A chance for others to shine

AAAH. If only the Younghusbands and the rest of the UFL stars played against Icheon City, we could have won.

Right?

Maybe.

But, as my favorite author wrote, if your aunt had balls, he’d be your uncle, too.

Now, were clubs like Loyola Meralco and Kaya justified in not releasing their players? Was the UFL, too, justified in not moving the Kaya and Loyola matches so their players could have been free to release the Azkals for national team duties?

Of course.

When you're paying more than what the PBA top rookie earns (at least above the table) for players, then you have every right to insist that your marquee stars prioritize club duties over a friendly that three weeks ago, nobody knew was coming.

And no the clubs or the UFL are not being greedy or selfish, they are simply looking out what’s best for them.   And besides, didn’t the UFL move the Air Force’s game so Chieffy et. Al. could suit up?

Besides, it was a friendly against a third division club.

If it was for the Challenge Cup, I guarantee you it would be suicide if the UFL and the clubs insist on that. And I guarantee you, I would personally lead the assault against the clubs if they do that.

And you know what? The absence of the other UFL stars, for me, was a good thing.

Sure we lost and Carli de Murga is going to have nightmares involving a flying ball for years to come but guys like Nestor Margarse, Ruben Doctora, Jerry Barbaso, Roel Gener had a chance to shine at home.

And they didn’t do too badly.

Margarse, who only got to play in the friendly against CF Madrid after Tats Mercado threw the ball out to stop play in the dying minutes, started the match and had a few key plays.

Barbaso had a few indecisive moments that surely didn’t endear him to Ed Sacapano but he acquitted himself well. As for Roel Gener, this 37-year-old guy showed he can more than hack it against the teens, while Doctora showed us how to take a penalty.

Rob Gier,who flew all the way from England for the friendly against the Galaxy only to be injured in the first few minutes, also had his moments. I just hoped he didn’t bring the luck of the English when it comes to penalty shootouts.

Dennis Wolf, who had his share of the hype going into the match, was a disappointment, and so was Chieffy, but overall, there was nothing to be ashamed in the match. Marwin Angeles, who came in as a sub with Doctora, also scored the equalizer, rewarding coach Michael Weiss faith in him.

Sure we lost. Again.

But it was through a shootout and everybody knows anything can happen in a shootout.

And you really can’t complain about how the team played, especially when they were chasing that goal in the second half.

Sure our football stars were missing but it’s nice to be reminded that while it was them who made that run in the Suzuki Cup and put football where it is now, Philippine football is not all about them.

We got the Margarses, the Barbasos and the Doctoras, who, if given the chance to shine, will.

So fret not. Unless you were Carli “Is-that-a-freakin-penalty” De Murga, the friendly was good for Philippine football.

Malaysia, you’re up next.