Beefed-up RP booters join Taiwan tourney

MANILA, Philippines—Crack Filipino-British players Chris Greatwich, Chad Gould and Rob Gier have been recalled to the national football team for the upcoming Taiwan-Philippines Inter-Port Friendship Cup in Kaoshiung, Taiwan, from Jan. 14 to 18.

The trio will join mainstays Emelio Caligdong, Ian Araneta, Aly Borromeo and Anton del Rosario as well as collegiate aces Roxy Dorlas of San Beda and Jovanie Simpron of Far Eastern in the squad that will be handled for the first time by Briton Desmond Bulpin.

The squad, however, will miss key players in Fulham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and Simon Greatwich, who are sidelined by injuries.

Also included in the national squad, which will also see action in the Asean Football Championships in October, are brothers Gerard and Jerome Orcullo and newcomers Manuel Ott and goalkeeper Paolo Pascual.

The interport marks the first time the team will play since April last year, when they missed out on a berth in the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup after losing three of their four matches in a qualifier in the Maldives.

Cedelf P. Tupas , Inquirer.net