Fair Play: That's the way to play!

(This is the draft of my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu on Feb. 18)
I’M just going to say flat out that what Kaya FC owner Santi Araneta tweeted—when he realized Joshua Beloya wasn’t part of the starting lineup--was wrong.

Sir Santi’s wears two hats, one as head of the Football Alliance and one as head of Kaya FC, and as the team owner, I think he was just looking out for the welfare of his player.

As team owner, it was an admirable move that would endear him to his players—the boss is willing to risk the wrath of fans for us—but as head of the Football Alliance, it may have been a tad tactless.

But we now live in a football environment when what everything the coach does, or doesn’t do, gets examine and analyzed and I’m fine with that.

Though I may throw a sound bite here and there regarding substitutions, I don’t when it comes to the starting lineup.  It’s the coach’s call and saying who should be there puts undue pressure to whoever was inserted and who wasn’t inserted.

Unless, of course, it so questionable a move like putting in Rafael Garcia for his cousin Angel Guirado putting in Misagh Bahadoran and Ian Araneta for the missing Phil and James Younghusband for me was as fine a move as putting in Joshua Beloya or Ruben Doctora Jr. or whoever else.

And I pretty much agree when Coach Weiss said in the post-match interview, “the ones who played today deserve their chance.” (I got a copy of the recorded interview thanks to my former boss Jobannie Tabada who is now in Dubai.)

Yes, though he’s gotten a lot of flak lately, Ian Araneta deserves a chance to prove himself.  He didn’t perform but at least as a member of the team who stuck it out during the lean years, he got his chance. I’m glad, too, that coach Weiss thought of giving him that chance.

Anyway, while Sir Santi may have criticized the non-inclusion of the Kaya players, like us, he was all praises for the team for that second half showing.

Because with the way the team played in the second half, my confidence level going into the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup—where we are taking on two former champions and the reigning champion—just shot up a couple of levels, or even more.

And this was a team that didn’t have the Younghusband brothers, Chieffy Caligdong and Ali Borromeo!

And Juan Luis Guirado? Man was he something. I was particularly impressed with his move in the second half, when he threw his body in front of the Australian striker who was about to take a shot.

Though he didn’t block the shot, the fact that he was risking it all, in a friendly to boot, shows the dedication of this guy. Heck, it reminded me of John Terry doing the same thing for England in the 2010 World Cup against Germany.

And criticized by even the Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta for putting in Lexton Moy in injury time against the Uzbekistan Under 23, Coach Weiss made all the right moves in the second half. (And yes, based on the interview, I think Coach Weiss really does pay attention to comments in Facebook and Twitter.  That’s something, isn’t it?)

Doctora showed what he is capable and Joshua Beloya? I think that move of his explains why Sir Santi went ballistic. He missed, yes, but he showed us what he can do for the senior team with even just half a chance.  The two, and I think most of the new guys who played, showed coach Weiss he’s got more options now on the bench.

It was a different team in the second half against Australia. In the first half, it seemed, the Olyroos were trying to redesign the ball, what with all the time they spent with it.

But in the second half? The Azkals brought the fight to them and then some. Marwin Angeles played superbly again, and I’m pretty sure not a few UFL coach are thinking of getting him for the first division.

Yep, we did fine against Australia and Coach Weiss, I think, scored one against his critics.

Good job guys.  That’s the way to play!