The first Philippine National League

Philippines is about to make history with the launch of Philippine Football League (PFL) in March or April 2017.

As reported on Philter news on 7th January, nine teams are set to kick start the maiden campaign with Global, Ceres, Stallion, Loyola Meralco Sparks, Kaya, Green Archers United and JP Voltes and (New update) the Davao Aguilar FC.

The excitement is unbelievable! The beauty of having a National League is going viral among the game lovers I have met.

With the League about to kick-start, there are a couple of things that may not be very clear to some club owners, players, and fans.

.There are 9 teams that have shown interest and almost ready to go. Nine is an odd number. Does it mean one team will always have to be on a stand by during match weeks? How will it work?

Will there be second division league as it was in the time of UFL? Some believe to maintain competitiveness in the League second division would be eminent. As clubs are fighting to be champion and to qualify for the AFC competition, the bottom teams should also be fighting to avoid relegation.

Is there salary cap in PFL for local and international players? UFL had problems especially in the 2016 season because of lack of sufficient salary caps that will allow local players in particular to see football as their primary job and stay competitive and focused in the game. Some teams in UFL 2016 abandoned their matches because they found it difficult to make up a team in some occasions as players had to go to their other work and finally dropped out of the league when matches was moved to day time. 

Will there be cup competition? It is very important in every country that has a professional league that the cup goes on also during the league season. This gives chances to the non-league clubs or lower division clubs to also participate in the competition with a chance to play against top tier clubs and to expose their players.

How will the youth league look like since we now have a National League? Will it be regional? Will non-league clubs that can fulfill youth team requirements be allowed to participate? What are the age groups that will participate in the PFL youth league?

This new league (PFL} is already having an impact in terms of stadium development and I look forward to seeing more great things that it is going to give to the Philippine football and the value it is going to add to the National team and country in general.

Even if all the questions may not have an answer this season for football enthusiasts, I’m confident that Philippines and (PFF) is in the right path of establishing something great with the introduction of Philippine Football League (PFL).

The English striker Louis Clark announced his transfer from Kaya FC Philippines to Tampines Rovers FC Singapore on Instagram

Louis Clark who has been a great figure in Kaya FC since joining the club in 2014 from Cobram Victory FC of Australia took to Instagram to announce his transfer from Kaya FC to Tampines Rovers FC of Singapore. “Happy to say I will be playing in Singapore next season with @tampinesroversfc”

Photo credited to Louis

In the post he expressed his joy and excitement to play in S. League and AFC competitions in the coming season. “- cant wait to play in the S.League AFC Champions League qualifiers & AFC Cup”

He also expressed his sincere gratitude to Kaya FC and the fans for the unforgettable experience. “Have to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with @kayafc for the past 2 years it has been a unbelievable experience that I will never forget.”

Louis has had a successful spell with Kaya FC winning the 2015 UFL Cup, Golden Boot with 10 goals in the 2014 FA League Cup and a successful outing with Kaya FC in their maiden participation in the AFC Cup.

The forward will surely be missed in Kaya FC not only as a player but as a coach who was one of the brains behind Kaya Academy since joining the club in 2014. 

With his announcement, Louis has been another big profile player from the UFL to join S. League following Mark Hartmann transfer from Global FC to Geylang International in June 2016.

By Lerche Njang! A freelance blogger/Writer for Parrot Post Philippines and a blogger for ABWN Australia on football. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook: @CoachLerche

Picture credit to Manchester United facebook page!

Three first half goals put Manchester United back into the winning ways with Paul Labile Pogba scoring a stunner while Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a brace in the 3:1 win of Swansea City Football Club in the Premier Leaguer as Jose Mourinho was watching from the stands at the Liberty Stadium!

With performance such as that from #Pogba, there is no doubt why Manchester United paid that much for their man. 

Zlatan received his fifth yellow card of the season meaning he will be watching from the stand in the game against Arsenal FC after the international break. 

Swansea City struggled to find their feet through out the game but managed to pull one back in the 69th minutes when Sigurdsson delivered a free-kick into the area and Van Der Horn nodded the ball home from 10 yards.

By Lerche Njang

Freelance blogger for Parrot Post and ABWN Australia

Manchester United beaten 2:1 away to Fenerbahce in the Europa League!

In a match that Manchester United fans were looking for answer to the game against Burnley in the Premier League, United left people with further questions as Wayne Rooney’s late long range thunderbolt strike was not enough to safe United from Moussa Sow’s second-minute overhead kick and a second-half Jeremain Lens free kick that handed the home side a desired 2:1 win.

With all the attacking options in Rashford, Martial, and Rooney capable of running down their opponents on the pitch when at their best, you would have thought there will be many goals but things went wrong early and Manchester United failed.

The best chance for United came in the 21 minutes as Martial found Rooney in the box but his first touch was not good enough to convert the chance and injury rocked the team again with Paul Pogba forced out of the game after a challenge from Josef de Souza in the 29 minutes and was replaced by Ibrahimovic who was left on the bench from the start of the game.

United’s made further attacking changes by bringing in Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan but could not create chances to score and it was more difficult to cope at the back with two left-backs playing at centre-back.

Had the Fenerbahce’s Emmanuel Emenike converted his clear chance following his 68th-minute introduction, the score line would have been different but De Gea that was not at his best in the game made his best save of the 90.th minutes.

One thing to take to Manchester in the match is the fact that Wayne Rooney was back on score sheet.

As United continues their struggles to get the right rhythm against a well-organized defense, it has left some people with questions if Manchester United is in crisis? Are they lacking creativity to break tight defense? Or, has the game advanced beyond Mourinho’s Philosophy, tactics and style? These are questions to be answered as the season progresses.

By Lerche Njang
a freelance blogger with the Parrot Post and ABWN Australia

JOSE MOURINHO FORCED TO WATCH FROM THE STAND AS MANCHESTER UNITED DRAW 0:0 WITH BURNLEY IN FRONT OF THE 75,325 OLD TRAFFORD FANS

In a game that Paul Pogba shines and the team controlling 72% of the possession, Manchester United that have won just 1 of their last 7 Premier League games failed to score in front of the 75,325 Old Trafford fans that were desperately looking for a win. 

The Man of the match Tom Heaton was to good to be beaten as Burnley ran home with a point from Old Trafford.

Jose Mourinho was force to watch the second half of the game from the stand as he was sent off by the referee Mark Clattenburg for questioning his decision not to award what appeared to be a penalty when Matteo Darmian was brought down in the box just before half time. 

Later in the game, United were reduced to 10 men as Herrera was sent off following his second yellow card.

It was an inspiring afternoon for the Burnley goalkeeper as he stopped the sustained pressure from Mata, Pogba, and Ibahimovic with Rooney firing over in a close range from a stoppage time free-kick.

It might have been a disappointing result for United but the team chemistry was something that could be built on. 

By Lerche Njang

Lerche is a freelance blogger with the Parrot post and ABWN Australia.

POINT OF VIEW ON WHY FOOTBALL IS NOT A MAJOR SPORT IN THE PHILIPPINES

POINT OF VIEW ON WHY FOOTBALL IS NOT A MAJOR SPORT IN THE PHILIPPINES

We understand that a lot has been done in developing football in the Philippines both in the national and grassroots level and the country is also quite effective and efficient in terms of licensing of coaches. However, there are some aspects affecting developing the sport in full force and unless we get it right it will be a longer way to have football becoming a major sport in the country. Below is our top list:

FOOTBALL IS FOR THE RICH: Football is seen as a game for the rich.  In Manila, for example, the high cost of registration to join a team or be part of a team has marginalized the rest of the population from having access to the world’s number one sport. This situation limits the game from reaching out to a pool of talents who may belong to economically average and/or less fortunate families. We have seen that when it comes to football, a good percentage of our world best players hailed from poor communities. Therefore, with this current mentality such as this, it will be difficult to find raw talents with big hearts who will be willing to train hard and long for his or her country to win coveted cups in football matches.

CULTURE DOES NOT PROMOTE YET: For any sport to be successful and popular, the culture of the country must promote it. Unlike basketball courts where you find in every corner of the country, it is very rare to see places/pitches where people gather to play or watch football as leisure even in Manila, which is, so far the center of all football activities.

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PLAY A PROMINENT ROLE: There is no doubt the Philippine government already plays its role in the promotion of the sport, perhaps through funding and several aspects. However, so much more needs to be done in terms of promoting football to become a major sport in the country. It will be difficult to have that big dream of appearing in any FIFA World Cup tournaments with only 5% of the country’s population following the game.  

BIGGER FUNDING IS NEEDED: Philippine football will certainly go forward when more money has been invested on its promotion and projects. Greater football feats cannot be achieved if Philippine football heavily relies on money that is given to every Federation from FIFA.

MEDIA DOES NOT PROMOTE: Football does not get featured enough in local Philippine sports channels or news flash on sports. The only professional football league (UFL) in the country does not, or hardly goes live on television. Neither is live commentary on radio available to the listeners. Football needs to be featured more by the media—tv, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc.  The audience needs to be seeing and hearing it often for easy recall until such time that they understand the game and gets hooked to it. Just as when an artist launches a new music, you see it on TV, hear it on radio until the population sings and dances to his tune unconsciously because they are bombarded by it. This is promotion.

CHANGE OF RULES

The United Football League changed the rule in signing foreigners into clubs. This has inadvertently affected clubs with lesser budget, as they were, unlike the bigger clubs, unable to sign Filipinos playing abroad or some of the bests in the country.  This caused the level of competition to drop dramatically thereby reducing the number of spectators to very few or none at all, as compared to 2015 and the previous seasons.

UNAVAILABILITY OF GOOD VENUE/FACILITIES

When lighting facilities went bad in Rizal Stadium where football matches usually take place, it was not immediately fixed. Instead, all games were scheduled during the day causing three clubs to drop out of the league as most of their players have another work during the day and therefore they are unable to have enough players for the matches.  As an unfortunate consequence, about 60 local players dropped out of the only professional football league in the country.

In the upcoming Philippine Football League from PFF, we recommend that PFF make use of the media in briefing the people and public on what are to be expected in the league as this will give people something to look forward to. We also recommend that PFF get into an agreement with Universities and Colleges to allow their players to be members of football clubs and to release players to fulfill their club duties especially during important football matches.  

We believe that to widen and attract more people to play football in the Philippines, there must be more public fields for free where people could go and play football. Futsal could be the best way to start as Basketball courts are readily available. It has to be promoted through an intensive campaign across the country. Money has to be invested on this, regular media coverage has to be utilized and the concerned government agencies have to be at the forefront of these activities.

In conclusion, there will be real growth in football in the Philippines when adequate attention has been given not only to Azkals and the Foundations but also to the grassroots football development and clubs and a clear path is established for local talented Filipinos to progress to the National team.

In our next publication we will talk about the important role of college and university football in the overall youth football talent development in the Philippines and its setbacks.

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FC Metro Manila are the team to beat in MFL Finals 2016

As FC Metro Manila U13, U15 and U17 qualify for the Mabuhay Football League finals we take a closer look at the U15 squad.

The team is lucky to have Coach Lerche Njang who has brought in lots of experience into the team as a Head Coach and of course the Club Manager Dennis Dokas who is always there to inspire the boys to perform to their full potential.

With a bunch of attacking players capable of posing major problems to their opponents, FC Metro Manila U15 has become a team to beat in every competition.

The winning mentality in this FC Metro Manila U15 side is: if their opponent scores one goal, they must score two. The thrilling play of the attacking predators is complemented with a strong midfield and defensive line and great goalkeepers that rarely concede goals.

In what is widely expected to be a complete showdown between FC Metro Manila U15 and Global FC U15 in the Mabuhay 11 aside football League final, it is worth mentioning here that FC Metro Manila is going into the game full of confidence having won 7 of their last 9 finals in all competitions and a winning run in the league with wins against Young Pinoy FC 10:0, Uno Filipino FC 5:0 and Tuloy Sa Don Bosco FC 4:0 in their last 3 fixtures.   

In the Little Azkals striker AARON GENESIS (Horse Power), FC Metro Manila possess a player who has shone brightly in every game and scored almost at will. With 7 goals in his last 3 matches he is regarded as one of the most wanted strikers around at his age. His speed and power is rare at his age, his vision and positioning is of a high caliber. His experience is great and his achievement is excellent with the recent being the 2016 plate winner in the UFL Youth League while on loan with Ceres FC.

MARC ADVINCULA who has been a dominating force for FC Metro Manila is an attacking midfielder with great first touch, passing, dribbling and scoring ability almost equal to that of a striker with 4 goals in his last 2 matches. Watching him play would make you believe that the Little Azkals is missing someone who might become Philippines’ Andres Iniesta in the near future. His decision-making in the final third makes him a dangerous player around the box. He is a player already with lots of international experience in Singa Cup and Gothia Cup.

JIMMEN ALDA is a sensational player capable of breaking down the opponent’s defense with his quick feet, dribbling skills from the flank.  He continues to prove his superb goal scoring ability with both legs in all matches with the recent being his 30 yards right footed volley against Tuloy Sa Don Bosco FC that might contest as the goal of the season. He is a selfless player that knows how to create chances for his teammates and himself. No doubt the coach described him as “one of the most important players within the squad” and tipped him for greatness in the game.

NAOKI KAWASHIMA is a utility player known to possess real power and skills and can fit in as a midfielder, winger or a center forward. He has been instrumental for the team getting to the final of Mabuhay League Final. With his desire to be always involved in play and his effort to try new things, it is sure that his future in the game is very bright. His mature attitude towards the game and being a good team player make him a desirable player to have in a team.

MANZANO GERARD is an incredible center forward with good body strength. He is a player that could be deployed as a lone striker with his ability to hold the ball upfront and wait for support. His height and speed is great and shows high potential in his goal scoring ability. He is another player with international experience.

IVON LAVAPIEZ is ammunition going forward with his running speed and his ability to beat the defenders and score goals in one versus one situation.  All these exceptional skills make him a perfect player going forward from the right wing. His agility and quickness on the ball is excellent for a young player.  

IAMU MILLER TSARLAYZE is an attacking player mastering his treat among the predators. The coach describes him as a “skillful player with great potential”. With his desire to learn, he is tipped to achieve great things in near future.    

As we watch FC Metro Manila U15 team maturing into units that could rival those of the great sides in Youths football, we see the defensive midfielder DOMINIC GARCIA starting to earn his recognition as one of the outstanding midfielders in FC Metro Manila U15. His constant presence in the midfield provides extra security for the team’s back line. His height, body weight, heading ability and tackling have been outstanding.

CHARLES CUSTODIO is another impressive defensive wall in the midfield. His ball handling, passing, heading, change of direction ability and his confidence on the ball always put him ahead of some of the other great ones. No wonder Kaya FC took him on loan to help them during the 2016 UFL youth season. His experience playing with the older age groups has made it easier for him when playing with his age group.

Being a new player in the club, PEDRO VILLAMEGOR though yet to establish himself in the team, has a great potential that would manifest, as he continues to gain the confidence and trust of his teammates and the coach. His height and desire to mark the opponent would give him advantage over others in his position and will bring additional advantage to the team when he is finally settled. 

The central defender and captain AHRRI CASTANEDA is a must-have defender capable of playing in various positions. He has demonstrated his talent to a wider audience proving to be one of the team’s most inspired defenders. He is regarded as one of the best young defenders around. He is not the most physical player but his ability to read the game and command his back line has been tremendous. His skills and calmness rank him in a different level among others. There is no wonder he has been awarded with best defender awards in various Cups and League competitions.

AKITA TONONOBU is a revelation! Having won 2 Mabuhay Cup with FC Metro Manila U15, the center back has earned the trust from his coach as one of the great defenders in his disposal. His bravery, tackling and sliding always put him in the starting lineup while his height is always a bonus for any team during set pieces.

An all round player who has played in almost all the positions, SOLMAYOR NHEL has excelled with FC Metro Manila U15 as a defender and the coach sees him as one of the best players who is always willing to give his all for the team. As a right back, he offers you that security at the back and attacking option going forward as a make shift forward within the team.

HORII KAITO is another wonderful player who can play as a midfielder but with much competition in the midfield. He showcases strong play with both left and right foot that a regular audience would not know he is a no natural left footer that is rarity. Kaito has flourished in the left back position. He is a player who knows how to have real shooting power with both legs. When playing as a left back, he can make that dangerous cross into the box with his powerful strike.   

JOHN MARCO is a great right fullback that likes to go forward. He is seen as a potential attacking option from behind during games. His speed tracking down the opposition player has been fantastic and his dribbling skill is great for a defender.

CERVANTES DAREN is a right back player that sometimes plays as a central defender during cup competitions. He is an excellent player that can give the coach many options. With his fearless mentality he is tipped for greatness as a defender.  

Being new to the team, MAZO is yet to establish himself.  However, he has already showcased his potential to be another formidable and fast defender.  Moreover, the coach  recognized his ability in becoming an outstanding player.      

The team is blessed with CACAPIT PAUL and JOHN RHAIN MISAGAL. The two goalkeepers work in the goalpost for FC Metro Manila U15 has been outstanding.  It is no surprise then that both have won best goalkeeper in cup and league matches. Both young players can play with their feet, which is line with the team’s philosophy of playing out from the back.  

With all these exceptional players, it is no wonder why FC Metro Manila U15 have scored 19 goals in their last 3 matches and conceded none.