Guam’s Ian Mariano will soon be donning a Pachanga FC jersey and playing professionally in the Philippines as the UFL Division I team looks to advance in the playoffs of the PFF Smart National Club Championship Sunday at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, Philippines.
Mariano recently has been added to Pachanga FC’s official roster for at least three months, he said. 
“I’m excited for this opportunity to play soccer professionally,” Mariano said. “Getting paid to play football – it’s always been my dream.
“I’ve been offered three months for now. Though I wasn’t signed on for a longer period, that just gives me even more incentive to work that much harder to impress my new teammates and coaches,” the 22-year-old added.
Mariano will have a familiar teammate in the Philippines – Matao captain Jason Cunliffe, who has been playing for Pachanga FC since late last year. Cunliffe scored the eventual game-winning goal against Cebu Queen City United to help his team advance to the quarterfinals of the nation-wide tournament. The team will next face Green Archers United FC – a team that includes the Philippines national team captain Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong – for a spot in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Sunday Manila time.
Mariano is the third member of the Matao, Guam men’s national team, to play professionally in the Philippines, following Cunliffe and Jonahan Romero. Romero currently is in his second season with Kaya FC, another UFL team. Romero and Kaya FC also will be looking for semifinal spot in the tournament, as the team is set to face the Loyola Meralco Sparks in the quarterfinals.
“This is exactly what we are trying to achieve with our national program,” said Matao head coach Gary White. “Guam has many talented players, but most lack the professional-level game experience when competing against other countries in the region.
“I am happy for Ian. Earning a spot on a professional club will not only help him improve individually, but will ultimately help raise the level of Guam’s national football program. Soon, more doors of opportunity will open for our current youth players,” White added.
Mariano began playing soccer in the Robbie Webber Youth Soccer League for the Sidekicks SC when he was five years old. He later played primarily for Cars Plus and had brief stints with Guam Shipyard and Table 35 Espada FC in the Budweiser Soccer League. He also spent two years in California where he co-captained Monterey Peninsula College’s men’s soccer team and later played for the Nomads Soccer Club in San Diego before returning to Guam.
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Playing "professionally" in the Philippines isn't much to write home about.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much he is paid. And playing "pro" with a 3 month short contract?
DeleteIt's way better than playing fifa console games isn't it? But then again, pinoys are so high standard that you don't consider a success story unless you make it to the EPL, NBA, La Liga, etc... I wonder why they seem to think like so? Oh yeah because they are delusional and thinks they are the center of the universe. Hahahahaha. Guess what? You country isn't much in the world scene ok. Puny. Get real you prideful freaks. Any footie player getting signed and paid to play the game is a success. So you freaks keep playing and winning trophies with your FIFA 13 coz that would be your safest success without stepping into the reality of things and get your pride crushed. Whahahahaha.
Delete@ Anonymous 20 January 2013 01:25
DeleteLOL at you feeling all gangster! Fuck off!! I bet in person you're just a real pussy!!
Pinoys are so high standard you say?? Errmm... maybe some are but for the most part you only think that because it's what you want to believe! But you go ahead and be delusional all you want!
How about you, it seems you're such low standard person to point where you're pretty much hyping up a Guamanian playing "professionally" in the Philippines! lol! Are you Ian Mariano in disguise?? lol!! Playing "pro" in the Philippines really isn't much to hype up or write home about, lets be honest!!
Better than playing FIFA 13 for sure. Don't kid yourself. Sure a low league but getting paid to play the sport you love is any players dream. Lets be honest. I guess the commenter Ano: 1:25 hurt your feelings with his comment there. Awe... And you called him gangster. awe. hahahaha. dont see his comment any gangster type at all. I see that you cant take comments though. hhaha. guess he's making you eat you words after all. But really, it's way better than playing FiFA computer games though. I bet you are like superstar with your created player on FIfa aren't you? :)) taking the penalties, free kicks, and getting hat tricks, and getting all the fantasy accolades yeah? Hey better having fantasy than nothing at all. Keep on keeping on bro.
DeleteLOL! Nice try. But it's quite clear you're complete tit and can't think of anything else to say... you and your 'awes' and your "insults" using video games... right... I along with everybody else are really insulted and put down because of it... NOT! It's also clear that you're the one who has a thing for these football video games since you know so much about it.
DeleteLow ass shitty league, and shit hole of a country... if you want to keep telling yourself it's such a big accomplishment and it's enough to write home to mommy and daddy about, you go right on ahead. Stay deluded all you want, it seems like it gets you off and it's a free world right?
It's you that clearly has nothing else to say. Hahahahaha. If you can tell me how is that nothing better than for a player not signed anywhere??? I play both footie for real and FIfa, not gonna lie, but I tell you this though, it's way better being part of a team in a league than playing in the park with random 11. So you putting down a player doing what he loves and getting paid, I don't care how long his contract or how low the league is, is any players dream. But then base on what your "argument" (if you can call it that) I don't expect you to understand that at all. But at the end of the day, Mariano is smiling and doing what he loves, while you are blabbing on here telling people how much this signing is a nothing to be proud of. Keep on hating while Mariano is smiling and playing... Not unless you are the player that Mariano beat for the contract. Is that you??? Hahahahaha... Keep hating...
DeleteThere are many quality players here in our country than Guam. Be patriotic and give our homegrown some jobs..
ReplyDeleteWhat's up with that stupid patriotic thingy that you pinoys are so foolishly strongly about? Look at yourselves, the way you people live, and tell me how much patriotic you really are. You're all talk about patriotism and you don't probably even know what that truly meant (you are mostly westernized and love mostly foreign stuff. Until you are using, loving, watching, singing, exclusively Pinoy stuff then you can question about where the patriotism is. Hypocrt. Besides, this is sports and our team should hire whoever we can afford that has better quality over hiring someone inferior just because he is local. That's just plain bullshit. Much like the way you think. Fool.
DeleteYou're the one who's deranged always pretending to be good but never will be as hiring imports is a way of showing you are a pathetic sore ass loser who is always "a slave to the system."
Deleteshut up now. just because your team is poor and cant afford to buy foreign players. maybe your team shouldnt be anywhere near the UFL.
Deleteyou would choose a player who practices 10 hours a week over a player who practices 20 hours a week just because he is filipino? and we are not just talking about playing hours. this includes drills.
ReplyDeletepeople should be reminded that this is not just football but also a business. these sponsors are not going spend a lot of money on a weak team.
look at the AFP teams now. sponsors won't support them 100% because of their "local only" rule. where will they end up when there are strong clubs emerging and we only have two divisions?
These commenters talking about hiring pinoys only are idiots. You got that one right.
DeleteIdiots are for people who always buy players as an excuse because he couldn't get his hands in any silverware and always fell short from their expectations...
DeleteDon't they all buy players though??? Hahahahaha. You see how much of an idiot you are Ano 2:43??? The only player I know who wasn't bought at the time was the used to be owner/ player of Pachanga, Freddie Gonzales. Hey idiot, they all buy/hire players. Do us all a favor and go curl back to your mother and suck on a pacifier. You don't know shit kid.
DeleteUnfortunately, not all local based players are like Cheiffy Calidgong :)
ReplyDeleteTrue. Even then, Chieffy isn't even that skilled. He relies on his quickness solely and thank God he is quick. The reality is that we don't have solid fundamentals in the country and that is understandable because the country is just barely learning about football in general.
DeleteAnonymous 19 January 2013 22:46
DeleteUnfortunately?!?! More like FORTUNATELY!! Because Caligdong really isn't that good!! Technically he's shit! It's just that there are too many people who don't know enough about the sport as well there being too many fan boys and bandwagoners for them to realize it!! The only thing he has going for him, as already pointed out, is his pace and to a certain extent his off the ball movement.
Man... You guys are talking like Guam is a great football nation with alot of good players. Are they?
ReplyDeleteI can understand clubs getting players from the US, Spain, Africa and so on, but Guam? Shouldnt be a problem finding a filipino player who can perform at this guys level. The league is going in the wrong direction if this continues.
And a 3 month contract? Wow, what a "professional" league the UFL is. Its like going on a vacation for 3 months and getting paid for it. Its nice for Ian Mariano though.
I suppose it's you that you should have been signed right??? Hahahahaha. Cry baby.
DeleteLOL!
DeleteAnd no. I dont play anymore. Who is crying now?! But im sure id be a better player than YOU. Have a nice week mr grumpy.
Ha!!! If only I can reveal myself and you'd be surprise and embarrass of yourself. Cry baby. Hahaha. Have a nice week to you as well, cry baby. :))
DeleteThen, why can't you reveal your self arrogant c_ck s_cker! We are not afraid whoever you are and I bet u got no skillz puny snake azz!!! Bwahahahah...
DeletePeople who thrash talk in sport are those who have little abilities and often ridiculed by many people while they are in the bench crying in the inside and craving for playing time. That's why they get their revenge in the social networking site or blogs like this to voice their frustrations in life. What a pity for a crying little brain and reject talent Anonymous 23 January 2013 00:19..
Deletehahahaha... why do you all reply to a troller??? dont waste you time and dont allow them to ruin your mood in any way at all. thats all I have to say.
Deleteps (i know who that is. that's peter w)
That's justin beiber. hahahaha.. tell the congress to make a second ban to JB because they have nothing else more important to tend to than imposing bans here and there. hahahaha...
Deletegee, what a surprise it would be if he turns out to be Leo Messi. hahhahahaha. Is that you, Pulga??? lol
Delete"puny snake azz"???? what the hell is that??? bwahahahaha.
DeleteAll these numbnuts talking about patriotism , the technicality of local football players thinking they know shit about the game. Yeah, only morons who haven't played will talk crap about how much they know about football and how long they have supported the game in the Philippines. Grow up, you guys know nothing about the game and those who have supported the game over the past decade will surely appreciate the new breed of fans. You guys talk as if you have sacrificed for the game of football and football in general in our country. Do your part and just shut up.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that.
DeletePure Crabs are here again..
Delete