Cebu Football

I ONCE announced in an online forum that I’d run as naked as the day I was born if the Philippines made the semifinals of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. I admit, it was one of those if-you-want-the-moon-then-aim-for-the-stars kind of move.

KACHING! That’s the sound Cesafi players should get used to if they get thrown out in basketball. That’s P5,000 for acting like a brat, thank you very much. Ooh? You did it again, give me 10 grand and you can kiss your season goodbye.

This story appeared on Sun.Star Cebu on June 21 TWO Cebuanos made it to the National Futsal Team that will face other neighboring countries in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games (SEAG). Honey Mae Thomason and Binky Estrada are among the 15 players picked from the 30 hopefuls who tried out last March. Most players of the team are from Manila, and some are from Masbate and Bacolod.

LAST week, when our reporter interviewed Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy for updates on the Cesafi opening and whether the league, this year, would make sure its schedule won’t be in conflict with the other tournaments, he said: “Sila’y mag-agad namo, di mi mag-agad nila.”

LAST Tuesday, I watched Paolo and his dad Joel, Pao’s sister Carmel, aunt Joseli Mahusay and teammate OJ make a bunch of footballing kids happy by donating 21 footballs for an under-supported but overachieving football program. A few hours later, I watched Paolo and his dad Joel whip the butts of a pair of brothers who thought they could beat an Azkal who hasn’t played tennis since he was an elementary student and his dad, who last held a racquet when going online meant queuing.

THE injustice of it all was written all over Rey Bautista’s face. He just went seven rounds with a tough hombre in Heriberto Ruiz, one of two guys to have beaten him, got cut twice—with one the size of Texas—and after Rico Navarro announces he won, he got booed?

AFTER getting floored by the handsome faces of the Azkals, Gov. Gwen Garcia (who asked if being handsome was a requirement of the national team) said she’d like the Azkals back in time for the launching of a football program in Cebu this September. Coach Michael Weiss, who also has his share of admirers who are a demographic above the shrieking Neil Etheridge fans, said as long as they get an invitation and they don’t have any commitments, they’d love to be back in Cebu.

(This was written May 10, 2001) “ITS too expensive” This was the explanation given by Philippine Football Federation’s World Cup 2002 qualifier campaign deputy Domega Geramidi as to why the country will host only one group stage game instead of three. The Philippine men’s team is currently competing in the World Cup 2002 qualifying stage under Group 1 together with Syria, Oman and Laos. They have already played three matches, all “away” or matches played in another nation’s home field, contrary to the usual home and away format of the World Cup 2002 qualifying stage. In April 30, the Philippines lost 12-0 to Syria in Damascus and on May 4, lost 5-1 also to Syria, still in the Syrians turf. Last May 7 RP lost again to Oman, 7-0 in Oman and will play the Omanese this Friday still on enemy soil. In a usual World Cup 2002 qualifier or any league matches, two teams play each other twice with each team getting to host one game each. However, the Philippines conceded hosting one game aga...

12-0. IN what has become numbingly familiar, the country’s senior team received another sound beating from hosts Syria, 12-0, in their World Cup 2002 Group 1 qualifier in Aleppo, Syria last Monday. The Imai Matasaki mentored RP squad trailed 2-0 in just 16 minutes of play, after Sayed Bayazid struck twice to put the hosts on top. Tariq Jabban joined the scoring act in the 25th minute, while Bashar Sourour added his own goal in the 29th for a 4-0 lead. Lohad Hajj Mustafa banged in the final goal in the first half for they Syrians in the 45th minute for their 5-0 lead. After a goal by Rahjdan Shaade, Bayazid, who plays in the Greek 2nd division made it 7-0 for the 104th ranked Syrians in the 54th minute as they put an early conclusion to their game against the Philippines, the lowest ranked in their group at 181. In the other Group 1 match, favorites Oman scored a similar 12-0 win over 169th ranked Laos to put their World Cup bid on the right note. Only one team from Group 1 will a...

I found a few old stories I wrote about the last time the Philippines joined the qualifiers. Two reasons why I'm posting it. 1.) It's been said the Sri Lanka game will be the first World Cup qualifier match and 2.) I spent a darn lot of time scouring through old files that I want to reward my effort. RP 2002 World Cup qualifier matches April 30 vs. Syria May 1 vs. Syria May 7 vs. Oman May 11 vs. Oman May 19 vs. Laos May 26 vs. Laos (in Manila) FORMER Southwestern University mainstay Rocky Garciano start another chapter of his football career when the Philippines open their World Cup 2002 qualifying bid against Syria today in Aleppo, Syria. The 22-year old Garciano was a member of the Salazar Institute of Technology team who won the Coke-Go-For-Goal crown in 1996. He then played for the SWU Fugsports under Glenn Ramos for two years before he was recruited to play for the Philippine Army. Garciano, a sleek midfield operator during his stint with SWU, has been train...

AFTER writing about the factionism in local football and how I see it as one of the stumbling blocks for the sport, I got to meet, for a few minutes, members of the two factions and learned one thing—they’re willing to work together and are working on separate projects that will ultimately complement each other. God, indeed, works in mysterious ways.

I HAD something lined up for today, a column I was about to finish but something came up, something big that I had to disregard the draft. And no it wasn’t Maria Sharapova losing in the French Open semifinals the other night to Li Na. It is, to a certain degree, a much bigger loss.