Ceres–La Salle
FC might join UFL
Breaking through the barriers that divide provincial teams from Manila-based squads in Philippine football, 2013 PFF – Smart National Club Championships champion Ceres-La Salle Football Club mulls over the idea of joining the premiere tournament, the United Football League.
In a press conference yesterday at the Business Inn in Bacolod City, assistant coach Ali Go said the management is set to meet and discuss the possibility of joining the UFL this year.
Being the only premiere football league in the country, Go said the UFL is the target of all clubs in the country and Ceres-La Salle has the logistics, the capability, and a pool of talents to be at par with the other teams.
Attracting national attention for its successful foray in national football thru the PFF-Smart tournament, Go said lots of foreign nationals, who are presently based in the country, expressed interest in joining Ceres-La Salle.
He said European and African football players called him up to ask about the schedule of tryouts.
Go, however, pointed out that Negros Occidental and Iloilo are the hotbeds of football in the country and teem with local talents. If ever they will join the UFL, he said it might be in the Cup competition scheduled later in the year.
Prior to their winning the Smart Club title, Ceres-La Salle needed to get past Cebu and Leyte in the regional qualifiers in San Carlos City, and against the current UFL Cup champion, the Iloilo City-based Stallion, in the Round of 16.
Go admitted that they had the toughest draw in the tournament as they faced Stallion in the knockout stage and another UFL champion team, Global FC, in the quarterfinals, but they managed to get past the challenge and eventually, clinched the title.
He said it was a challenge to play with the best teams in the tournament.
Strengthened by the presence of six Korean and three Briton players, Ceres demolished their opponents playing their own style of defending and counter attacking.
Striker Peter Long and Danny Claxton, who joined the team a couple of days before the Round of 16 match against Stallion, said they adjusted well with the daily trainings as well as the heat in the field.
Long, Claxton and Daniel Sandoval are scheduled to go back to England tomorrow after staying for more than a month in Bacolod City, said they are willing to play against for Ceres-La Salle anytime their services are needed.
Korean national Byeong Jun Yoon, Jae Jun Hyoun, and Keon Hyeong Park, who bagged the most valuable player, best goalkeeper, and best defender awards, respectively, are also staying with the team, along with their compatriots Jung Mook Kim, Hyung Min Sim, and Gun Hee Choi.
Also enjoying his new position in the team is national Under 23 standout Joshua Beloya, the tournament’s best midfielder, who smoothly transformed himself from a lethal striker to a solid force in center midfield.
Beloya said that while it feels good to score, it is also very satisfying to give the pass that will deliver the goal.
Meanwhile, assistant coach Ramon Janeo said the team’s victory in the Smart Club tournament was made possible by the unconditional support of brothers Leorey and Ricky Yanson, who are committed in pursing their passion for football.
Janeo said they are very thankful to have two team managers who not only provided them with the logistics but who went out of their way to spend their time with the team on and off the field.
With this kind of support, Janeo said Ceres-La Salle football club is bound to capture more tournament titles in the future.*NAB
Link:
visayandailystar.com/2013/February/06/sportnews1.htm