FW 19, Franco Triana, December 18, 1984, Nuevo Talento FC ( Colombia)

FW 21, Quito, October 25, 1986, Ad. Dili Leste ( Timor Leste)

FW 23, Rossy Salazar, February 7, 1986, Real Mataram ( Indonesia)

Baguio Football - Karika Cup ready to kick off weekend

EVEN WITH the strong rains expected to lash the region with Typhoon Chedeng, the monthly staging of the Karika Cup is set to push through this weekend.

Scheduled on May 28, the Karika Cup, according to organizers will push trough as scheduled, however, if strong rains hit the summer capital by Saturday, officials said they are willing to postpone the games on Sunday, May 29 also at the Melvin Jones Football grounds.

Typhoon Chedeng (international codename: Songda) was not expected to make landfall but will skirt along shores with winds stronger than 150 kilometers per hour and rainfall of 30 millimeters, the government weather bureau said.

Several teams are expected to list up for the three age groups of the competition in the 12 and under (boys and girls), 10 and under (boys and girls) and 8 and under (mixed) categories.

Entry fees for the tournament will be at P200 per team.

Karika Cup was initially organized as a birthday tournament last February but due to the good turn-out and request from parents and coaches, the tournament saw its second staging March 27.

Since then, the tournament has been transformed into Baguio�s grassroots football tournament catering to the 3 grassroots categories of 8-under, 10-under and 12-under with the vision of keeping Karika Cup rolling on a monthly basis so kids can play and enjoy football in a football festival setting and improve their skills.

The tournament is also a self-funded competition with volunteer referees from the Baguio United Football Club, Inc. and the continued support of the Baguio football coaches, parents and football aficionados. (Roderick Osis)


Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on May 27, 2011.

Azkals� match in Rizal Memorial stadium to be a full-blown fan experience

Didn�t fully enjoy the Azkals� game in Pana-ad? Didn�t get to go to Bacolod at all? Just watched the match on television or Youtube?

Fret no more because the upcoming World Cup qualifiers match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium is bound to be a great experience for the fans.

The Philippine Football Federation wants to "create an atmosphere where the people will enjoy being there" at the home leg of the Azkals versus Sri Lanka series.

According to Bonnie Ladrido, chairman of the local organizing committee for the World Cup Qualifiers, the PFF will try to make fan shirts available so expect a sea of either blue or white across the newly-renovated stadium.

But more than the shirts and the comfier seats, what the fans should really watch for is the �booster squad" which will lead the crowd in cheering the Azkals on.

Memories and lessons of Panaad

�I was at the game in Panaad last February. The fans felt a little lost when it came to cheering for the team. Fan support for the Azkals is pretty much young, so the cheers could really be worked on," said football fan Joes Santos.

�But I really hope they don't use the theme song from Pinoy Big Brother again. It was as cheesy as it was annoying," Santos remarked.

The Fan Management Committee led by Richard �Ebong" Joson � the guy with the face paint and blue wig during the Panaad game � will put together the booster squad. It will be made up of about 50 people who will create organized cheers for the Azkals.

More : GMA News

PFF U19 - Iloilo win semifinal

The semifinals in PFF U19 have been played today

Iloilo won 2-0 against NORFA (Dumaguete)

NCR A and NCR B played in other the semifinal.

Cebu Football - Aroroy in semis; ANS stays perfect

VISITING squad Aroroy FC earned a trip to the finals following a decisive 3-0 win over Queen City United (QCU) in the Girls 17 division of the 11th Cebu Amateur Football Club Interclub National Football Cup yesterday at the San Roque football pitch.

Aroroy of Masbate finished with six points from two wins and two losses, while QCU finished the week-long tournament winless.

Aroroy will face division-leader University of San Carlos-Technology Center (USC-TC) in the championship match tomorrow at the San Roque football field.

Abellana National School (ANS)-Pomeroy also earned a semifinal spot after going unbeaten in the elimination round with a 2-1 victory over Manila Soccer Academy (MSA) in Group A of the Boys 17 category at the USC-TC football grounds. Blessed John XXII
Seminary, on the other hand, settled for a draw with Paref-Springdale.

ANS-Pomeroy finished with the No.1 spot in Group B with 12 points, while BJS and MSA are contending for the second semi-final berth with four points each.

In Group A of the Boys 17 class, Ormoc bagged a much-needed win against Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) for a possible slot in the semi-finals.

USC-TC automatically clinched a semi-final berth because of its unbeaten record even though the host still has a game left. SHS-AdC finished the elimination round with six points, while Ormoc also has six points and a win today could catapult the team to the semifinal round.

In the Men�s Open division, Waterfresh-QCU remained atop of Group B with a 4-2 routing over Hijos del Pueblo, while B-Meg captured its first win of the competition after crushing Count FC, 3-0.

In the Boys 14 division, ANS-Pomeroy routed BJS, 6-1, while Ormoc FC overwhelmed MMIS, 4-1, in the Boys 14division.

ANS-Pomeroy also topped its group and is set to face Ormoc FC in the semifinal round today at the San Roque pitch. MTI is up against SHS-AdC in the other semifinal match.

SHS-AdC beat Aroroy FC, 3-0, in the Boys 12 class, while Count FC thrashed SJSM/3 Bros., 4-0, and QCU defeated Canduman, 4-1, in the Players 10 division.

In the semifinals of the Players 10 division, San Roque Royal United will take on Danao FC, while SHS-AdC will face QCU today.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 27, 2011.

Tagum, Igacos to field teams in beach football

City and the Island Garden City of Samal will field teams to the Kicksand Beach Football Mindanao Leg slated June 10 and 11 at the Bluejaz Resort and Waterpark in Igacos.

Organizer Neilwin Joseph Bravo of the F1 Event Solutions said Thursday that they have extended slots to 16 teams per category from the original 12 teams each for the men's and women's divisions.

"We put a limit on the number of entries but more teams signified their intention to play so we have to open more slots. Teams from Montevista and the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) have also signed up in the 5-A-Side tournament," Bravo told members of the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) during their weekly forum at the Tower Inn.

The free-registration event allows participants to avail of free boat trip to Blue Jaz and free entrance. They can also pitch their own tents for their convenience so they don't have to travel daily during the two-day competition.

Bravo also said the construction on the beach football field at Blue Jaz may be completed on Sunday or Monday, so participants could practice days before the tournament, which serves as selection process for the national team that will see action in the 2013 Asian Beach Games.

More beach football events will be organized at the resort to utilize their new playing field.

The Visayas leg is set on Saturday and Sunday in Boracay following the inaugural leg held in Subic recently.

The Kicksand is organized by the Beach Football Association of the Philippines and endorsed by the Philippine Sports Commission. (MLSA)


Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on May 27, 2011.

Football out of SEA Games?

DESPITE problems confronting the Football Association of Indonesia, which may affect Indonesia�s hosting of the 26th Southeast Asian Games, Philippine Football Federation president Mariano �Nonong� Araneta said the national under-23 football team will still continue their preparation for the biennial meet.

Araneta�s statement came in the wake of reports that the International Football Federation may suspend the membership of the Football Association of Indonesia for its failure to elect a new set of leaders during its congress last Friday in Jakarta.

�There is a problem in the hosting of the SEA Games. Baka sila ma-suspend at hindi matuloy ang SEA Games football sa Indonesia,� said Araneta after he was told by PSSI secretary general Joko Driyono that Indonesia has a �2000 percent chance of getting suspended by the FIFA.�

The fate of the men�s football competitions in the SEA Games will now depend on the outcome of an executive council meeting, which the FIFA will hold this Friday in Zurich.

If FIFA decides to suspend Indonesia, the ASEAN Football Federation will decide in its meeting on July 16 whether to hold the SEA Games football competition as a separate event.

Araneta added that some complications may also arise from the suspension.

He explained that if SEAG organizers decide to hold football as a separate event, the SEA Games Federation Council may also have to decide whether to include the sport in the medal count.

�We�ll just have to wait for the FIFA decision. If Indonesia is suspended, maraming complications ang mangyayari,� added Araneta.

Football officials in Malaysia, meanwhile, have sent feelers that they are willing to host the football competitions.

According to reports published by the Jakarta Globe, FIFA�s ban on Indonesia from international football could include the World Cup qualifiers and the SEA Games.

Last Friday, the scheduled PSSI�s elections ended in a deadlock as supporters of a breakaway group demanded that a ban on the nomination of two �reformist� candidates be lifted.

Army chief of staff George Toisutta and oil tycoon Arifin Panigoro were among the candidates banned from contesting the vote for chairman, along with outgoing football official Nurdin Halid following allegations of corruption.

Manila Standard Today

Recruiting 2012----Will Holden

Rivals.com image

Scout.com reports that UMass has offered to Will Holden, a 6-6 271 pd OL from Green Cove Springs, FL.

Holden's Scout.com page here.

Rivals page here.

Junior highlight film here (Holden is #74).

Besides the Minutemen, Holden has offers from Louisville, South Florida, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, South Alabama and Southern Mississippi.

Thursday--May 26, 2011

Craig Haley of TSN interview UMass coach Kevin Morris about the move to FBS.

Coach Morris will speak at Professor Thom's in New York tonight as part of the "Together We are One" tour.
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Three UMass Lax players including Travis Tripucka will play in the North-South Lacrosse All-Star game. The article says Tripucka will play for the Minutemen this fall.

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The Jets blog "Gang Green Nation" has a post about the Jets offensive line and Vladimir Ducasse.

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The BC Blog " BC Interruption" continues to supply a lot of bulletin board material for the Minutemen as they have a post on "Who is the fastest Boston College Eagle?". One of the answers is Tahj Kimble (BC bio): "Maybe a few late runs during a UMass or Wake Forest blowout will give us evidence of that."

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Saw this over on the Draft Daddy Blog. Alabama RB 5-11 225 pd  Trent Richardson benches 465, squats 600 and power cleans 365.

Azkals - Final 23-man list for World Cup qualifier ?

"During a brief press conference, Coach Weiss said that he will soon come up with the 23-man list whom he will bring to Germany for training in preparation for their World Cup Qualifier against Sri Lanka in Manila on June 29."

Azkals team in Cebu :

Aly Borromeo
Paolo Pascual
Chieffy Caligdong
Ian Araneta
Roel Gener
Yanti Barsales
William Espinosa (Fil-German)
Yannick Tuason
Ricardo Becite
Edward Sacapano
Christopher Camcam
Nestorio Margarse
James Rocklitz (Fil-Am)
Nathan Burkey (Fil-Am)
Anton Del Rosario
Neil Etheridge (Fil-English)
Jason Sabio (Fil-Am)
Simon Greatwich (Fil-English)
Phil Younghusband (Fil-English)
James Younghusband (Fil-English)
Leigh Gunn (Fil-Australian)
Misagh Bahadoran

Possible players joining team in Germany

Rob Gier (Fil-English)
Jerry Lucena (Fil-Danish)
Stephan Schr�ck (Fil-German)
Angel Guirado (Fil-Spanish)
Dennis Cagara (Fil-Danish)
Ray Jonsson (Fil-Icelandic)
Patrick Reichelt (Fil-German)
Kevin Ingreso (Fil-German)
Olivier P�tsche (Fil-German)
Manuell Ott (Fil-German)
Jason de Jong (Fil-Netherlands) ?

My list got 33 men. I am not sure if they will add any new local players now ? Could be 1 or 2 new fil-foreigners joining in Germany ?

Will they be going with 23 men from Philippines and add fil-foreigners based in Europe or will the final 23 men list for Sri Lanka be released now ?

Who do you want added to this list , who do you want to be dropped ?

Discuss !

15 members of Philippine Azkals arrive; set to meet fans on Monday

THEY have been hounded by star-struck fans wherever they go.

But yesterday morning, some 15 members of the Philippine Azkals, the country�s newest sports heartthrobs, managed to avoid the usual pandemonium upon their arrival in Mactan Cebu International Airport, thanks to a standby bus, a separate exit and police escorts.

Arriving with head coach Michael Hans Weiss were Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo, Cebuano Paolo Pascual, Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta, Roel Gener, Yanti Bersales, William Espinosa, Yanick Tuazon, Ricardo Becite, Edward Sacapano, Christopher Camcam, Nestorio Margarse, James Rochmitz and new member Nathan Burkey.

Anton del Rosario and Neil Etheridge will arrive today while Jason Sabio, Simon Greatwich and James and xPhil Younghusband will arrive this weekend.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami will arrive tomorrow.

Azkals media coordinator Jojie Ronda said the team is here for team building but that they also have other activities including a meet and greet with local fans.

During a brief press conference, Coach Weiss said that he will soon come up with the 23-man list whom he will bring to Germany for training in preparation for their World Cup Qualifier against Sri Lanka in Manila on June 29.

SLIM CHANCE

As for Cebuano-British Chad Gould whose bid to re-join the team was sidelined by an infected mosquito bite, coach Weiss said that they would have to see how fast he recovers but that his chances are very slim after he was advised by his doctor not to play football for two weeks.

Meanwhile, Ronda said having police escorts was not their idea but they were thankful because they were able to avoid heavy traffic on their way to the Grand Convention to attend a lunch hosted by the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC).

�Our bus is big and the roads here are narrow unlike in Manila. If not for those police escorts we would have arrived for lunch at 2 p.m. because of the heavy traffic,� Ronda said.

Jojo Rodriguez, the team�s administration officer, also denied that there is a ban for local media, an issue that came up when the team used a different exit at the airport, unwittingly eluding sports writers.

Writers who followed the Azkals bus were also banned from entering Plantation Bay and were told that only the Sports Unlimited crew will be admitted for an exclusive coverage.

Rodriguez said they had no such arrangement with the hotel.

Ronda explained that the Azkals will be available for interviews anytime except when they are having their team building activities and training. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON

Cebu Daily News

As PSSI, So Is FIFA

The words below come from the Guardian and apply to FIFA. They also apply to Indonesia.

Undermined by whistleblowers within and dogged by corruption claims, can football's world body really go ahead with a presidential election when it is so badly in need of reform?

A great read: The Azkals in Cebu

Here's a column by Michelle P. So on the Azkals.

ARE the Azkals a national treasure that they need to have security all throughout their stay in Cebu such that guests who enter the resort where they are staying are screened?

From the way the team�s administrative manager is said to have instructed the resort staff, yes, they are. And the team is using human resources whose services the public is paying for to secure the players.

To read the rest of the column, click here

AFC Cup Round Of 16

Abril v Tampines Rovers 1-0

Muang Thong United v Al Ahed 4-0 (Datsakorn Thonglao, Teerasil Dangda, Christian Kouakou, Naruphol) 9,500

Song Lam Nghe An v Persipura 1-3 (Hyguen Hon Viet; Boas Solossa, Ortizan Solossa, Titus Bonai) 5,000

Chonburi v Sriwijaya 3-0 (Fabiano Ney, Therdsak Chaiman, Nattaphong) 6,954

A mixed night for teams from the region. Tampines took their Iraqi hosts to extra time before succumbing while undoubtedly the performance of the night was Persipura's win in Vietnam. Two Thai teams made full use of home advantage to ease through. without Keith Kayamba Sriwijaya threatened little against Chonburi.

Three teams also made it through to last years' Quarter Finals, Muang Thong United, who eventually reached the semis, Thai Port and SHB Da Nang. Three Arab teams in semis, two in final one won the cup, the difficulty of teams from this region getting results in the middle east is all to clear.

The Quarter Finals take place on a home and away basis in September.