Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Azkals to play in Panaad Sept. 13
Set to start at 6 p.m., the match between the Azkals and the Negros Under-23 champion team that beat Iloilo during the Suzuki Cup PFF U23 Championship, is expected to draw a large crowd of football-loving Negrenses to the Panaad pitch.
While team composition for both the Azkals and the Ceres-Negros squads is yet to be released, the public are looking forward to see Younghusband brothers Phil and James along with Ilonggos Chieffy Caligdong and Ian Araneta playing together once again.
Early this year, the Azkals caught Bacolod City by storm during their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying playoff home match against the Mongolia Blue Wolves.
Caligdong won the hearts of the Negrenses as he scored the opening goal while fireworks lit the night sky after Phil Younghusband booted in the Philippines� second goal minutes before the game ended.*NAB
Visayan Daily Star
Jakarta Casual Weekly
Columbia Davao wins U23 football crown
Columbia blanked Central Mindanao University (CMU), 4-0, in the final day of competition. Nur Hazzanal Mentang knocked in all four goals in the 48th, 52nd, 67th and 80th minutes.
Columbia finished with 12 points to rule the single round-robin bootfest while University of Mindanao (UM) Tagum, which hacked out a 5-1 win over Medvil FC of Davao, made nine points for the runner-up honors.
Columbia pocketed P10,000 cash, trophy and medals.UM Tagum received P5,000 and medals while third-placer CMU went home with P2,000 and medals.
Edwin Giganto, Jr. of Columbia was named most valuable player and best defender while Mentang was hailed best midfielder.
UM Tagum's Birn Manique and Columbia's Jeffrey Albon took the best striker and best goalkeeper awards, respectively.
Giganto got P2,000 cash aside from the Acer laptop he and the rest of the individual awardees received from Davao FA president Edward "Chaya" Lim, general secretary Erwin Protacio and board members Reginald Ozims and Rafael "Pops" Vilela during the awarding rites. (Marianne L. Saberon-Abalayan)
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on September 01, 2011.
Nomads SC announced pre-season friendlies
The club from Paranaque confirmed matches at the International School Manila on Wednesday followed by another against Green Archers on Sunday at the La Salle Zobel in Alabang.
Michael Denison�s side has been promoted to the elite first division of the LBC United Football League after finishing top in the second division last season.
Despite the loss of the Hartmann brothers in their line-up, Nomads have been touted as one of the major contenders to lift the trophy next season.
Steven Robert Borrill is expected to send to team to greater heights following his impressive form in the second division last season which earned him the top goalscorer and most valuable player awards.
sugod.com
TFF: More than a Labor of Love now
After working full-time continuously since I was 17 (I worked my way through Temple by holding two part-time jobs), I recently became a victim of the terrible economy and the spiraling newspaper business.
The Philadelphia Inquirer recently cut back two full-timers from its high school sports section and I, unfortunately, was one of them.
Pretty tough news considering I never missed a day of work in my life from the time I started in the newspaper business at The Doylestown Intelligencer and always showed up for work on time, pretty much to the minute.
Temple Football Forever has been a labor of love through all of this.
Now, at least temporarily, it is more than a labor of love.
Hopefully, through the support of the great fans of this site, I won't be reduced to sending TFF dispatches by flashlight while living in a cardboard box at 16th and Callowhill. (If I had to set up a cardboard box home, that's where I'd do it.)
I have a few months to look for another newspaper job, but I have to face reality here.
This business is dying and there is a lot of age discrimination out there in all areas of employment, so the prospects are not ideal.
So, we're not asking for a Bill Cosby-like donation of $1 million here (Bill has never contributed a penny but that's his prerogative as Bobby Brown might say), just anything between $5 and $10 would be greatly appreciated.
Either go through the pay pal link provided or if you don't like pay pal send a check to:
Mike Gibson
P.O. Box 243
Quakertown, PA 18951
Thanks again and only a few of my fellow tailgaters know of this and I appreciate their kind words of support.
Mike
Azkals to hold camp in Bacolod
This was disclosed yesterday by Executive Assistant to Governor Alfredo Mara�on and Provincial Sports Cordinator Angel �Nonong� Verdeflor and confirmed by Azkals Team coordinator Patrick Ace Bright.
The said camp, which will be headed by national team head coach Hans Michael Weiss, intends to scout new breed of players from the provinces to boost the national team during the upcoming Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Indonesia this November, as well as in future international competitions.
This activity is also part of the Philippine Football Federation�s (PFF) goal to provide a venue for the local talents to be scouted by the national coaches.
Verdeflor said the province has lots of talented football players who can help the national team.
Meanwhile, a friendly match looms between the Azkals and defending PFF-Suzuki U23 National Cup champion Ceres-Negros. However, Verdeflor has yet to confirm, as talks is still ongoing and has not been finalized as of this time.
The goodwill game would be the first time since the February match against Mongolia that the Azkals will be playing again in Panaad.
This will further boost the football awareness in the province.
Verdeflor disclosed that the 1st Governor Alfredo Mara�on Jr. Negros First Football League will kick off September 17 at the Panaad Park and Stadium.
He added that this tournament will be sponsored by the Negros Football League Association.
As of press time, a meeting on the finality of this tournament is taking place at Luxur�s Place with the list of competing teams expected to be announced.
Verdeflor said the implementation of this sports program is part of the priority agenda of Mara�on.
He reiterated that to achieve this goal, the governor wants to eliminate politics in sports and give the athletes more exposures in order for them to be highly competitive and to be more experienced.
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on September 01, 2011.
PHL U-19 team�Musangs off to AFF U19 Championship
The squad, headed by Spanish coach Maor Rozen, is managed by former Negros Occidental 4th district Representative Charlie Cojuangco.
Cojuangco is the president of the Negros Occidental Football Association and a director of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), while Rozen was a member of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and the Uruguayan Football Association before he was tapped by PFF to spearhead the grassroots program in 2009.
Meanwhile, the squad is composed of players chosen from over 600 aspirants in several tryouts conducted across the country, particularly in Tarlac, Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao and Negros Occidental.
The team also boasts of two half Filipinos from Italy and Canada.
Earlier, Cojuangco stressed that the characteristics of a Musang, which is stealth and ferociousness, as well as resourcefulness when challenged, are what a football team needs to succeed. He added he wants a team that is going to be known for its football skills and not for the players� looks.
�We want to train them to become better persons as much as we want them to be better players. We cannot produce good players with the wrong values,� he said.
He added he always believed that football is a sport where Filipinos can excel.
Aside from the competitions, Rozen said the team should also be a good training ground to supply players for the U-23 category. Then, U-23 players could graduate into the Philippine Azkals, the country�s national men�s team, he explained. (JSG)
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on September 01, 2011.
The Eve of (Villanova's) Destruction
Once again, we'll let the Lovely Laura be your guide on what to expect tomorrow.
Long before midnight tomorrow night, we'll find out if Steve Addazio can coach.
Despite what many of my Florida Gator friends tell me, I suspect he can. The sign of a great CEO is his knack for surrounding himself with top upper-level management.
Already, for whatever flaws Addazio might have had as an OC, he appears to have this CEO thing down.
What makes me confident is that the guy has surrounded himself with coordinators who might be the two best in college football, regardless of the level.
Chuck Heater was the defensive coordinator at Utah when it went 11-0.
Yeah, Freakin' Utah.
He was the co-defensive coordinator at Florida (with Teryl Austin) over the past couple of years at Florida.
Don't let the "co" title confuse you.
"I call Chuck Heater Mother Theresa," Florida head coach Urban Meyer said last season. "He's worked miracles with our defense."
That kind of endorsement is good enough for me.
Loeffler was the quarterbacks' coach at Michigan for Tom Brady and at Florida for Tim Tebow.
That's all I needed to hear.
I think he can, and probably will, put this offense in a better position to succeed than Matt Rhule has done.
Addazio, by even his detractors' accounts, is a motivator second to none and an accomplished offensive line coach.
I like what this equation can do for Temple's football team this year.
Addazio's motivation + Loeffler's playcalling/QB developmental skills + Heater's fire-eaters = big-time success for the Owls.
Offensively, I look for Bernard Pierce, "datboy Nard", to run wild over this team. Remember, in the first year, as a true freshman, Pierce gained 66 yards on six carries against the Wildcats despite being cleared by the NCAA to play only a couple days before kickoff. Last year, in the joke move of all joke moves, Al Golden helped Villanova out by alternating Pierce with Matty Brown on every other series.
Adrian Robinson: Three sacks. |
We won't have to wait until the second or third game to find out if Temple has the right people in charge.
We'll know by 11 p.m. tomorrow night.
My gut tells me a 55-3 Temple win. My head tells me more like 35-14. The score will probably end up somewhere in between.
Anything less than 35-14 and we're not in as good a shape as I thought.
Don't worry.
The Eve of (Villanova's) Destruction is at hand.
Wednesday--August 31, 2011
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The UMass Football radio network is up for the 2011 season.
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Jeff Thomas has an article on the seven UMass Football Alumni in the NFL.
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The Boston Herald has five questions for Holy Cross.
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Former UMass HC Don Brown gets a mention in these two articles on UConn: here and here.
Speaking of the Huskies, they've delayed their opening game against Fordham.
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The Virginia Pilot previews Old Dominion's schedule including UMass.
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Craig Haley of TSN has a bunch of FCS news including a quote from Coach Morris here.
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Anyone taping the game on CBS Sports channel? I will be flying from the Big Island to Maui tomorrow afternoon and won't be able to listen to the game. I'd pay for the tape and postage when I get home. E-mail me before taping as there is no sense several people going to the trouble.
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Hong Kong fielding best NT in Long Teng Cup
Match schedule :
30. September : Philippines- Hong Kong
2. October : Philippines - Chinese Taipei
4. October : Philippines - Macau
The MAC Blogger Roundtable: Week 1
Our friends over at Bull Run (actually, friend, Tim Riordan is a one-man show over there) asked us to answer Week 1 questions and we are only too happy to oblige.
Here they are:
And here are the week one questions..
1) Lets start with the new blood. There are several new coaches in the conference, which coach was the best get and why?
TFF: I don't think that's possible to tell now but, hypothetically, the best coach should surround himself with the best staff. If that's the most important thing, it's hard to argue against Steve Addazio and Temple. Chuck Heater was the defensive coordinator for Utah went it went 11-0. He was the co-defensive coordinator for Florida last year. Urban Meyer called him "Mother Theresa because he's been a miracle-worker for us." Scot (one T) Loeffler is the new offensive coordinator. He was quarterbacks coach at Michigan for Tom Brady. He was QB coach at Florida for Tim Tebow. If Daz lets these coaches coach and he takes over the motivation, these SEC coaches are the best in the MAC.
2) Lets look at the old blood? Which coach is the most likely to be dumped after the season and which is most likely to be plucked away by a big AQ school?
TFF: I think Ron English is most likely to be dumped. I think Frank Solich gets another chance at an AQ school.
3) Which somewhat realistically winnable non conference game would give the MAC the most publicity? What are the odds of the MAC team winning that game
TFF: Penn State vs. Temple. 50/50. Last year's game was a 22-13 PSU win before 106,000 in State College. This year's game will be before 70K in Philly (30K Temple fans, 40K PSU fans). Temple is much better this year. I'm sure Chester Stewart won't get a chance to throw three picks like he did last year.
4) What do you think of the UMass addition and how would you realign the divisions?
TFF: I wish they would have gotten Marshall back instead. It's one thing for Temple fans to drive 4 miles south of the Main campus to a 70K stadium. It's another thing for UMass fans to drive 105 miles from their main campus for games in Gilette Stadium.
5) Who wins the East and what is their key game along that journey
TFF: Temple. Ohio at Temple. Solich and his read option confounded Golden and Mark D'Onofrio. Heater won't even be fazed by it.
6) Who wins the West and what is their key game along that journey
Northern Illinois.
7) Rank the teams first to last
1) Northern Illinois
2) Temple
3) Ohio
4) Central Michigan
5) Toledo
6) Western Michigan
7) Bowling Green
8: Akron
9) Ball State
10) Buffalo
11) Miami
12) Kent
13) Eastern Michigan
TFF's Week 1 MAC picks:
Temple 35, Villanova 14 _ Every fiber in my being says this is going to be a more epic beatdown, somewhere between 35-14 and 55-3. I'll avoid the temptation to split the baby down the middle and go for 46-19. I'll stick with 35-14 and leave it at that. Temple is a 6 1/2-point favorite. Easier money you'll never see.
Idaho 28, Bowling Green 24 _ BGSU covers the 8-point spread in defeat.
Ohio State 41, Akron 7 _ OSU barely covers the hefty 33-point spread.
Missouri 35, Miami (Ohio) 14 _ Twenty-one is good enough to lay for the Tigers, who are giving 17.
Alabama 45, Kent State 3 _ Trent Richardson runs roughshod over KSU and helps Bama cover the 37.
Michigan 31, Western Michigan 14 _ Western Michigan comes close, but not close enough to cover the modest 14-point spread. All that extra practice time helps the Wolverines.
PITT 42, Buffalo 0 _ Panthers beat Bulls by the same score Temple did a year ago and easily cover the 30.
Northern Illinois 42, Army 28 _ Huskies beat Army by the same score Temple did a year ago.
Indiana 14, Ball State 10 _ In an upset, Ball State covers the 6 1/2 against its in-state rival.
Ohio 34, New Mexico State 7 _ Frank Solich's crew has no problem on the road covering the 7 1/2.
Join the picking fun by joining Bull Run's pick 'em this year:
Remember, the group ID: 13180
user name: 2008champs
ACER Cup U23 Mindanao Invitational
26. August :
CMU of Bukidnon def. MEDVIL of Davao 3-2. Goal scorers for CMU were Joshua Dutosme (79�), Bertrand Ramos (81�), & Kent Dave Elegido(86�). Goal scorer for MEDVIL was Francis Abrasaldo (36� & 80�). UM Tagum def. BANFA of Butuan 14-1.
28. August :
BANFA of Butuan defeated MEDVIL of Davao 3-0. Goal scorers for BANFA were Warren Atuel (62�), James Vi�a (66�), & Charles Vincent Gamutan (71�).
Columbia of Davao defeated UM Tagum 3-1. Goal scorers for Columbia were Fransisco Iligan (14�) & Marlon Dimapanag (70�, 90�). The goal scorer for UM Tagum was Mark Ador(4�).
29. August
UM Tagum defeated MEDVIL of Davao 5-1. Goal scorers for UM Tagum were Cusimero Amad (63�, 86�), Mark Anthony Juan (69�), Mark Ador (76�), and Birn Manique (82�). Goal scorer for Medvil was Reymon Pareda (23�).
Columbia of Davao defeated CMU 4-0 . Goal scorers for Columbia was Nur Hazzanal Mentang (48�, 52�, 67�, 80�).
First Place : Columbia FC, Davao
Second place : University of Mindanao Tagum City
Thirs place : Central Mindanao University
Pics and results : Davao FA Facebook
Tuesday--August 30, 2011
Hampshire Gazette image |
So does Matty. V.
UMass game notes. UMass two-deep.
Five freshman are on the two-deep. Addy Moas C, Marken Michel WR, Greg Hilliard LB, Iric Harris CB, Randall Jette S.
Specialists, which was a problem last year, have been revised. Brandon Levengood, who kicked off last year with kick field goals and EP. Brandon Yelovich will kickoff and Jeff Strait will handle the punting and holding for extra points.
Matty also has an interview with UMass AD John McCutcheon about upgrades to McGuirk that would allow UMass to have some football games there as well as upgrades to the UMass training facilities. UMass will likely eventually schedule a FCS team annually as do most FBS teams. That game and maybe a MAC team would be good candidates for McGuirk.
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John Connolly of the Boston herald has five questions for the 2011 Minutemen.
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Chris Koepplin was one of ten players cut by the Patriots yesterday.
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More Victor Cruz articles here and here and here.
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Azkals' Etheridge, Schrock to miss Long Teng Cup
ABS-CBN�s Dyan Castillejo reported that Filipino-Europeans Neil Etherdige, Rob Gier, Jerry Lucena, Paul Mulders and Stephan Schrock will be missing the event that is due to take place in Taiwan.
Some of the players are unavailable in September due to commitments with their respective ball clubs in Europe.
"Sorry I won't be able to make the long teng cup I'm sure that the team will do great! Will be supporting them all the way," said Etheridge through Twitter.
The Long Teng Cup is not listed in the coordinated FIFA international match calendar, which is why the football clubs are not compelled to release the players.
Gier, meanwhile, chose to stay close with his wife, who is due to give birth.
"Because of the imminent arrival of my baby girl I will not be taking part in the Long Teng Cup. This does not mean that I won't be taking part in future matches and I look forward to meeting up with the guys again very soon. I hope you all understand that it is an important time for me to be at home," he said through his Facebook account.
Filipino-British siblings Phil and James Younghusband, meanwhile, will be around to provide the needed boost for the Azkals.
They already began training with the rest of the Azkals at the Alabang Country club on Tuesday.
�Good to be back on team, good to see the same old faces. Good as well to get back in training,� said James.
Joining them is 23-year-old Filipino-German recruit Roland Mueller, second choice goalkeeper of German second division squad Duisburg.
Filipino-Dutch Jason de Jong and Filipino-German Manny Ott will join the Azkals as well.
ABS CBN News
Is a SEAG medal a realistic target?
A shrug, a twitch and a grimace.
That�s how coach Michael Weiss answered when I asked him whether a �SEA Games medal was a realistic target� while we were downing a few beers the other night.
We got to talking about how media hype may have led some fans, the clueless showbiz media and even a few of the sports media, to expect the world of the Azkals. How some tend to have unrealistic expectations.
�This (success) just doesn�t happen in six months,� he said.
Then I asked him how the Under 23 team was doing.
�It will be a totally new team with Manuel Ott, Jason de Jong, Roland Mueller, a fully professional keeper�There are also many, many homegrown talents who want�� he said.
More Cebu Football
Azkals' Caligdong to grace Mayor Doc Eric bootfest
Two hundred teams from Dumaguete, Cebu, Iloilo and Negros Occidental are set to compete in the tournament scheduled September 3 to 4.
More : Sun Star Bacolod
Fil-German goalkeeper joins Azkals training
ABS-CBN�s Dyan Castillejo reported on her Twitter account that it is Mueller�s first time in the Philippines. Mueller, the second choice goalkeeper of German second division squad Duisburg, is one of the two Fil-German recruits who will beef up the Philippine football squad.
The other Fil-German is striker Kevin Ingreso, who will join the national team next year after getting clearance from his club Hamburg.
Castillejo, meanwhile, said that the Azkals is still likely to keep Filipino-British player Neil Etheridge as its first goalkeeper.
�Making it clear, Neil is still the first keeper,� she said through Twitter.
ABS CBN News
Monday, 29 August 2011
Posting Drought
Is a SEAG medal a realistic target?
That�s how coach Michael Weiss answered when I asked him whether a �SEA Games medal was a realistic target� while we were downing a few beers the other night.
We got to talking about how media hype may have led some fans, the clueless showbiz media and even a few of the sports media, to expect the world of the Azkals. How some tend to have unrealistic expectations.
�This (success) just doesn�t happen in six months,� he said.
Then I asked him how the Under 23 team was doing.
�It will be a totally new team with Manuel Ott, Jason de Jong, Roland Mueller, a fully professional keeper�There are also many, many homegrown talents who want�� he said.
�So, is a SEAG medal a realistic target?�
His face twitched a bit, he grabbed his glass of beer and shrugged.
I asked if all the media hype and the success of the senior team will put pressure on the Under 23 squad to deliver what fans expect of them.
Earlier, he complained that the media, instead of educating the fans, also tend to add to the hype.
�Here, let me show you something,� he said while grabbing my notebook.
When I realized he was writing a series of (please click===>) lineups, I told him that I may not be competent enough to understand it.
�No, you will understand this,� he said. �Now look.�
�I don�t think I�m seeing what you want me to see coach.�
Then he rattled off the names and then I began to see the picture.
�What do you think?�
�I think I like this one,� I said, pointing to his Team 3.
�This,� he said, while pointing to the first one, �Is the team that played in Kuwait. This one, in Rizal and this is my dream team.�
His dream team really is a dream team and I know some fans will be surprised to see a few missing names. The composition of the back four, I think, will also raise a lot of discussions.
�If you noticed, only five of them played in Kuwait. That is what I was waiting for the media to point out.�
I asked if the team is pressured.
�There�s no pressure on the players, they will just play.�
�But what happens if they can�t win a medal?� Or perhaps I may have asked it as, �but what happens if you can�t win a medal?�
�What will happen? You will fire the coach? You will all say �FIRE THE COACH?��
It was my turn to stammer, �No coach, that�s not what I�m getting at.�
The team started training last Monday, and will have a series of training camps in Bacolod and one outside the country�Japan or the middle east.
But a two-month preparation compared to say, host Indonesia, which identified its training pool as early as last January?
Is two months enough?
I didn�t catch an answer but I think I detected a grimace on coach Weiss� face.
But I could clearly see he looked surprised when I told him that the 1991 team�the one that made it all the way to the semis�was the most successful SEAG men�s football team.
A success that this year�s SEAG team�the first one since 05 and the second since 1999--are being tapped to surpass.
�So, is a medal a realistic target?� I asked again.
�Well, they are talking of a bronze medal.�
�So it is a realistic target?�
�OK, let me tell you right now. If we win the gold, we will party every night for 30 days here in Cebu,� he said, and he wasn't even smiling.
�A bronze, maybe 28 days.�
So, is a SEA Games medal a realistic target?
Philippine Musangs gear up for Asian football tourney
The team is managed by former congressman Charlie Cojuangco and coached by Maor Rozen, previously from the Spanish Football Federation.
We have been working with these players since 2 months ago. In Vietnam only we will work out the tactical aspects of the game. Our goal is only to try to develop new players for the future national teams, under-21, under-23, maybe Azkals. This must be the goal of the youth teams of the Philippines," Rozen said.
"For our team, all the teams are stronger, it means this tournament will be very hard for us. We will try to compete and to do the best that we can, but we will play hard because we will be competing against teams that have been working since 3-4 years ago," he added. "We will try to do the best we can. No secrets in football... we work very hard... to try to compete."
Captains Leo Carlo Liay, Ali Mahmoud, and Fitch Johnson Aviz Arboleda lead the 20 players, who were selected from over 600 applicants in try-outs conducted across the country.
"Ang support namin yung kami yung nag-form ng team para sa AFF, we conducted 6-8 tryouts, from Tarlac to Davao City, tapos yung ibang players na napili na pinayagan pumunta sa training camp, dinala namin sa Negros, sa Bago City, dun sila nag-stay for 6 weeks," said Cojuangco. "May program kami for their training with the coach, so ngayon paalis na kami papuntang Vietnam. Kailangan namin ng mga laro."
The Musangs will leave Tuesday morning for Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
They will compete in the Asian Football Federation U-19 Championship that will be held from September 8 to 21, in Yangon, Myanmar.
ABS CBN News
Recruiting 2012--John Jennings
Newton Patch/Peter Shanley image |
He is also an Division I prospect punter and intends to try to walk on to the football team.
Monday--August 29, 2011
The Holy Cross game notes are up. It lists Brandon Hill as QB.
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Former UMass assistant coach Jim Bradly (under Mark Whipple) is now HC at NY powerhouse HS Monsignor Farrell.
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Former voice-of-the-Minutemen Bob Behler is the focus of this article.
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The NY Times says Victor Cruz is now longer a novelty.
This blog relates Tom Coughlin says Cruz is ahead of Domenik Hixon.
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Sunday, 28 August 2011
Azkals coach: PHL needs comprehensive grassroots program
The support Weiss is seeking for, however, is not only for the Azkals, but for the country to come up with a genuine football program especially up to the grassroots level.
With a good developmental program, Weiss said the national squad can utilize an all-homegrown talent.
�If I have the choice, as much as possible, I want all home-grown talents in the team,� said Weiss, who was in town last Saturday to grace the San Roque Football Festival at San Roque Parish field in Brgy. Subangdaku, Mandaue City.
Unfortunately, the German strategist said there is not enough homegrown talents that can be tapped for all the international tournaments they are joining in.
�There are lot of conditions involved. We need more support from the people, schools, the clubs, the association. You see, there's not enough good pitches here in the Philippines, just like what you see here (San Roque football pitch) plus the environment, tournaments, the training of the young ones and continuity of the program,� said Weiss.
Having a pool of talented local players, Weiss said it will no longer be difficult to form a formidable team rather than rely on �professionals� who are based outside the Philippines that had been commissioned to fight for the flag and country.
Weiss even disclosed that PHL's lineup for this year�s Southern East Asian Games in Indonesia may be known only three weeks before the event since they still have to know the schedule of their Fil-foreign players.
Given this circumstance, Weiss could not promise of winning gold in the SEAG.
�The lack of preparation as a team would make it difficult to say on our chances,� Weiss said.
Prior to the SEA Games though, the Azkals are set to compete in Taiwan next month then train either in the Middle East or Japan.
And if Weiss has his way, he would love to bring the Azkals back to Cebu for training and another team bonding although time may be very difficult for them to do it this year.
Sans the players, Weiss said he plans to go back to Cebu within the year for a much-needed break.
"I like Cebu very much. I like the people and that is why I�m establishing a relation with the people, with the federation here,� Weiss said.
Weiss� Cebu trip was backed up by the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC). He will report back for work today as the senior and under-23 teams resume their practice in Manila. - THE FREEMAN
Fans have to be Temple TUFF, too
Temple TUFF: Behind The Scenes With Temple Football - EP. 1 from 20/20 Visual Media on Vimeo.
It was about this time a year ago when I was trying to drum up Temple alumni support for attending the second annual Mayor's Cup that an old Temple football player reached out to me.
No excuses, Temple fans. Thursday will be a great night for both football and the Owls. Be there. |
The guy, a good guy and someone who I remembered as a player, said:
"Mike, I love your blog and I'm going to try to get to a game this year."
I wrote him back something to the effect that: "See you in the parking lot at the Villanova game, then."
"I won't be able to make that one, but maybe one later in the season," he replied.
Huh?
I've never understood that line of thinking.
Temple fans, if you are going to make a game, make this one.
It's important for a number of reasons:
One, you can't lose to Villanova. A lot of the euphoria over the nine-game winning streak and the bowl game against UCLA was wiped out for me by a loss to Villanova in the opening game that year. Every Temple detractor (and we all know there are many) added a "yeah, but" ... as in Temple's good, but yeah but it is in the MAC or "how good could Temple be" because it did not beat Villanova?
Updated Temple vs. Villanova depth chart is here: thanks to Owlsports.comGetting your Temple TUFF fan butt in the seats and yelling your lungs out for this team will insure there are no "yeah buts" at the end of the season.
Two, this is a message game. It's a message to the college football world that Temple, not Villanova, rules the city's college football's rooting interest. It's a message to the Big East that they are missing out on something, a school with 270K alumni and 37K full-time students in the heart of the nation's fourth (not fifth) largest market. Temple football has a documented history, hard ratings numbers, of doing well on TV. What it doesn't have is a documented history of adding fannies in the seats to those numbers. A crowd of 40,000, mostly Cherry-clad fans, would send that message to the Big East and the rest of the college football world. Wear Cherry, not white.
Three, this is new Temple coach Steve Addazio's first game. Daz says everywhere he goes Temple alumni keep asking him about the third game. He said he's not even thinking about the third game, that all he's thinking about is beating Villanova.
That's not coachspeak. This game is that important.
Temple must not only beat this team, but beat it bad, both on the field and in the stands.
That's what creates a sustainable momentum.
That's the only way to make the rest of the games after that meaningful.
Making time to be there for three hours on a Thursday night is not too much to ask any Temple alumni or student.
Sunday--August 28, 2011
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The UMass Football Radio show debutes on Tuesday
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Jeff Thomas says UMass looks for gameday success in a transition year.
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The Worcester Telegram looks that the 2011 season and reports on central Mass pllayers Jonathan Hernandez, Rob Blanchflower, Emil Igwinagu and Brandon Potvin.
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CSN has a page with all the FCS TV games by week.
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Black Bear seniors are "All In" for the 2011 season.
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Mrs Blog and I went out to the Halema?uma?u crater last evening. Pele' was sleeping quietly.There is a live volcano cam here.
The image is hand held in the dark, so sharpness is not very good. Click on the image for a better view.
German FA to evaluate Cebu football
A TECHNICAL advisor from the German Football Association will soon visit Cebu to evaluate the grassroots programs, local tournaments and the clubs.
Philippine national coach Michael Weiss, who was in Cebu recently, said the visit of the technical advisor, who is also a former coach of the Philippines, is part of the aid program from the German FA to the Philippine Football Federation.
Eckhart Krautzun will be arriving in October to conduct an evaluation of the football programs of the PFF and of the provinces and will be assisted by members of the 1991 Southeast Asian Games team, the most successful Under 23 squad of the country.
�I chose him because he is familiar with the Philippines, having handled the team in 1991,� said Weiss.
Aside from evaluating the programs of the PFF, Krautzun will also evaluate the �youth football program in Cebu.�
�We want to build up as many youth developmental centers as possible,� said Weiss.
Weiss said the planned center will cater to the Under 10s and 12s and will involve a long-term development goal.
�After six to eight years, you should be able to see the fruit of your labors,� Weiss said.
The coach, who dropped by the San Roque Football Fiesta last Saturday, also said Cebu needs to have a decent pitch.
�You should improve the pitches here. You shouldn�t just wait for government support, there should also be support from the corporate and private sector,� he said.
Aside from youth football, Weiss said Krautzun and a technical advisory committee of the German FA will evaluate the �work of the PFF, conduct of school tournaments, local leagues, both regional and national, coaches� education and the handling of the national teams.�
Weiss also said that it would be ideal for the PFF to be involved in the Palarong Pambansa, which has a football event and involves almost every public school at the district and unit meet level.
�Ideally, it should be handled by the football association but the Philippines is a very big country, there are so many things happening all together,� he said.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 29, 2011
Limpag: Do you want to know a secret?
Hey, do you want to know a secret? But do promise that you will tell.
It�s a secret involving a group of guys who, for now, will be known as they-who-won�t-be-named.
But unlike he-who-must-not-be-named, whose dreams involved all sorts of ugly stuff that led folks in the Potterworld to call him by an alias, their dream is for everybody, not just for themselves.
The dream, of course, is a semi-professional football league in the Visayas.
�Kids who play basketball in the streets dream of someday playing in the PBA or even the lower leagues, because they see a future in it.�
The group hopes that someday it will become true for football.
�I hope, someday, the kids will be saying that they want to play football because they see a career in it.�
In Manila, it is becoming true with the Universal Football League, which already has a five-year, P150-million deal with TV 5 starting next season.
But funding a Visayas team to join the UFL would be a logistical nightmare, so, for the past few months or so, they have been working in the sidelines to address the need for a Visayas-wide league, one that could even be allied with the UFL.
The target opening? January, 2012.
I first heard of this plan a few weeks ago but I was told, �Don�t write about this yet, Mike.�
�Of course we would support it and we will field a team,� one guy, a potential owner, also told me then.
And two of them have shown they are willing to spend for football, and have done it long before every Juan has heard of the Azkals. And I�m not talking about a few hundred thousands, these guys have spent money people dream about winning in the lottery.
�Don�t write about this yet, Mike,� I was reminded, again.
He said he wanted everything to be in place before the story comes out and didn�t want to appear like a politician who gets caught up in announcing big developments but falls short on the follow-up.
And he didn�t want that. The football fan doesn�t deserve anything half-baked.
But things like these deserve to be made known, right? Fans and players in the Visayas deserve to know that something is being cooked for them so that someday, our best players won�t have to travel to Manila to play club football.
Hence, I�ve tried to convince them to allow me to spread the good news and jsut recently, I got the go-ahead to release a few details.
The league will involve teams from Cebu, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Leyte (this is kind of a give-away, right?), Iloilo and Northern Mindanao and there are already prospective owners.
�We want to have the best mechanism possible for the league,� he said. �And this will really complement the grassroots program.�
They hope that the kids who are in the various programs will see the league as a viable career.
�We really want to encourage the kids in the grassroots program, to make football as a career.�
For the league, they want the planning to be as comprehensive as possible and team owners will be armed with the best mechanism for their clubs. Next up is a meeting with the UFL, who would also be advising the owners how to run their clubs.
�This really needs a careful gestation period,� he said. �Dili ni ningas kugon, this is something for the future.�
And, of course, the big question.
Where in the world will a Cebu team hold its home matches?
There�s the Aboitiz field, of course, or the soon-to-be-refurbished Cebu City Sports Center.
Or, one other field that�s has just been given the go-ahead and another one, that if it pushes through, would have Cebuanos saying Sports Recla�Oops, I forgot, I�m not supposed to write about those stuff, for now.
Oh well.
I can wait.
It will be worth it.
(www.cebufootball.blogspot.com)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 29, 2011.
German consultant to evaluate Cebu football
Philippine national coach Michael Weiss, who was in Cebu recently, said the visit of the technical advisor, who is also a former coach of the Philippines, is part of the aid program from the German FA to the Philippine Football Federation.
Eckhart Krautzun will be arriving in October to conduct an evaluation of the football programs of the PFF and of the provinces and will be assisted by members of the 1991 Southeast Asian Games team, the most successful
�I chose him because he is familiar with the Philippines, having handled the team in 1991,� said Weiss.
Aside from evaluating the programs of the PFF, Krautzun will also evaluate the �youth football program in Cebu.�
�We want to build up as many youth developmental centers as possible,� said Weiss.
Weiss said the planned center will cater to the Under 10s and 12s and will involve a long-term development goal.
�After six to eight years, you should be able to see the fruit of your labors,� Weiss said.
The coach, who dropped by the San Roque Football Fiesta last Saturday, also said Cebu needs to have a decent pitch.
�You should improve the pitches here. You shouldn�t just wait for government support, there should also be support from the corporate and private sector,� he said.
Aside from youth football, Weiss said Krautzun and a technical advisory committee of the German FA will evaluate the �work of the PFF, conduct of school tournaments, local leagues, both regional and national, coaches� education and the handling of the national teams.�
Weiss also said that it would be ideal for the PFF to be involved in the Palarong Pambansa, which has a football event and involves almost every public school at the district and unit meet level.
�Ideally, it should be handled by the football association but the Philippines is a very big country, there are so many things happening all together,� he said.
Fair Play: Do you want to know a secret?
Hey, do you want to know a secret? But do promise that you will tell.
It�s a secret involving a group of guys who, for now, will be known as they-who-won�t-be-named.
But unlike he-who-must-not-be-named, whose dreams involved all sorts of ugly stuff that led folks in the Potterworld to call him by an alias, their dream is for everybody, not just for themselves.
The dream, of course, is a semi-professional football league in the Visayas.
�Kids who play basketball in the streets dream of someday playing in the PBA or even the lower leagues, because they see a future in it.�
The group hopes that someday it will become true for football.
�I hope, someday, the kids will be saying that they want to play football because they see a career in it.�
In Manila, it is becoming true with the
But funding a Visayas team to join the UFL would be a logistical nightmare, so, for the past few months or so, they have been working in the sidelines to address the need for a Visayas-wide league, one that could even be allied with the UFL.
The target opening? January, 2012.
I first heard of this plan a few weeks ago but I was told, �Don�t write about this yet, Mike.�
�Of course we would support it and we will field a team,� one guy, a potential owner, also told me then.
And two of them have shown they are willing to spend for football, and have done it long before every Juan has heard of the Azkals. And I�m not talking about a few hundred thousands, these guys have spent money people dream about winning in the lottery.
�Don�t write about this yet, Mike,� I was reminded, again.
He said he wanted everything to be in place before the story comes out and didn�t want to appear like a politician who gets caught up in announcing big developments but falls short on the follow-up.
And he didn�t want that. The football fan doesn�t deserve anything half-baked.
But things like these deserve to be made known, right? Fans and players in the Visayas deserve to know that something is being cooked for them so that someday, our best players won�t have to travel to Manila to play club football.
Hence, I tried to convince them to allow me to spread the good news and jsut recently, I got the go-ahead to release a few details.
The league will involve teams from Cebu, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Leyte (this is kind of a give-away, right?), Iloilo and Northern Mindanao and there are already prospective owners.
�We want to have the best mechanism possible for the league,� he said. �And this will really complement the grassroots program.�
They hope that the kids who are in the various programs will see the league as a viable career.
�We really want to encourage the kids in the grassroots program, to make football as a career.�
For the league, they want the planning to be as comprehensive as possible and team owners will be armed with the best mechanism for their clubs. Next up is a meeting with the UFL, who would also be advising the owners how to run their clubs.
�This really needs a careful gestation period,� he said. �Dili ni ningas kugon, this is something for the future.�
And, of course, the big question.
Where in the world will a Cebu team hold its home matches?
There�s the Aboitiz field, of course, or the soon-to-be-refurbished Cebu City Sports Center.
Or, one other field that�s has just been given the go-ahead and another one, that if it pushes through, would have Cebuanos saying Sports Recla�Oops, I forgot, I�m not supposed to write about those stuff, for now.
Oh well.
I can wait.
It will be worth it.
Homeless World Cup - Philippines vs Czech Rep
This was 7 th place match in City Cup and last match for Philippines.
Match report
Football Festival in Zamboanga this September
The ZAFA Cup on September 10 and Zamboanga Hermosa Football Festival on September 30 � two competitions open to footballers who are eligible in under-13, under-17, open, and 35 above categories.
ZAFA Cup will be held at the Sta. Maria Football Ground while Zamboanga Hermosa Football Festival at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex.
The deadline for registration for the Zamboanga Hermosa Football Festival is on September 25, 2011.
For more information, contact Basti Sebastian at 09273136722 or sebastian.marlon@gmail.com.
sugod.com
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Filipinas Futsal Cup Winners Cup 2011
THE FIRST YEAR-LONG FUTSAL TOURNAMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES.
A Series of 1-Day-Futsal Cups
1ST ELIMINATION LEG � January 29, 2011 � Marcelo Cup
Men�s-Socceroos FC
Women�s-UA United
2ND ELIMINATION LEG � February 26, 2011 � DB Makati Cup
Men�s-Schwarz FC
Women�s-Los Borrachos
3RD ELIMINATION LEG � June 5, 2011 -LCC Central Plaza Mall.Naga City
Men�s � FC Francia
Womens � MNFS
4TH ELIMINATION LEG � June 25, 2011 -EAC Gym,Manila
Mens-MFA
Womens-PUP
5TH ELIMINATION LEG � July 30, 2011 � The Village Sports Club
Congratulations to the Winners
Womens Division:
Champion-CWB
2nd Place-Bugsy�s FC
3rd Place-LFC
Men�s Division
Champion-Boleiros FC
2nd Place-DBUFC
3rd Place-Children of the Sky
6TH ELIMINATION LEG � August 7, 2011 -NCCC Mall, Davao City
WOMEN�S OPEN
CHAMPION ��� D� Davao Survivors (D�DS) Football Club
1st RUNNER UP �-Solido FC -B
2nd RUNNER UP �Solido FC -A
MEN�S OPEN
CHAMPION ��� BLACK KNIGHTS FC
1st RUNNER UP �-ALIA ORANGE FC
2ND RUNNER UP� PHILIPPINE RABBIES
7TH ELIMINATION LEG � August 27, 2011 -Metro Sports Cebu
8TH ELIMINATION LEG - September 24, 2011 -Cagayan de Oro
9TH ELIMINATION LEG - October 2, 2011 -Ortigas
10TH ELIMINATION LEG - October 29, 2011 -Manila
PILIPINAS FUTSAL CUP WINNERS CUP NATIONAL FINALS
- November 26-27, 2011 -The Village Sports Club, BF Paranaque
There will be 10 Elimination Legs every month (8AM-6PM). Only the Leg Champions will advance to the PILIPINAS FUTSAL CUP WINNERS CUP NATIONAL FINALS on November 26-27, 2011 at THE VILLAGE SPORTS CLUB.
Pilipinas Futsal
Rising Sun beats sister team Burning Sun to rule Futsal Cup; Chico United wins women�s title
RISING Sun and Chico United ruled the Cebu leg of the Philippine Futsal Cup Winners Cup yesterday at Metrosports,Lahug.
The all-Japanese team Rising Sun beat sister team Burning Sun, 5-3, on penalties to rule the men�s division, while the Cagayan de Oro-based Chico United overpowered Don Bosco Football Club, 3-1, to rule the women�s open.
Both teams qualified to the national finals in November where they will face winners of the other legs.
However, Rising Sun member Hayato Ayabe said they may not be able to send their team to the national finals because of lack of funds and will instead form a selection team of Cebu-based players, to be led by the champion team, for the nationals.
In the elimination round, despite not having a designated goalkeeper, Rising Sun finished undefeated with a 3-1 win over Boys Home and a 6-1 rout over Joker�s Arms.
On the other hand, the Burning Sun, which like the Rising Sun are manned by players of the Japanese-owned Crazy Horse Club, beat Cebu Eagles, 3-1, and LO, 7-1.
The seventh leg of the year-long futsal tournament gathered 12 teams in the men�s division, including new teams LO, NCR and Homeboys, manned mostly by players from the BPO industry, and six teams in the women�s.
For this tournament, local organizer Chris Oon modified the rules to avoid automatic elimination for the lowest ranked teams in the group.
All the teams who finished at the bottom played in a plate semis, which were considered wildcard matches.
Oon also encouraged the BPO teams to join the men�s open 11-a-side tournaments aside from the futsal tournament to boost their team.
�It would be a good experience for them to play with the other teams,� said Oon, who is also planning to organize a BPO football tournament.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 28, 2011
U23, Senior squads start training camp
Coach Michael Weiss, who is in Cebu for a brief vacation, will return to Manila today to supervise both training. The senior team will be joining the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan, while the Under-23 team will try to end the country�s medal drought in the Southeast Asian Games in November in Jakarta.
The senior team will also have a training camp in Bacolod on Sept. 8 to 15 and will have a friendly against a Korean team.
As for the Long Teng Cup, Weiss said he still has no full lineup yet as the European-based players all have club commitments.
However, he is planning to field a mixed team of 23-Under and senior players to be led by team captain Alexander Borromeo, Anton del Rosario, Phil and James Younghusband.
�It�s difficult to say what our chances are against other teams but we will see at the preparations. We can win or end up second,� said Weiss.
The other teams in the tournament are host Chinese Taipei, Macau, and the Hong Kong Under 23 team.
As for the SEAG-bound team, Weis said they are arranging a training camp in October in Japan or in the Middle East.
Weiss also said the young team still has a long way to go as he observed the squad still lacks cohesion because they have not played together as a team and other players are still outside the country.
Weiss will be fielding Roland Mueller, first choice goal keeper from Germany in the under-23 team, together with initial members Jason De Jong, Simon Greatwich, Manny Ott, Phil Hinrichsen and locals David Basa, Yannick Tuason and reserve goal keeper Paolo Pascual.
Weis also said he will be observing players from Iloilo and NCR who could be part of the national team.
�Given the chance to choose between and foreign and local, I will go for the local but right now, they are not yet as good,� said Weiss.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 28, 2011.
Saturday--August 27, 2011
He states the defensive starters for 2011 will be:
Defensive line- Kevin Byrne DT, Chas Thompson NT, Galen Clemons DT
Linebackers-Courtney Jackson OLB, Tyler Holmes ILB, Perry McIntyre ILB, Shane Viveiros OLB.
Cornerbacks-Mike Lee, Antoine Tharpe
Safeties- Christian Birt SS, Darren Thellen FS
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The UMass Football "Together We are One" outreach will continue on September 8th in the Merrimack Valey.
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Football Game Plan has a 13 minute video preview of the CAA.
The CAA will have live streaming video of the weekly CAA coaches conference this year.
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TSN previews the Northeast Conference and picks UMass' opponent CCSU to be NEC champs.
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Busman's holiday. While I was in Eugene, I managed to watch a little of the Ducks' practice. Click on the image for a larger view.
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Homeless World Cup - Italy beat Philippines
Friday, 26 August 2011
Vietnam's Mini Tourneys
Vietnam U23, Singapore U23, Syria U23 and South Korea University Team.
VFF Cup: October, 19th - 23rd.
Vietnam U23, Thailand U23, Indonesia U23, Malaysia U23.
Group B: Iran U21, Thailand U21, Singapore U21.
CFA bans Hiroshi, team cries foul
A punching incident involving one of its members is proving costly for Hiroshi Football Club.
This after Hiroshi Team was banned from playing in the Cebu leg of the Philippine Futsal Cup Winners� Cup, which starts today at the Metrosports Club.
The incident happened during the DRB Cup last April, when Hiroshi�s Harold Buot punched the referee in the semifinal match against the Cebu Under 23 team in the Men�s Open. The match was abandoned and the winner of the other semifinal, the University of San Carlos, was named champion.
�It was during DRB and it happened right in front of my face,� Cebu Football Association (CFA) president Richard Montayre said.
Montayre said because of that, he recommended a one-year suspension for the team and an indefinite suspension on Buot to the Cebu Football Association Disciplinary Committee, which agreed on the punishment.
He also said that aside from the incident this year, the team also faced complaints in the Thirsty Cup and the Cebufest.
�We have already given them so much consideration if we look at the incidents from past tournaments,� said Montayre.
Buot was also involved in a slapping incident in the Thirsty Cup in 2006, which led to a free-for-all between Hiroshi and Crazy Horse.
However, Hiroshi, which aside from winning 11-a-side competitions has also won a couple of local futsal tournaments, is questioning the team�s suspension and is disappointed that their registration for today�s futsal event was turned down.
The event, organized by the Philippine Futsal Association Inc., is sanctioned by Philippine Football Federation, which has also tasked the CFA to supervise the event.
The champion in the Cebu leg will represent the city in the national tournament later this year.
�Asa ang justice ana? Amo ra gyud intawon gi-assert among rights as players kay this is so unfair,� said Hiroshi team captain Voltaire Montebon, who led the team in winning the Cebu Inter-club Invitational Tournament last May.
Montebon said the rest of the team members don�t deserve to be banned because they were not involved in the punching incident and when it happened, they immediately tried to separate Buot. They have also barred Buot from playing for their team in the futsal event.
Montebon also said they were able to register for the Cebu leg of the Philippine Futsal Cup Winners� Cup but their registration was revoked by the organizers after they were informed of the team�s one-year ban from CFA-sanctioned activities.
However, Montayre said the team can still appeal their one-year ban and said even the PFF has modified sanctions after an appeal.
�There�s no problem. They just give their appeal and sit down with members of the disciplinary committee,� said Montayre.
However, Montebon said the team has long tried to reach Montayre but to no avail.
�We have long been willing to do that (file an appeal). Ingnun lang mi niya where and when kay naka-pila nami ni adto sa iyang opisina unya walay mutunga,� he said.
Fair Play: Pinoy Pride in the Homeless World Cup
The author, Mel Young, wrote about how the Philippines has added another dimension to the Homeless World Cup ever since joining the event.
�First, they smile all the time. Second, they are all incredibly polite. Third, their football improves each year and they try to learn from other teams. Fourth, they play football in the right spirit--trying to win by playing a great passing game of football but taking defeat in a courteous way. Fifth, Philippine fans appear in droves to support them, no matter where the Homeless World Cup is being held.�
That reminded me of the World Cup of Pool in Scotland back in 2006, when our kababayans filled the arena, bringing with them a fiesta atmosphere, to help boost Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante to the title over Team USA�s Rodney Morris and Earl Strickland.
Yep, give them a chance to root for our own squad, our kababayans abroad will come in droves to show their loyalty, and perhaps, have some fun along the way as the rest of the HWC teams are learning.
The HWC is currently being staged in Paris, and so far, the Philippines made it to the secondary stage after finishing third in Group H, trailing the Netherlands and the USA.
In the secondary stage, Team Jeepney, coached by Rudy del Rosario, beat Croatia, 8-5,but lost to Scotland, 7-2, and Poland, 10-1. They will next face Portugal and Brazil.
Though we lost to Scotland, Young wrote, �You�d never know from the noise from the stands because all you could hear was the noise coming from the enthusiastic Philippine fans. They just keep smiling and shouting and all the other teams and all the other supporters just love them. Where do they all come from? I think the Philippines must be a very close community, no matter where they are living.�
Yep, there�s a kababayan everywhere and the Azkals learned this during their numerous travels for their footie matches, finding them in hotels, airports and everywhere.
It�s a good thing that the HWC team, one of whom has been invited by Dan Palami to join the SEA Games team, is getting the same fan support.
Even Rob Gier, the defender who has been appointed the European liaison for the Azkals, posted a message of support in his Facebook page, while scores of other fans are tweeting, or posting status updates about the team.
Palami showed up, together with Alphonso Arreola, that 6�3� 18-year-old kid born to Filipino parents in France who is now part of Paris St. Germain first division team and is getting groomed to be the future No. 1 keeper of France. Yes, Arreola could be
Les Bleus no. 1, if not the Azkal�s. The future is bright for this one.
Even before the HWC 2011 started, fans here have been trying to get together a band of supporters for the team, asking for friends or friends who have friends who have friends who are in France to cheer for the team.
�They (Filipinos) easily outnumber the French home support but even more incredibly, it seems that there are more people logging onto the Homeless World Cup web site and social media connections from the Philippines compared to any other country in the world.�
But of course, we aren�t the social media capital of the world for nothing. And it�s a good thing that that is being used to help a bunch of kids raise the Philippine flag high in the Homeless World Cup.
The Azkals, the Dragon Boat team, and now the Homeless World Cup team, has become the rallying cry for the Pinoys online. I wonder what the SEA Games will bring?
Go Pinoy Pride.
KAHOLEROS MEETING. Arabella Grace Madrigal is inviting all football fans who want to join the Kaholeros for a lunch meeting at the Azkals Sports Bar and Grill on Sept. 3. The Blue-Haired fanatic will be flying in again just to attend the meeting.
So, better show up.
Amended Thai Squad For World Cup Qualifier
Goalkeepers: Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool (Chonburi), Sivaruk Terdsungnern (Buriram PEA) and Chatchai Butprom (Osotspa M-150).
Defenders: Phaitoon Tiebma (Muang Thong), Suttinun Phukhom (Chonburi), Chonlatit Jantakam (Chonburi), Teerathorn Boonmathan (Buriram PEA), Supachai Komsil (Bangkok Glass), Niweat Siriwong (Pattaya) and Prathum Chuthong (Osotspa M-150).
Midfielders: Jakkraprom Kaewprom (Buriram PEA), Datsakorn Thonglao (Muang Thong), Adul Lasoh (Chonburi), Suchao Nutnum (Buriram PEA), Surat Sukha (Buriram PEA), Pokklao Anan (Insee Police), Arthit Sunthornpit (Chonburi), Piyapol Buntao (Muang Thong) and Rangsan Vivatchaichok (Buriram PEA).
Strikers: Teerasil Dangda (Muang Thong), Chatree Chimtalay (Bangkok Glass), Sompong Sorleb (Buriram FC) and Sarayuth Chaikamdee (Bangkok Glass).
SOURCE - Bangkok Post