Tuesday 31 July 2012
Fair Play: Barriga toys with taller Italian foe
DID you, like millions of Pinoys all over the world, catch Mark Barriga's round-of-32 fight in the Olympics?
After Hidilyn Diaz's painful and tearful disqualification, the early exits of swimmer Jessie Lacuna, and shooter Brian Rosario (30th of 36 shooters), Mark Barriga's win was the best piece of Olympic news since Jasmine Figeuroa's surprise win over Natalia Valeeva in archery in 2004.
Yep, it's been that long since we had something to cheer about in the Olympics, and longer too, since we've had a medal--16 years to be exact.
Of course, that's just but one fight and it's too early to tell if Barriga, who could face the defending champion Zou Shiming of China, if both win again in the next round, has what it takes. But, man, it feels good to see a Pinoy win an Olympic match, especially if that Pinoy seemed, at the outset, the underdog as he gave away six inches in height.
But height, as Barriga showed against Italian Manuel Cappai is not might in boxing as he pummeled the hapless Italian 5-2 in the opening round, which also saw the Italian called for a standing eight.
Next up for Barriga, who's only 5' but listed as 5'2" in his profile in the Olympics, is Kazakhstan's Birzhan Zhakypov, an 18-17 winner over France's Jermey Beccu, who was reduced to tears after the bout he thought he should have won.
Barriga has now been labeled as the Little Pacquiao, and I hope that means he'll have the lefty's knockout power and not a favorable and unfavorable decision in his next two bouts.
Barriga�s fight against the 28-year-old Zhakypov will be this Saturday, at 8:45 p.m., so, let�s all tune in, right?
AZKALS IN THE OLYMPICS. One fan posted a question in the Facebook page �if the Azkals are playing in London,� and has since been deluged with a lot of comments. I think his ignorance is forgivable as even I don�t even know when the qualifier for the Olympics was.
(*Update, I just learned that the Philippines was invited to join the London qualifiers last 2010 but had to skip it. Dan Palami, who by then had just formed the Azkals, was willing to field the team together with the U22 prospects but had to turn it down because Dan was informed about the tournament a month after the confirmation date had lapsed.)
Now, I read that Phil Younghusband hopes the Philippines will join the qualifiers for rio 2016 and perhaps qualify. The Olympics is for the U23 teams, with three overaged players, but for the qualifiers? It will be just a team of U22 players.
The Asian qualifiers for Rio will be the AFC U22 competitions in 2015 and did you know what happened the last time we fielded a team in the qualifiers for the AFC U22?
To get to Rio, we have to qualify first, for the Asian qualifiers. Of course, anything is possible, just like snagging a date with Maria Sharapova is still possible for me.
Azkals brace for US camp without stars
BACK from a �working vacation� in his home country of Germany, Philippine Azkal coach Michael Weiss is ready and raring to bring most of his locally-based charges to the US training camp �to give the best preparation we can give them.
�It�s not the situation that we want but we have to do what we can,� said Weiss of the national men�s football team�s Aug. 3-17 stint in the US featuring tune-up games against the United States Soccer League squad Chicago Inferno and the US Virgin Islands side.
Due to their club commitments, virtually all of the European-based Azkals won�t make it to the opening camp of the Nationals since they finished a surprise third in the AFC Challenge Cup last March in Nepal.
Among those who won�t be available are regular Fil-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, defenders Jerry Lucena, Dennis Cagara, Ray Jonnson, Rob Gier midfielders Paul Mulders, Jason de Jong, Manny Ott and and Stefan Schrock.
Also missing the camp are the Younghusband siblings, Phil and James, who have local commitments, but they said they would be available for the national team�s friendlies starting in early September.
Fil-German striker Denis Wolf and Fil-German midfielder Patrick Reichelt, Fil-Italian midfielder Marwin Angeles, who all have signed up with UFL squad FC Global, and team skipper Aly Borromeo, back in harness after undergoing ACL surgery on his right knee, will go with the Nationals.
Weiss said US-based Fil-Brit midfielder Chris Greatwich will join the team in training camp.
While in Germany, Weiss got in touch with the younger brother of Manny Ott, Mike, a 17-year-old striker who is being groomed by German Second Division 1860 Munich.
He added the tune-up games will be on Aug. 8 against the Chicago Inferno and Aug. 15 against the US Virgin Islands. (???)
Weiss said the Philippine contingent will call Wheaton College, an evangelical educational institution located in Chicago, Illinois, as its home during the training camp.
National team manager Dan Palami, who will also join the team, said due to miscommunication, the Azkals will no longer compete in the Nehru Cup in India but will have three friendlies against Cambodia, Laos and Singapore in early September.
�We play Cambodia on Sept. 5, Singapore on Sept. 7 and Laos on Sept. 9,� he said.
Manila Bulletin
�It�s not the situation that we want but we have to do what we can,� said Weiss of the national men�s football team�s Aug. 3-17 stint in the US featuring tune-up games against the United States Soccer League squad Chicago Inferno and the US Virgin Islands side.
Due to their club commitments, virtually all of the European-based Azkals won�t make it to the opening camp of the Nationals since they finished a surprise third in the AFC Challenge Cup last March in Nepal.
Among those who won�t be available are regular Fil-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, defenders Jerry Lucena, Dennis Cagara, Ray Jonnson, Rob Gier midfielders Paul Mulders, Jason de Jong, Manny Ott and and Stefan Schrock.
Also missing the camp are the Younghusband siblings, Phil and James, who have local commitments, but they said they would be available for the national team�s friendlies starting in early September.
Fil-German striker Denis Wolf and Fil-German midfielder Patrick Reichelt, Fil-Italian midfielder Marwin Angeles, who all have signed up with UFL squad FC Global, and team skipper Aly Borromeo, back in harness after undergoing ACL surgery on his right knee, will go with the Nationals.
Weiss said US-based Fil-Brit midfielder Chris Greatwich will join the team in training camp.
While in Germany, Weiss got in touch with the younger brother of Manny Ott, Mike, a 17-year-old striker who is being groomed by German Second Division 1860 Munich.
He added the tune-up games will be on Aug. 8 against the Chicago Inferno and Aug. 15 against the US Virgin Islands. (???)
Weiss said the Philippine contingent will call Wheaton College, an evangelical educational institution located in Chicago, Illinois, as its home during the training camp.
National team manager Dan Palami, who will also join the team, said due to miscommunication, the Azkals will no longer compete in the Nehru Cup in India but will have three friendlies against Cambodia, Laos and Singapore in early September.
�We play Cambodia on Sept. 5, Singapore on Sept. 7 and Laos on Sept. 9,� he said.
Manila Bulletin
Rematch with Indonesia in Azkals� busy sked
By Cedelf P. Tupas
ADD a rematch with Indonesia to the already busy schedule of the Philippine men�s national football team in September.
The Azkals, bracing for a tough battle in the AFF Suzuki Cup late this year in Bangkok, are slated to face their 2010 Suzuki Cup tormentors in another international friendly match, this time, in Jakarta.
Azkals manager Dan Palami said they are requesting Indonesia to move the date of the match to Sept. 11 to allow the Filipinos to have their European-based players in the team as the game falls on an international friendly date.
The Philippines and Indonesia battled to a 2-2 draw in a friendly last June 5 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with brothers Phil and James Younghusband scoring.
The result was an improvement for the Azkals, who have lost all their meetings with the Indonesians in recent years, including a couple of 0-1 defeats in the Suzuki Cup two years ago.
Indonesia is also preparing for the Suzuki Cup, where it has been grouped with defending champion Malaysia and Singapore.
Stepping up their buildup for the biennial tournament, where they are looking to at least match their historic semifinal finish two years ago, the Azkals are also slated to undergo a two-week camp in the United States starting Aug. 4, playing Chicago Inferno and the US Virgin Islands.
The match against the Inferno will be held in Chicago on Aug. 11, while the duel with the Virgin Islands is set in Indianapolis on Aug. 17.
The Azkals� September schedule will also include a match against Cambodia on Sept. 5 in Phnom Penh and a clash against Singapore two days later and the four-nation Paulino Alcantara Cup in Bacolod on the last week of the month
The showdown with Laos in Vientiane, initially scheduled Sept. 10, could be moved to Sept. 15 if Indonesia agrees to the Azkals� desired date, Palami said.
Palami said the matches will not only be an opportunity for the Azkals� Europe-based players time to improve cohesion, which has been a concern for the team, but also provide a chance for the homegrown standouts to gain exposure.
�We will give some of our Europe-based players time to play together in the friendlies,� said Palami. �But there will be times when we will have an all local-based group playing which can only be a positive sign for the team. We can only get better with more matches.�
inquirer.net
SLeague Obituary
Not much about Singapore recently. Mainly �cos it�s all been said before ad nauseum. The League Cup, which should be dropped, was expanded into a group stage so teams could play each other more often.
Then came an announcement that the top half would play off against each other as would the bottom half.
Are the people that run the game for real there? They love their talk of hubs, key performance indicators and the like but they ain�t at some business school theorizing to their hearts content. They are supposed to be running football and they are making a right balls up of it.
Crowds are falling so what do they propose? The same teams play each other more often! The same teams that people have stopped going to see! Is there no end to the lunacy? Yesterday the Singapore FA held its AGM and in more bad news for the few people left that follow the Singapore league the man in charge said he would not resign. Why not? After all when Singapore failed to qualify for the last world cup he said the whole team should be sacked for falling short of the required standard. What is good for the goose is surely good for the gander?
Under this guy we have had a strategic plan, which really looks like it is being made up as we go along, we have SLeague 2.0 and 3.0 yet it�s all crap. Attendances continue to plummet and nothing seems to be done about it apart from business school speak.
The league is probably still the most exciting in the region, witness Young Lions recent come from behind win over the once mighty SAFFC, but the punters aren�t buying. So what makes them think more of the same will work?
The SLeague is dying and it�s dying because the top gave up the ghost long ago.
Singapore is a hard market to sell in despite what some western expert claimed recently. People there will happily fork out $100 on a replica shirt from Liverpool yet baulk at paying a fiver to see a team that plays across the road.
How can you fight a prejudice that says everything European is fantastic, everything local is shit?
Singaporeans will wave the flag for Singapore; the crowds in the Malaysia Super League for the daftly named LionsXII prove that. And when the national team have a home game, and they stand a chance of winning, the fans turn out in force.
There is a Singaporean identity. One that moans about the MRT, is scared shitless of crossing the Causeway, loves to follow English football and takes great pride in the national airline. But there seems to be no affinity for where they live. Singapore, yes. But Tampines? Gombak? For many people their local team is Liverpool or Chelsea.
It�s a difficult mindset to challenge.
It doesn�t help when the local league is padded out with filler clubs. SAFFC are military, Home are coppers and Young Lions are, in theory, the future national team. Add the foreign teams of Harimau Muda (Malaysia), Albirex Niigata (Japan) and DPMM (Brunei) and you can understand a certain reluctance. It doesn�t feel like a local league. It feels like someone has upset a 10,000 piece jigsaw puzzle and no one can find the picture.
Everyone conspires against the SLeague. Local papers will reprint agency stories that appeared in the English media about Andy Carroll or David Beckham 24 hours earlier rather than get off their arses and cover the local stuff in any depth.
It�s difficult to see what kind of future the SLeague has against this backdrop. If such an exciting league does not pull the fans then perhaps it is time to put the league out of its misery? Again we come back to the people at the top who are getting well paid for their part time sinecures yet achieving very little.
Waffling on about putting more effort into the strategic plan is just waffle. The plan when it came out was pure waffle; high on buzz words, low on detail. The President at the AGM says that because they are not reaching the desired goals does not mean they are failing! What planet has been on recently? Don�t the KPIs he loves to waffle on about apply to him?
When the man charged with taking the game forward says that not reaching targets is not a problem then perhaps it is best we just knock it all on the head.
At the same AGM someone got up and gave an impassioned plea for the game�s survival. The response of the President? It�s an old song, we�ve been hearing it 10 years. Of course you have been hearing it 10 years, Mr President, nothing has changed, the same problems remain and have not been addressed beyond a babble of MBA speak that gets us nowhere.
I would like to be wrong. I really would. I would love to be able to tell people that all they have to do to get to an SLeague game is get off at the nearest MRT and follow the crowds. Or pick up a weekly paper devoted to football on the island. Or go down a sports retailer and see Tampines Rovers or Gombak United souvenirs on sale. But none of that is likely to happen any time soon.
There is plenty of passion for the game. You just have to look at the links on the left had side of this blog to see people taking the time to write about the game they love; it would seem at times they devote more time than those who are supposed to administer the game.
But passion is not enough. There needs to be know-how and money and deep reserves of both. At the moment we have neither. Stick a few fruit machines in the club house and that seems to be the limit of some club owners.
There is talk of a fund that will kick off with 900,000 GBP. That is the level the administrators are operating at. With investors from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand looking at buying clubs in Europe, Singapore, by far the richest country in the region, wonders what to do with a sum of money that Carlos Tevez earns in a month. Small country, small scale, small minds.
Anybody wanting to do anything with the game would soon come up against a system that distrusts any kind of entertainment that attracts large crowds. Institutional apathy deadens the most enthusiastic; with Manchester City, Arsenal, Valencia and Chelsea floating through the region in the last 12 months none have bothered with Singapore.
With the largest stadium holding about 7,000 spectators even the Teletubbies would be forced to give Lion City a miss. The replacement for the National Stadium is still at least two years away and no one thought to have a stadium in reserve while the new one was being built.
Can the SLeague continue given the seemingly insurmountable problems it faces, both cultural and institutional? It�s difficult to see how unless a total change in mindset is affected. It would be nice to see that happen. It would be nice to see Aleksander Duric get the credit he deserves; Noh Alam Shah be recognized as a Wayne Rooney type character receiving the same sympathy the real one gets from local wannabe Mancs; that promising players like Hariss Harun and Shafiq Ghani are given the opportunity to show their skills without worrying about National Service.
Singapore football is worth saving. Is anybody up to the task?
Tuesday--July 31st, 2012
Not a great WiFi connection for my last travel day.
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The MAC Blog "Hustle Belt" ranks the league's defensive lines.
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This year's OOC opponent Indiana has released a depth chart.
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Penn State loses its first transfer.
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The Boston Herald has a story on the Pat's walking wounded in 2011 and James Ihedigbo talks about his shoulder surgery and more.
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Mark Sanchez says the Jets RB's are doing well including John Griffin.
A Bleacher report writer says Griffin has turned heads.
John Griffin's Jets bio.
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NJ.com said Victor Cruz put on a show for fans at the Giants practice.
ESPN says the G-Men are still open to a contract extension for Cruz.
Eli Manning feels fortunate to have Cruz as one of his WR's.
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The MAC Blog "Hustle Belt" ranks the league's defensive lines.
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This year's OOC opponent Indiana has released a depth chart.
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Penn State loses its first transfer.
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The Boston Herald has a story on the Pat's walking wounded in 2011 and James Ihedigbo talks about his shoulder surgery and more.
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Mark Sanchez says the Jets RB's are doing well including John Griffin.
A Bleacher report writer says Griffin has turned heads.
John Griffin's Jets bio.
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NJ.com said Victor Cruz put on a show for fans at the Giants practice.
ESPN says the G-Men are still open to a contract extension for Cruz.
Eli Manning feels fortunate to have Cruz as one of his WR's.
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Recruiting 2013-- Chris Thompson II
Gainsville WR Chris Thompson verbaled to Florida yesterday.
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Monday 30 July 2012
It's going to be a party
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| About 10 years ago, you could hold a TU season-ticket party in a phone booth. Now, it needs Xfinity Live. |
Recently, the subject of redemption and Temple football came up as part of a message board post on Owlscoop.com. A poster named MH55 noted the difference between Penn State and Temple football fans thusly:
"Frankly, I'll stand with the 5,000 who came every weekend through 15 years getting our asses kicked. The commentary on BWI (a Penn State equivalent to Owlscoop) has revealed the character of many and continues to shine light on the source..."
I will stand by those fans, too, as early as Wednesday night of this week when the season-ticket-holders like myself get together at Xfinity Live for a shindig party (6-7:30 p.m.). I've never been to Xfinity Live but I hear great things about the place and this is my opportunity to check it out.
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| Xfinity Live is right next to Temple tailgate Lot K. |
Redemption is a big word for Temple football fans.
Sometimes, I had the fleeting thought that "sadism" was an apt word, too, sitting through a 51-3 loss to Virginia in 2005. The score was 44-0 at halftime and it might have been the only time I left the stadium that early.
A year later, the defensive coordinator of that Virginia team, Al Golden, took over at Temple and the curve started to slowly shoot up but not before a pair of 62-0 losses, one to Louisville and one to Minnesota.
On Wednesday night, Temple fans can celebrate redemption with a few drinks and light snacks. They are back in a Big East that once scorned them. This time, the Big East does not know what is about to hit them.
We do.
Monday--July 30th, 2012
No WiFi yesterday.
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CBS Sports has Nick Speller on their preseason All-MAC team. Perry McIntyre also gets a mention.
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The Morning Call discusses Penn State's upcoming schedule and says the Nittany Lions may have to add some "glamor" games to compensate for the bowl ban. Would they consider buying out the 2014 UMass game? If so, I hope McCutcheon drives a hard bargain.
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The MAC Blog "Hustle Belt" picks Brandon Levingood as the #5 MAC kicker going into the 2012 season.
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Emil Igwenagu is getting a look by the Eagles at TE as well as H-back.
Emil gets training camp mentions here and here.
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The NY Post features Julian Talley in this training camp article.
Julian gets another training camp mention here.
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Brandon London led the Larks with five catches for 102 yards and a TD in their loss to the Argos.
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CBS Sports has Nick Speller on their preseason All-MAC team. Perry McIntyre also gets a mention.
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The Morning Call discusses Penn State's upcoming schedule and says the Nittany Lions may have to add some "glamor" games to compensate for the bowl ban. Would they consider buying out the 2014 UMass game? If so, I hope McCutcheon drives a hard bargain.
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The MAC Blog "Hustle Belt" picks Brandon Levingood as the #5 MAC kicker going into the 2012 season.
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Emil Igwenagu is getting a look by the Eagles at TE as well as H-back.
Emil gets training camp mentions here and here.
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The NY Post features Julian Talley in this training camp article.
Julian gets another training camp mention here.
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| Big Blue image |
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Brandon London led the Larks with five catches for 102 yards and a TD in their loss to the Argos.
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Recruiting 2013--Chris Thompson
This article features him.
Rivals two-star recruit.
Scout.com with junior stats.
Why UMass is interested: ran a 49.60 400-meters.
Thompson has offers from Florida Atlantic, Marshall and Utah.
Sunday 29 July 2012
36 join CFA seminar for referees
(This story came out in Sun.Star Cebu on July 30)
THE Cebu Football Association took the first step towards unifying the factions among the referees with the Referee Refreshers Course and Field Training seminar at the Cebu City Sports Center.
As the three-day workshop culminated yesterday, Philippine Football Federation Technical Director Daniel Estaniel and Referee Fitness Instructor Engr. Jaime Nicolau III commended the efforts of the CFA to bring together all local referees and update them with latest rules of the game.
�We conduct this regularly but it was the first time this was held here. At least with this, Cebu is now in good direction,� said Estaniel.
Estaniel, who is also the FIFA-AFC Regional Referee Instructor, facilitated the lectures for the 36 new and old officials who joined the seminar.
He brought in new teaching materials to orient the referees with the Fifa laws of the game such as the one followed in the recent 2010 World Cup.
In addition, he also trained them the methodology analysis on match incident situation by introducing them the use of video as a tool to improve decision-making and also discussed the Integrated Practical Training, which is a new method they are using in seminars.
�Nung nagsimula kami, parang nabaguhan pa sila as the days went by with the lectures and practical exams they have already improved,� said Estaniel.
Nicolau, on the other hand, is hoping those who attended the workshop will become the next Randy Estremos, the only Cebuano Fifa Referee to date.
�Medyo nawala rin yung Cebu sa limelight sa officiating, but ngayon I�m looking forward na magkaroon na ng Fifa Referee from Cebu FA,� said Nicolau.
Fitness
Among the attendees, only Archie Reyes and Wilford Sabella have National 1 level in officiating while the returning Michael Culibra and Kurt Acre, who have the accreditation with the Reyes and Sabella, still have to activate its category after being inactive.
As Nicolau talked about the importance of fitness in officiating games, he taught them warm-up exercises and also medium to high intensity ones.
�A referee should be fit lalo na ngayon na mabilis na ang laro,� he said.
He suggested that every one month to two months, referees should meet for physical fitness exam.
CFA Referee Committee Head Rodney Orale who took it as a challenge in accepting this role in the board was happy that the participants had keep an open mind on the activity.
�I was challenged how to unite or make a group or committee that will oversee Cebu football and knowing that there are groups and factions I was happy to have reach this number of attendees including the returning ones,� he said.
�Nalipay ko na nitabang sila namo and nahatagan gamay na pagtagad ang Cebu on officiating,� he added.
Limpag: Dan Palami�s eight-year itch
Sunday, July 29, 2012
IT�S going to be a safe bet that the minute the Philippines steps into the field in the Suzuki Cup group stage in Thailand, a commentator, or the fans in the stands, will be thinking of the same thing�will the Azkals duplicate their 2010 success?
And can the team handle the pressure to duplicate that? Right now, coach Michael Weiss is helping ease the pressure a bit by telling fans to temper their expectations because the Azkals are no longer a surprise package.
�Of course we are pressured,� Dan Palami said. �We don�t have a choice. We can either let it get under our skin or use it as our motivation.�
And the draw in the Suzuki Cup hasn�t been kind to the Philippines, as getting grouped
with Thailand and Vietnam meant �we will be up against teams we haven�t faced in a while. We will be in an unfamiliar territory.�
Since that breakthrough success, the Azkals have faced and lost to Singapore, 2-0, drew Malaysia twice and Indonesia once. The last time we met Thailand ended in a 4-0 loss in 2007, while Vietnam gets reminded of that 2-0 loss every time the Philippines is mentioned in international news.
The team, of course, will be sending scouts to the Thailand and Vietnam friendlies, but aside from that, Dan said, �We have to focus on our preparation instead of looking at the other teams� preparations.�
Part of the preparation are a series of camps--in the US and Bahrain. And Dan said the camps, criticized as a traveling road show by veteran writer Ricky Olivares, are needed.
The only way to get better, Dan said, is to have these camps and all these games, which, as of now, are not going to be half of Coach Weiss�s targeted 20-game preparation before the Suzuki Cup. The team will have nine--two in the US, three in the September friendlies, three in the Paulino Alcantara Cup (formerly Long Teng Cup) and another one in Cebu.
All these games and all these camps mean some clubs in the UFL, and perhaps, too, those who want to organize a game like the Clear Dream match, are going to cry foul with all the time these players are missing in action.
And I think this club vs. country argument, which is in its infancy in the Philippines, is one that will be talked about for years and years and it is going to
be one where anyone on both sides of the argument could be right.
With Phil and James Younghusband, and some of the Azkals in top tier European clubs missing out, the camps and games will be a chance to narrow the gap, skills and experience-wise, between the locals and the European Azkals.
For now, the camps serve as a band-aid solution in bridging this gap because Dan said it�s going to be an eight-year wait, pointing to the contrasting fates of the Under 22 and Under 14 teams. Dan said he told the PFF Board of Governors that the Under 22 team, and its recent string of losses, reflected the true state of Philippine football.
�These are the same guys who also lost in the U19. This is the true face of Philippine football and, we have to admit, our Under 22, 21, 19 and 17, napabayaan na talaga,� he said.
The Little Azkals, which had a string of decent finishes, represents the future and the seven-year wait between now and the time the players get good enough to be members of the senior squad could mean the length of time we have to rely on the Neil Etheridges, Stephan Shrocks of the Filipino diaspora.
�That�s why it�s very important that we sustain the program of the Under 14, it has to continue,� Dan said.
(www.cebufootball.blogspot.com)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 30, 2012.
The State of Football in Philippines
The Philippine National Football Team, or more commonly known as the Azkals to Filipinos, have garnered much praise from the country because of their success in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup. Their long run in the tournament was well documented by the media in the Philippines, bringing a much excitement to not only the Footballing community in the country, but also to those who turned a blind eye to the sport. Throughout social media today, one can see many Filipinos from all around the country praising the Azkals and many even desiring to play football. Yes, the success of the national team has ushered a pride towards the team that I have never experienced when I wore the jersey, yet this pride is blind to the fact that the state of football in the country will only decay as fans continue to praise the team amidst of their poor performances in tournaments and friendly matches. The public will continue to support a group of foreign players while the Football Federation of the country is making undersized attempts to create future generations of successful footballers.
I stated that I played for the Philippine National Football Team, which is true. In fact, I represented the country a few years ago in a U13 tournament in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and wore the number ten. The tournament was special for me because I finished as the top scorer of the team, scoring two goals against Cambodia and one against Australia. The tournament was not delightful at all times. To be honest, the tournament was absolutely horrendous. Perhaps looking on the bright side of the tournament is what most people would do, but just winning two games and losing 10-0 against Thailand, 6-1 to Australia, and 3-0 to our Singaporean neighbors makes it very hard to look at the bright side. The tournament caused me to evaluate myself as a player and evaluate what the Federation is doing to bridge the gap in international competition.
An assumption that one can make about football in the Philippines is that the system only supports the wealthy. This was evident in the Palarong Pambansa tournament in 2008 wherein I competed and assisted in achieving a silver medal finish for the National Capital Region. As a late pre-tournament warm up match, we played against the Eastern Visayas Region. The kids that I faced were not equipped with the proper gear to participate in a football match. They had no shin pads, the shoes that they wore were not soccer boots and most of them were only wearing one shoe, clothes were too large, and they were living on Php200 for the whole two week stay.
Globally, football knows no religion, no race, no language, and no social status. People participate in the game because you are only judged on how good you are and nothing else. However, the Philippines has not yet immersed themselves in this truth. Playing in youth tournaments in Manila and the surrounding area, I was approached by a club in Makati that offered me to play with them in their yearly European tour. The club asked me to join them four times throughout my childhood and even proposed to pay 1,000 dollars to assist me to take part in this great opportunity, but my family just could not afford to pay for the trip. It�s heartbreaking to win numerous MVP awards, be top scorer of my club and school team, get a high school scholarship and yet I can�t take my talents to Europe just because of financial problems.
If you look at the roster of the Azkals, one can see that there is only a minute number of players coming from the Philippines. The players come from Germany, Spain, England, and the United States. A common fan would not mind the international flavor of our team, but coming from a footballer, this is a massive problem. How is the Philippines going to compete in international football again after these present players retire? How will you continue to attract players to wear the jersey that I love if they know that all the Federation expects is not to lost by ten goals? How are you going to attract youngsters to play the game if all they see is the team bringing shame to the country? The Football Federation should focus on grassroots football.
After leaving the country in early 2010 for the United States, my game matured and I became well-versed in the ways of football success. Club soccer, state soccer, high school soccer, academy soccer, professional soccer, and national team soccer�THERE�S SO MUCH SOCCER in this country! The success of soccer in the United States lies on the opportunity that the country gives to its youth. The opportunities given are available to all who desire to be a top player. Talent is found and it is cultivated to bring out the best from a young man or woman. Now I should return to addressing my country. I am proud of my country, but I will not be a blind fan who praises the team when we lose 10-0 to South Korea. The problems of football should be given a solution early before we go into another stint of football shame. If we continue to ride this wave of temporary small success, the wave will crash on the rocks by the shore. We will go through a footballing circle of long failures in the international scene with petty achievements from time to time. The country will become pathetic once again.
The Night Shift
Saturday 28 July 2012
A new Cup is in town
The tournament that was launched to monstrous hype last year is going to be reformatted and is also looking for a new sponsor after Smart had
repackaged its P80-million financial assistance to the Philippine Football Federation just a year after announcing it.
In the reformatted tournament, 16 clubs will vie it out for the title and all UFL clubs will be involved and qualifiers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, will also get a chance to compete with the top clubs.
The 10 teams in Div. 1 will be seeded No. 1 to 10 directly, while the bottom six will come from the qualifiers and Div. 2 in a series of playoffs. The first play-off will pit the top six teams in Div. 2 against the bottom six and the winner will then face off with the six qualifiers--two each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The winner of those play-offs will get the No. 11 to No. 16 ranks and a round-of-16 will then be played.
As to the Smart financial package, which was supposed to be at P8 million for year for 10 years, Dan said he doesn't know yet the specific changes of the package since when it was announced, Smarts specified that it was for the creation of a Filipino Premier League.
Dan Palami's Global FC won the inaugural Smart Club Championships in August, 2011 and was supposed to get P100,000 as part of the prize.
As of July 27, 2012, they still haven't received their prize.
Fair Play: Dan Palami's eight-year itch
IT'S going to be a safe bet that the minute the Philippines steps into the field in the field in the suzuki Cup group stage in Thailand, a commentator, or the fans in the stands, will be thinking of the same thing--will the Azkals duplicate its 2010 success?
And can the team handle the pressure to duplicate that? Right now, coach Michael Weiss is helping ease the pressure a bit by telling fans to temper their expectations because the Azkals are no longer a surprise package.
"Of course we are pressured," Dan Palami said. "We don't have a choice. We can either let it get under our skin or use it as our motivation."
And the draw in the Suzuki Cup hasn't been kind to the Philippines, as getting grouped with Thailand and Vietnam meant "we will be up against teams we haven't faced in a while. We will be in an unfamiliar territory."
Since that breakthrough success, the Azkals have faced and lost to Singapore, 2-0, drew Malaysia twice and Indonesia once. The last time we met Thailand ended in a 4-0 loss in 2007, while Vietnam gets reminded of that 2-0 loss every time the Philippines is mentioned in international news.
The team, of course, will be sending scouts to the Thailand and Vietnam friendlies, but aside from that, Dan said, "We have to focus on our preparation instead of looking at the other teams' preparations.
Part of the preparation are a series of camps--in the US and Bahrain. And Dan said the camps, criticized as a traveling road show by veteran writer Ricky Olivares, are needed.
The only way to get better, Dan said, is to have these camps and all these games, which, as of now, is not going to be half of Coach Weiss's targeted 20-game preparation before the Suzuki Cup. The team will have nine--two in the US, three in the September friendlies, three in the Paulino Alcantara Cup (formerly Long Teng Cup) and another one in Cebu.
All these games and all these camps means some clubs in the UFL, and perhaps, too, those who want to organize a game like the Clear Dream match, are going to cry foul with all the time these players are missing in action.
And I think this club vs. country argument, which is in its infancy in the Philippines, is one that will be talked about for years and years and it is going to be one where anyone on both sides of the argument could be right.
With Phil and James Younghusband, and some of the Azkals in top tier European clubs missing out, the camps and games will be a chance to narrow the gap, skills and experiencewise, between the locals and the European Azkals.
For now, the camps serve as a band-aid solution in bridging this gap because Dan said it�s going to be an eight-year wait, pointing out to the contrasting fates of the Under 22 and Under 14 teams. Dan said he told the PFF BOG that the Under 22 team, and its recent string of losses, reflected the true state of Philippine football.
�These are the same guys who also lost in the U19. This is the true face of Philippine football and, we have to admit, our Under 22, 21, 19 and 17, napabayaan na talaga,� he said.
The Little Azkals, which had a string of decent finishes, he said represents the future and the seven-year wait between now and the time the players get good enough to be members of the senior squad could mean the length of time we have to rely on the Neil Etheridges, Stephan Shrocks of the Filipino diaspora.
�That�s why it�s very important that we sustain the program of the Under 14, it has to continue,� he said.
Poised for greater things
Saturday, July 28, 2012
KNOWING your team, passion for a common goal, practice and pressure.
These were the four ingredients Philippine Azkals team manager Dan Palami said they needed that catapulted the national team from being whipping boys of Asia to the dark horses as he talked about building champions during the LH Leadership Conference at the Oakridge Pavillion yesterday.
"The Azkals started at the lower ranks until we had this winning mentality within us that helped us move forward," said Palami.
From the surprise semifinal appearance in the 2010 Suzuki Cup in Vietnam, the Azkals had gone a long way. Aside from putting football in the consciousness of many Filipinos, it has finished third in the AFC Challenge Cup.
"But before our overnight success in Vietnam, we practiced. And we practiced hard," he said.
Palami was joined by Chieffy Caligdong, Eduard Sacapa�o, Paolo Pascual, Marwin and Marvin Angeles and Misagh Bahadoran.
The other guests were Dyan Castillejo who talked about the heart of the champion, and couple Paolo and Suzie Abrera, who talked about raising champions.
"We may not play like the Germany or Spain but we suit up to a different style," said Palami.
From ranking ninth in the Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines moved to third place and in Asian rankings, from 34th it now enjoys the 22nd position.
"These are just baby steps but towards the right direction," said Palami.
As they gear up to a new challenge on the Suzuki Cup this November, they used the pressure from the people's expectations as motivation to perform better.
"From being a nobody, we are now treated as the surprise team and even the favorite one. We would rather have this pressure than having nothing at all," said Palami.
Palami added that with the hard work and sacrifices, the Azkals will be poised for greater things.
�We are not just some poster boys like other people think, we train hard, twice a day.
It�s a tough job to be part of the team,� said Pascual.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 28, 2012.
Azkals squad for training camp in USA
Azkals squad for training camp in US ?
Ref Cuaresma
Eduard Sacapano
Roel Gener
Ian Araneta
Nestorio Margarse
Emelio Caligdong
Misagh Bahadoran
Chris Greatwich
OJ Porteria
Patrick Reichelt
Denis Wolf
Jeffrey Christiaens
Ally Borromeo
Jason Sabio
Paolo Pascual
Marwin Angeles
Marvin Angeles
Josh Boone
Based on tweets about who has been applying visa for training camp in US and other information about available players . The list is not complete !
Let me know if you know others who has been called up for the training camp !
These players will probably also get a call-up :
OJ Clarino
Andres Gonzales
Ref Cuaresma
Eduard Sacapano
Roel Gener
Ian Araneta
Nestorio Margarse
Emelio Caligdong
Misagh Bahadoran
Chris Greatwich
OJ Porteria
Patrick Reichelt
Denis Wolf
Jeffrey Christiaens
Ally Borromeo
Jason Sabio
Paolo Pascual
Marwin Angeles
Marvin Angeles
Josh Boone
Based on tweets about who has been applying visa for training camp in US and other information about available players . The list is not complete !
Let me know if you know others who has been called up for the training camp !
These players will probably also get a call-up :
OJ Clarino
Andres Gonzales
Saturday--July 28th, 2012
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| Click to enlarge |
Oh, you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
but you can have fun if you've a mind to!
Bison courtesy of Custer State Park yesterday. And that's the end of our ramble through the Canadian Rockies and the Dakotas. Time to head head home.
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Matty V has a story on eleven former UMass players either hoping to make or improve their standing with an NFL team.
Jeremy Cain, Jaguars.
James Ihedigbo, Pats
Victor Cruz, Giants
Vlad Ducasse, Jets
Jeromy Miles, Bengals
Jeremy Horne, Chiefs
Chris Koepplin, Pats
Josh Samuda, Dolphins
Emil Igwenagu, Eagles
Julian Talley, Giants
Travis Tripucka, Rams
All bios are NFL
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Harry Plumber of MassLive looks at the Minutemen's presence in NCAA13 as another sign of arrival.
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An Examiner writer thinks the shine will wear off for UMass .
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Lost lettermen thinks UMass is the second worst team in all of FBS.
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Two BCS teams UMass will play in the future: Penn State and Wisconsin, are trying to turn their annual meeting into a trophy game. Mentions UMass.
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Boston.com has a Patriots training camp article that mentions James Ihedigbo.
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Friday 27 July 2012
Tibo's Move In The Balance?
Titus Bonai's move to BEC Tero could well hit a stumbling block.
Last season he played for Persipura who play in the Indonesia Super League but he essentially walked out on the club halfway through the season. Given the mess in the game here players who compete in the ISL are not being made available for the national team and Tibo, as he is known, was concerned about his future at international level.
Now however it looks like Persipura are dragging their feet over his ITC which could delay or even halt hos move to Thailand.
He is being asked to return to Indonesia to meet with officials and sort this mess out.
To add to the confusion, he has been called up for Indonesia's game with Valencia next Saturday. A game which coincides with his new club playing Army United in the Thai Premier League.
Following on from the confusion surrounding the cancellation of the Java Cup with Everton and Galatasaray cancelling at the last minute this latest bumbling on the international stage will have many wondering why bother dealing with Indonesian football when it so plainly cannot get its house in order.
Last season he played for Persipura who play in the Indonesia Super League but he essentially walked out on the club halfway through the season. Given the mess in the game here players who compete in the ISL are not being made available for the national team and Tibo, as he is known, was concerned about his future at international level.
Now however it looks like Persipura are dragging their feet over his ITC which could delay or even halt hos move to Thailand.
He is being asked to return to Indonesia to meet with officials and sort this mess out.
To add to the confusion, he has been called up for Indonesia's game with Valencia next Saturday. A game which coincides with his new club playing Army United in the Thai Premier League.
Following on from the confusion surrounding the cancellation of the Java Cup with Everton and Galatasaray cancelling at the last minute this latest bumbling on the international stage will have many wondering why bother dealing with Indonesian football when it so plainly cannot get its house in order.
19-year-old Fil-Am football stud Josh Boone to try-out for Azkals
When the Azkals Philippine national football team head stateside to play a couple of international friendlies against the Chicago Inferno UFL (United Football Leagues) club and the US Virgin Islands national team in August as part of their tune-up for November�s ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup, which will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Thailand, head coach Hans Michael Wei� and team manager Dan Palami will also get a chance to audition 19-year-old Filipino-American strikerJosh Boone who is hoping to land a spot in the squad.
�I improved my game a whole lot from living in Holland and training with Cambur,� Boone told this scribe in a phone interview.
Boone hopes his next stop will be the Philippines as a member of the Azkals.
"I've heard a lot of good things about the Philippine national team and how the country rallies behind them," he said, and added, "This is a big opportunity. I would love to go there and help them in any way I can. It would be a big hope of mine to make the team."
Boone also played four years of varsity soccer for the Alpharetta Ambush in Atlanta, Georgia coached by David Eristavi, where they won the Nationals in 2010, and then went to finals the following year. Boone also helped Eastside High School in South Carolina reach the 2011 3A State title during his senior year. In college, Boone played for the the University of North Carolina Wilmington during his freshman year, but opted to drop out after the year to pursue his dream of becoming a professional soccer player and headed back to Holland to train for a couple of months.
Listed at 5�8�, Boone traces his Filipino lineage from his grandmother who is a full-blooded Filipino, and hopes to represent the country by virtue of the Philippines� dual citizenship law. Boone grew up in Greer, South Carolina.
�I started playing soccer at a young age, and I just loved it,� Boone said. �It was just a big sport in my family, and my goal since I was little was to be able to play professional soccer internationally,� he added.
Boone with be suiting up for the Chicago Inferno when they play against the Azkals on August 11th, and against the US Virgin Islands on August 14th at the JOE BEAN STADIUM in Wheaton, Illinois, and may get an opportunity to play with the Azkals as the 28th man on their roster for the August 17th match against the US Virgin Islands in Indianapolis.
PFF invites Guam XI to 4-nation tournament
By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine Daily Inquirer
GUAM has been invited to complete the cast in the four-nation Paulino Alcantara Cup set in Bacolod City that will form part of the preparation of the Philippine football team for the AFF Suzuki Cup.
The tournament, which has been named after one of the greatest players to don the national colors in Alcantara, has already lured Macau and Chinese-Taipei.
�Guam is interested in joining the tournament and they have been improving,� said Philippine Football Federation president Mariano �Nonong� Araneta of the side that lost to the Azkals, 3-0, in a friendly in Bacolod City last June 12.
Formerly known as the Long Teng Cup, the tournament has been renamed with the Philippines hosting it for the first time on the last week of September which marks a busy month for the Azkals who will play three matches early in the month.
The door was open for Guam following the confirmation of Hong Kong that it is not joining the tournament that it has won the last two years in Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Football Federation on Thursday struck an agreement with Department of Education, which will now take an active role in the implementation of the Kasibulan program.
�Its another boost for the sport as we expand the Kasibulan program,� said Araneta, after signing the agreement with DepEd secretary Armin Luistro.
Under the agreement, the PFF will subsidize the training of football instructors from the ranks of DepEd and PFF.
The federation is undertaking the program backed by Pagcor with the hope of discovering talents that will form the team bidding for a spot in the 2017 Under-17 World Cup.
Azkals coach Weiss wants fans to tone down Suzuki Cup expectations
Philippine national men�s football coach Hans Michael Weiss wants Filipinos to tone down their high expectations to the team a few months before the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup.
�To now think that the Philippines are the kings of Southeast Asia, that�s very funny,� Weiss said, adding that the recent performances of neighboring countries like Malaysia, which almost scored an upset against English Premier League squad Arsenal before yielding a 2-1 loss last Tuesday, make the tournament tougher for them.
Long the whipping boys in the region, the Azkals made a Cinderella run in the tournament two years ago, reaching the semifinals before bowing out to eventual runner-up Indonesia.
Weiss said that the 2010 squad took advantage of the many lucky opportunities that came its way en route to the historic feat. The Azkals had to salvage a scoreless draw Cambodia in their last match in the qualifiers just to make it to the main competition.
They forced a 1-nil draw against Singapore in the group stages of the tournament, thanks to a last minute goal by Chris Greatwich. They also endured some scary moments before pulling off a 2-0 upset over then defending titlists Vietnam to advance to the semifinals.
�2010 was a once in a lifetime story,� Weiss said. �They were very lucky in the last minute.�
However, the German coach also believes that the team has become stronger with new players as well as the system it currently employs. Under Weiss, the Azkals added foreign-based players such as Filipino-German Stephan Schrock and Filipino-Spanish Angel Guirado, among others. They also moved away from a being defensive-oriented team to an offensive-minded squad which attacks the field more to get chances at the goal.
�We are in a much higher level now,� Weiss said. �Azkals are not the same in 2010 anymore.�
1st Uraya invitational bootfest set Aug. 4
Saturday, July 28, 2012
THE green light is on for the staging of the 1st Uraya Invitational Football Festival on August 4 at the new Villa de Mercedes football field in Catigan, Toril.
Uraya Land Development Inc. marketing admin manager Merci Duduaco, in a press briefing at their sales and marketing office on Friday, said the event is the first competition since the VDM football field was given to 11-year-old grandson Levi Uraya Jr. on Febraury 14, 2012 as birthday gift from his grandfather Debin A. Uraya, the ULDI chair.
"The football field is an added amenity aside from our swimming pool and our newest rubber-cushioned tennis court that is also open and free to the public on August 4," Duduaco said.
Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) A and B teams, Mintal FC, Black Knights, Crocs FC and SOS Children's Village will show their wares in the boys 12-under division while Ateneo, Mintal FC, Hinex and SOS CV will vie for the elementary girl�s crown.
Tournament commissioner Reynalyn Ravanes said the boys squads will play a single elimination where the top four teams will advance to the cross-over semi-finals while the first two girl teams will battle for the title after the single eliminations.
Mariedeth Uraya of organizing E-Ventures said, "We are looking forward to stage more events. This tournament will be held every year."
Nate Burkey of the Philippine Azkals national football team will grace the 7-A-Side tournament that will benefit the football squad of the Davao City National High School.
Specialized trophies and medals will be awarded to the winners of the meet sanctioned by the Davao Football Association. (MLSA)
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on July 28, 2012.
Villaflor: Football in a �Livable Cebu�
Saturday, July 28, 2012
WHAT could be better news than the Azkals playing in an international friendly in Cebu?
That says a lot about the Philippine Football Federation�s recognition of Cebu�s place in the country�s sporting map.
The PFF and the Cebu football community has built a robust relationship over the past couple of years, beginning with the previous Cebu Football Association board�s no-nonsense efforts to work with the federation.
I have lost count of the number of FIFA and PFF trainings and seminars for coaches and referees that the CFA facilitated over the past few years, programs that have provided a solid foundation for the development of football in Cebu.
As what can be gleaned from the number of football programs that have now been slated
on Cebu soil, including the ongoing Kasibulan grassroots development, there�s no doubt the current CFA board will be able to build on the accomplishments of the previous board.
Among the improvements the current CFA board is working on is mapping out the schedules of the major tournaments and sorting out memberships issues.
Then there�s the slated international friendly between the Azkals and Singapore or the Suzuki qualifiers runner-up this mid-November. No doubt the PFF, the Cebu City Government, and the CFA will ensure that the Cebu City Sports Center pass international standards for the big game.
As I football fan, I can�t help but get excited with this development. But as a member of the Cebuano football community, I also hope that this undertaking will not distract them from tackling matters that, if not addressed, are the biggest threat to the growth of Cebu football.
I�m talking about the shrinking number of football fields in this booming metropolis of ours.
Metro Cebu, with a burgeoning population of over two million, only has a handful of football fields and a smattering of open public spaces. Worse, while the number of football players is expected to grow, the number of football fields is expected to shrink further, no thanks to a continuously expanding urban sprawl bereft of
sustainable community planning.
Ultimately, the Cebuano footballer must realize that the problem of lack of playing space is a mere symptom of a much larger problem. And if he is to understand such a condition, he must come to grips with catchwords such as �sustainability� and �livability.�
If, for instance, a footballer cannot find open space where to kick ball, would he consider his community livable? And how does he turn it into one?
So just what is a livable community? In the words of a multi-sectoral group, a livable community, or, more specifically, a �Livable Cebu can nurture connected communities, a healthier environment and sustainable growth in all dimensions.�
Calling themselves the Movement for a Livable Cebu, the proponents want citizens to be included in the crafting of a �comprehensive metropolitan development plan,� which they�ve stated in a manifesto launched last month during the �Sustainable City Dialogues 2.�
Take a look at their wish list: a viable mass transit, road sharing and dedicated lanes for bikers, as well as parks and urban green spaces for joggers, families and outdoor public events. Sounds good?
It�s a list worth applauding, but one that inevitably leads me to this question: if the bikers and joggers have joined the greater community of Cebuanos in calling and for a Livable Cebu, how come the footballers have been mum about this most crucial of issues?
Just think about this for a second: all the time poured on training referees, coaches
and players would go to waste if there�s no adequate space where they can propagate what they�ve learned. No fields, no open space, no football.
And that is why, if it is to flourish, Cebu�s football community must immediately join the citizens� movement calling for a Livable Cebu. To the CFA, that means now.
(nsvillaflor@gmail.com)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 28, 2012.
Big football clinic goes to a barangay in Butuan
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Norte, July 27 (PIA) -- A big football clinic dubbed, �Kasibulan Football Grassroots Festival will be staged on July 29 at the rural area in Maguinda National High School Football grounds in Brgy. Maguinda in Butuan City.
The Butuan-Agusan Norte Football Association (Banfa) and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) organized the football clinic.
It is the first time that a football clinic, which is offered for free to all participants, of this magnitude will be staged in Butuan City, more so in the rural area like Brgy. Maguinda.
Now on its third leg of staging, the football clinic aims to introduce the game of football to more than 3,000 children aged six to 12 years old from all walks of life.
Around 600 children have already registered to participate in the clinic. The kids are mostly from schools in Brgy. Maguinda and in the neighboring barangays such Tungao, San Mateo, Sumile, Maibu, Dangkias, Amparo, among others.
The first two editions of the said clinic attracted around 1,000 kids held at the Butuan City Sports Complex in Brgy. Libertad in Butuan City.
Butuan City Vice Mayor and Banfa President Lawrence �Law� Fortun said he feels ecstatic that they will be able to bring this clinic to the rural area.
�We should take advantage of this opportunity as not all the major cities in the country is given the chance to host this clinic which is patterned after the successful grassroots development program of Germany,� Fortun said.
Football has become popular after the Philippine Team Azkals romped with several wins in international tournaments during the past years when most Filipinos were engrossed on basketball.
The clinic, which is also held in several key cities, is also aimed at discovering new talents who could be part of the Team Azkals who will be competing in the 2018 Asian Football Cup.
To date, the program has produced a member of Team Azkals in the person of Chiffy Caligdong who is a product of the program in the late 1990s.
There will also be basic training on coaching in the first two days of the clinic on July 27 to 28 at the same venue.
The Philippine Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in Butuan support the clinic. (RER/NCLM/Eldie N. David/BC-VMO/PIA-Caraga)
PIA
BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Norte, July 27 (PIA) -- A big football clinic dubbed, �Kasibulan Football Grassroots Festival will be staged on July 29 at the rural area in Maguinda National High School Football grounds in Brgy. Maguinda in Butuan City.
The Butuan-Agusan Norte Football Association (Banfa) and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) organized the football clinic.
It is the first time that a football clinic, which is offered for free to all participants, of this magnitude will be staged in Butuan City, more so in the rural area like Brgy. Maguinda.
Now on its third leg of staging, the football clinic aims to introduce the game of football to more than 3,000 children aged six to 12 years old from all walks of life.
Around 600 children have already registered to participate in the clinic. The kids are mostly from schools in Brgy. Maguinda and in the neighboring barangays such Tungao, San Mateo, Sumile, Maibu, Dangkias, Amparo, among others.
The first two editions of the said clinic attracted around 1,000 kids held at the Butuan City Sports Complex in Brgy. Libertad in Butuan City.
Butuan City Vice Mayor and Banfa President Lawrence �Law� Fortun said he feels ecstatic that they will be able to bring this clinic to the rural area.
�We should take advantage of this opportunity as not all the major cities in the country is given the chance to host this clinic which is patterned after the successful grassroots development program of Germany,� Fortun said.
Football has become popular after the Philippine Team Azkals romped with several wins in international tournaments during the past years when most Filipinos were engrossed on basketball.
The clinic, which is also held in several key cities, is also aimed at discovering new talents who could be part of the Team Azkals who will be competing in the 2018 Asian Football Cup.
To date, the program has produced a member of Team Azkals in the person of Chiffy Caligdong who is a product of the program in the late 1990s.
There will also be basic training on coaching in the first two days of the clinic on July 27 to 28 at the same venue.
The Philippine Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in Butuan support the clinic. (RER/NCLM/Eldie N. David/BC-VMO/PIA-Caraga)
PIA
Friday--July 27th, 2012
SB Nation reports former UMass DT Theo Agnew is transferring to Georgia State.
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The Daily Press looks at the geographic troubles of Maine and UNH football.
With a $400,000 travel deficit, the Black Bears will probably have to add a second FBS OOC team to their annual schedule or take some other action to reduce costs. The CAA adding Albany and Stony Brook would be a big step in the right direction.
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Victor Cruz reported to the Giants camp with a big smile.
The Giants Blog (good name) says Cruz is a household name.
Newsday says he's back where it all began.
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The MAC Blog "Hustle Belt" looks at the 2012 MAC linebackers position.
The Daily Chronicle breaks down the MAC ballot.
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James Ihedigbo made a nice play during the Pats first day of training camp.
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If you're following the Penn State potential transfer thing:
It's "No holds Barred".
Illinois sent eight assistant coaches to the Penn State campus.
UConn is making a bid.
SB Nation keeps an eye on the situation here. One thing to note that I think has not been mentioned much is that the players have until 2013 to transfer. The recruiting games for Nittiany Lion players will probably continue for some time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Daily Press looks at the geographic troubles of Maine and UNH football.
With a $400,000 travel deficit, the Black Bears will probably have to add a second FBS OOC team to their annual schedule or take some other action to reduce costs. The CAA adding Albany and Stony Brook would be a big step in the right direction.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victor Cruz reported to the Giants camp with a big smile.
The Giants Blog (good name) says Cruz is a household name.
Newsday says he's back where it all began.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The MAC Blog "Hustle Belt" looks at the 2012 MAC linebackers position.
The Daily Chronicle breaks down the MAC ballot.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Ihedigbo made a nice play during the Pats first day of training camp.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you're following the Penn State potential transfer thing:
It's "No holds Barred".
Illinois sent eight assistant coaches to the Penn State campus.
UConn is making a bid.
SB Nation keeps an eye on the situation here. One thing to note that I think has not been mentioned much is that the players have until 2013 to transfer. The recruiting games for Nittiany Lion players will probably continue for some time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018 FIFA World Cup - AFC seedings
AFC
For the 2014 FIFA World Cup preliminaries, AFC used the performance based seeding for the first two rounds, then the July 2011 ranking for the group stage draw. This means that if the rules don't change, we already know the seeding for the first two rounds.
First round (performance based)
Pot 1: Bangladesh, Yemen, India, Philippines, Maldives, Myanmar, Syria, Kyrgystan, Hong Kong, Nepal, Laos
Pot 2: Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Macau, Guam, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam
Second round (performance based)
Pot 1: Worst 5 teams from the 2014 final group stage + Bahrain, China PR, Kuwait, Korea DPR, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Tajikistan, Singapore, Indonesia
Pot 2: Turkmenistan, Palestine, Malaysia, Vietnam + 11 winners from the first round
Football Rankings
For the 2014 FIFA World Cup preliminaries, AFC used the performance based seeding for the first two rounds, then the July 2011 ranking for the group stage draw. This means that if the rules don't change, we already know the seeding for the first two rounds.
First round (performance based)
Pot 1: Bangladesh, Yemen, India, Philippines, Maldives, Myanmar, Syria, Kyrgystan, Hong Kong, Nepal, Laos
Pot 2: Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Macau, Guam, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam
Second round (performance based)
Pot 1: Worst 5 teams from the 2014 final group stage + Bahrain, China PR, Kuwait, Korea DPR, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Tajikistan, Singapore, Indonesia
Pot 2: Turkmenistan, Palestine, Malaysia, Vietnam + 11 winners from the first round
Football Rankings
Filipino Football on Twitter
I am on Twitter , you can follow me @filipinofootbal Link
499 followers :-) Thanks to all that follow me already.
Sometimes I post news , romours and retweets that is not posted in my blog
499 followers :-) Thanks to all that follow me already.
Sometimes I post news , romours and retweets that is not posted in my blog
Thursday 26 July 2012
Fair Play: When will our Olympic impunity end?
IN A profile of editors for a journal on Cebu journalists, I wrote, as my three goals--1.) To write a sports column, 2.) meet Maria Sharapova and 3.) write about the country's first Olympic gold medal. One goal, obviously, has been met, the other could be met next year in the Australian Open and the third, god I hope will be marked off, this year.
Ever since I watched Roel Velasco lose in the semifinals in Barcelona, hereby settling for the automatic bronze medal, I thought winning the gold medal was just a matter of time. Roel's younger brother did, actually, winning the final in the eyes of most observers but unfortunately, not according to the people that mattered--the judges, so Onyok came home with a bronze.
And we all thought, surely the next one would be the one?
But Sydney 2000, turned out to be the first of three straight Olympics where we didn't win a single medal.
It's expected, of course, that in track and field and swimming, where our best are worlds apart from the medalists, that our athletes would be aiming for just their personal bests.
But it's been particularly hard our best hope, our boxers, fell short. In Beijing, Harry Tanamor, one of the medal favorites according to Sports Illustrated because he was a silver medalist in the 2007 world championships, lost in the second round to Ghana, his second straight exit in the round of 16. In fact, since Sydney, no Pinoy has gone past the round of 16.
Our best chance for medal in the past three Olympiads was in Taekwondo in 2004, when the then 16-year-old Mary Antoinette Rivero (if I'm not mistaken) was seconds away from a gold medal bout, but a last minute kick by Greece's Elisavet Mystakidou booted her out of a finals slot and she lost, too, in the repechage and a chance for a bronze medal.
In Beijing, we had three entries in our best chances for a medal, Tanamor and taekwondo's Rivero and Tshomlee Go.
In London we have one, boxing's Mark Barriga, the lone boxer to qualify.
Barriga will shoulder the hopes of millions of Pinoys in his young shoulders and the pressure on this boy when he takes on his first round foe on July 31 would be immense.
Aside from Barriga, who else has a realistic chance of winning a medal?
There isn't much hope in our token participants in swimming and athletics, or even in weightlifting but perhaps Rachel Cabral and Mark Javier can spring a surprise in archery and they will be the first to see action today at 3 p.m. Brian Rosario, in shooting, could be a dark horse too, while Tomohikp Hoshina's time spent training in Japan for judo may pay dividends.
We also have an entry in the new sport of BMX, Daniel Caluag, and as the only Asian representative in his sport, I hope the Filipino-American can spring a surprise.
Some people always ask, how could a nation of 90 million fail to win an Olympic gold?
But I think that�s wrong, we may be 90-million strong, but our pool of athletes is not even 9 million-strong, or, for that matter, 90,000-strong.
Tell me, how many do you know are into sports, seriously? Our biggest annual competition for the youth�the Palarong Pambansa�has 8,000 athletes. And these are the same athletes who make the national finals whenever there�s a national meet for their own sport.
So, how can a nation of 9,000 athletes win an Olympic medal?
The simple answer is we don�t.
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