Report: Queen City names 7 recruits

(This story by Cheska Geli appears on Sun.Star Cebu on July 9)
QUEEN City United has named its newly recruited seven players who will join the squad for the United Football League and other tournaments.


Initially, six players were shortlisted after the three-day open tryouts last week but they added one player.


The seven players were Cebu-based Nigerian Samson Olaniyi, Filipino-American player Daniel Gonzales, who used to play for the Philippine Navy, Rodney Gandionco, Richard Cañedo, Jigs Aghobasan, Joseph Rodriguez and Sigfried Atorado from San Carlos City.


Most of these players tried out for the strikers position but they can also play in the midfield.


"At least we finally have these players to fill up the team but we still have to observe them to know where they can best perform in the field," said head coach Mario Ceniza.


Except for Gonzales, who is based in Manila, the other six players will meet on Tuesday as the team resumes its practices after almost a month-long break.


On the same day, they will be offered a contract which will lay out the terms and conditions for joining the team. The same contract will also be offered to the returning players of the team that played in the UFL Division 2 this season.


For players who are not from Cebu, Ceniza will require them to relocate so they can play with the rest of the players in the team.


"They have to play with the team kay dili pwede na sa Manila ra sila muduwa," said Ceniza.


Ceniza, however, made it clear that despite announcing new players in the team, the club is still accepting walk-in players who want to get in.


"Even if we have accepted players, this is still not the final lineup until we submit the final list to the UFL technical committee," he said.


As for the new players, Ceniza expects them to perform for the team because if they won't be able to prove themselves for the squad, they can still be replaced.


"They have to make sure that they will perform," said Ceniza.