Philippine team gets tougher training for Paris Homeless World Cup

HOMELESS World Cup (HWC) Philippine Team is currently undergoing tougher training in Manila in preparation for this year’s edition of HWC in Paris, France from August 21-28, 2011.


Team captain Negrense Janrick Soriano told Sun.Star-Bacolod last Saturday that they are now familiarizing with one another to enable the team to execute the plays properly.


“Though we come from different places in the country, we are uniting ourselves as a team to attain our goal – win for the country,” Soriano stressed.


The 22-year-old Soriano is being joined in the team by his fellow Talisaynon Michael Rojo.


Soriano was part of the Negros-Ceres team headed by former national squad mentor Norman Fegidero Jr., which recently captured the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Suzuki U23 National Cup crown last May 10, 2011.


Earlier, Soriano said that he is happy to be part of the team and represent the country in the international competition. He considered it a great opportunity to experience playing abroad.


But more than anybody else in the team, Soriano felt that he has that huge responsibility to lead the team achieve its goal.


Soriano, who came from a poor family, was then a sophomore criminology student at the West Negros University before he quit his studies in 2009.


He then joined the Union Football Club (UFC) of Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) president Charlie Cojuangco. The UFC is one of the teams in the United Football League in Manila.


On the other hand, the 26-year-old Rojo gets his second chance to play for the national squad after failing to make it last year. He was initially on the roster but he was not allowed to play because his wife was scheduled to give birth a week before the competition.


Rojo used to play for the University of St. La Salle before he stopped schooling in 2005.


On his part, national team head coach Rudy del Rosario said that they are eyeing to improve their last year’s HWC 25th over-all finish in Rio de Janero, Brazil.


He said that they aim to at least make the team get into another rank level this year and hopefully to bring home another trophy for the county.


“Last year, we won the Host Cup trophy after we beat Norway. Iba ang feeling pag-tinutugtog ang ating pambansang awit, lalo na at nasa ibang bansa ka,” del Rosario added.


Other players suiting up for the national squad are Jeffrey Guelas (22) from Leveriza, Manila; Jeffrey de Castro (22) from Cainta, Rizal; Bert Anthony Sienes (18) from Manila Boystown; Aljhonn Loui Matulac (18) from Estancia, Iloilo; John Celiz (19) from Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo; and Ricardo Padilla (23) from Lingayen, Pangasinan. (JSG)


Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on August 03, 2011.