Azkal Stephan Palla has signed for Austrian club Grazer AK
28 August 2020
27 August 2020
Maharlika FC unveils roster, head coach
MANILA – Maharlika Football Club is dead serious in its bid to secure a license to compete in the 2020 Philippines Football League after unveiling some of its players and its head coach.
Maharlika FC team owner Anton del Rosario announced in a virtual press conference that retired Filipino-Dutch booter Bongbong Roxy Dorlas was named as the team’s head coach.
Dorlas was a former member of the Philippine men’s football team from 2008 to 2010 and also represented the country in futsal in 2010. He suited up for San Beda in college and played for Mendiola, Loyola Meralco Sparks and Global FC.
“We brought in a coach that would fit with our vision and our core for the team,” Del Rosario said. “We believe that Roxy can make things happen for Maharlika FC.”
Among the players who were announced to play for the team were Del Rosario, Simon Greatwich, Cedric Martinez-Hodreal, Joaco Canas, Enrique Ortiz, Julian Del Valle, and Jerry Barbaso.
“We want to build a sustainable platform, a sustainable team, a good program for pro football,” Maharlika FC team manager Choy Calunsod said. “We are here for a long run. We want to be the team of the people, of the masses.”/PN
http://www.panaynews.net/maharlika-fc-unveils-roster-head-coach/
22 August 2020
United City FC taps Morgan as head coach
Adrian Stewart Co
MANILA – British-Australian Trevor Morgan has been named as the head coach of the United City Football Club, which took over the franchise of defending Philippines Football League champion Ceres-Negros FC.
Morgan, who most recently headed the Bhutan National Team that won a number of silverware in the Indian Super League, said he looks forward to handling the United City FC.
“I cannot wait to get onto the training field with the players and look forward to working with a group of high-quality players and staff,” said Morgan, who is also a decorated football manager.
“I have been given a wonderful opportunity to help take an already very successful team to the next level, and I will give everything I have to help improve our team and to further establish Philippine Football as a force to be reckoned with in Asia,” he added.
Trevor served as head coach for Sorrento Soccer Club in Western Australia and was also tapped to mentor Sengkang Punggol FC in Singapore in the Singtel League Cup. He also served as assistant coach for Hull City FC in the English Premiere League.
As a football player, he appeared in over 400 League and Cup games in the United Kingdom (UK), whilst scoring over two 200 goals, plying his trade from 1980-1994.
“His exposure to various leagues has prepared him very well for his new role as the head coach of United City Football Club, which suits very well the ambition that this club has,” said United City FC co-founder Eric Gottschalk.
“We are excited and proud to have him. Trevor will bring the necessary experience onto the pitch,” he added. “We have high ambitions for the local league and the AFC Cup and we believe Trevor is the right coach since he is no stranger to Asian football.”/PN
http://www.panaynews.net/united-city-fc-taps-morgan-as-head-coach/
Football: United City generating income? Boss Gottschalk says that's the plan
by Manolo Pedralvez
The new owners of United City FC, formerly known as Ceres-Negros FC, aim to avoid the fate suffered practically by all local professional soccer clubs over the past decade, intending the club to be a viable and profitable organization over the long haul.
“The players are receiving a salary and the money has to come from somewhere. It just cannot come from the owners pumping money into a club budget,” United City co-founder Eric Gottschalk said in a virtual press conference held last Wednesday.
“We need to bring other stakeholders to the table,” added the Dubai-based MMC Sports Marketing chief executive officer, revealing the various possible revenue streams for the club during the briefing that lasted for slightly over an hour.
Gottschalk explained that, unlike the club’s previous owner, Bacolod-based businessman Leo Rey Yanson, who bankrolled the entire team, “the (present) club is not owned by an individual but owned by a group of people that has been set up with a proper corporate structure.
“The club cannot be dependent on just an individual. I think that this will give sustainability, credibility and confidence that this football club is there to stay in the long run.”
It is common knowledge that Yanson’s family-owned transport company, one of the biggest in the country, was badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was cited as a key reason why he was prompted to relinquish ownership and management of the multi-titled club to the new group of investors headed by Gottschalk, who used to be marketing man for the embattled Global FC until resigning early this year.
The Games and Amusements Board and the Philippine Football Federation, the organizer of the Philippines Football League, has called Global FC’s attention over its failure to pay the salaries of its players running into thousands of pesos.
Gottshcalk said that one of keys to making the new club viable was “we need to try to unlock all the commercial opportunities that there are in football.”
“Sponsorship and advertising are the obvious ones but during a pandemic just right now it is going to be a tight task,” Gottschalk acknowledged.
“We are in discussion with some brands, because we obviously want to unveil a shirt sponsor,” he added. “And before the season starts we are open to negotiations on that side. But what we are doing is trying to unlock other opportunities such as the merchandise side of things.”
Among the potential sources of income, he said, was United City’s crest and logo, “which we will make available to club fans.”
He also disclosed that “we might also become the first club in the Philippines to have a formal membership program, similar to what they have done to clubs in Europe where you have a membership card and have some benefits.
“Hopefully we can begin this formal program before the start of the season once attendance is allowed. This has been in progress for several weeks now.”
The concept is also similar to the season memberships sold by clubs in the NBA to their fans, who enjoy perks and privileges different from match-day ticket holders.
Gottschalk said the club was also exploring the possibility of charging tickets to United City matches, something virtually unheard of in domestic club competition.
“It doesn’t mean that tickets need to be overpriced but we are staging matches, having expenses and having entertainment to the community,” he said “, (so) then the community in return should also participate in a ticketing concept.
“I believe if you match-day tickets for free they lose a certain value.”
Both income schemes might not be feasible in the meantime since the PFF has announced that the PFL games will be crowd-free once the league kicks off play at the PFF national training field in Carmona, Cavite.
The club is likewise bent on monetizing its huge potential fan base by partnering with a European company "that will enable us to be one the frontrunners in sponsorship and advertising income through social media,” according to Gottschalk.
“It will really open new assets in selling for football clubs and football operations,” he said, adding that he was willing to share the plan with other PFL clubs.
At present there were no plans yet where United City will have its home base of operations, he said, stressing that the priority was “to build on the image and identity of the club. Then it is almost secondary where the actual teams will be based.”
With the team’s roster, led by Azkal team captain Stephan Schrock, complete, Gottschalk said that they would unveil the team kit next week as well as announcing the club’s new coach.
United City’s new owners failed to come to terms with Yugoslavian mentor Ristov Vidakovic, who piloted the Busmen to three successful seasons since 2017, according to general manager Ace Bright, prompting the club to look for a competent replacement.
17 August 2020
Azkals to remain focused even without events
By: Cedelf P. Tupas -
Team captain Stephan Schrock insists the Azkals aren’t losing sight of their goals, even with the postponement of the 2022 World Cup and 2023 AFC Cup Qualifiers due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Azkals will no longer play this year after the qualifying tournament for the two biggest tournaments in their calendar was moved to next year, a decision that came after the AFF Suzuki Cup was also rescheduled.
But Schrock said the Azkals remain focused on their target of reaching the third round of the qualifiers for the first time.
With seven points from their first four matches in Group A, the Azkals are in third spot behind unbeaten Syria and China, which is only ahead on goal difference.
The Azkals were supposed to play Guam in October, before taking on China away and hosting Maldives in November.
“We always look forward to national team [duties] and the international break, but it is understandable and reasonable that due to COVID-19, we cannot push through with some events as officials, players, staff and fans will be at risk,” said Schrock, who turns 34 this month.
“We still want to prove ourselves in the group and advance and the game plan doesn’t change.”
Echoing the sentiment of coach Scott Cooper, Schrock said the team should maximize the time to process things within the team.
Several players, including Gerrit Holtmann and Raphael Obermair, are still processing documents related to their eligibility to play for the Azkals. INQ
https://sports.inquirer.net/401616/azkals-to-remain-focused-even-without-events#ixzz6VPcY7kGt
12 August 2020
No more Azkals action this year
By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--We will not see the Azkals back in action this year.
FIFA announced on Wednesday that the scheduled matches of the joint World Cup and AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers this October and November will be moved to sometime in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision was made after both FIFA and AFC continue to monitor the pandemic situation in many Asian countries.
In the Philippines, the number of positive COVID-19 cases has soared to 143,749 as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.
In the Philippines, the number of positive COVID-19 cases has soared to 143,749 as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.
"With the aim of protecting the health and safety of all participants, FIFA and the AFC will continue to work together to closely monitor the situation in the region and to identify new dates for the respective qualifying matches," FIFA said in a statement.
With the AFF Suzuki Cup also pushed to next year, the Azkals will not be seeing action for the rest of 2020.
The new dates of the joint qualifier windows will be announced at a later date
With the AFF Suzuki Cup also pushed to next year, the Azkals will not be seeing action for the rest of 2020.
The new dates of the joint qualifier windows will be announced at a later date
11 August 2020
GAB investigates Global FC over players unpaid salaries
The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) has launched a probe regarding the financial status of Global Makati Football Club.
In a statement on Saturday, GAB gave the Philippines Football League (PFL) outfit 10 days to explain about the allegations by some of its players that they have not been receiving salaries for a long time already.
"To comply with the due process requirements, the board has conducted [an] investigation and thus issued a show cause order to the management of Global FC to explain its side in writing within 10 days from receipt of such order," GAB said.
A copy of the motu propio complaint GAB gave to Global Makati reads that if Team Manager Mark Jarvis fails to respond to the show cause order after the time frame, the club will be revoked of its license and may also be blacklisted by GAB.
The accusations of unpaid wages among Global Makati players have been heard through the grapevine since last year.
Anton Del Rosario, who last played for the club when it was still representing Cebu City in 2018, is among those who have been very vocal on calling out the management to give what is due them, claiming that at least 25 players including him have not received their supposed recent paychecks.
"They still owe me six months of pay, the other players maybe two years of pay," del Rosario, who founded Maharlika Manila, which is seeking to become a PFL expansion side, said on Thursday during the online Usapang Sports forum by the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports.
The motu propio complaint filed by GAB seemed to back up Del Rosario's claims as two players, Jorrel Aristorenas and Jerry Barbaso, are said to have been owed over PHP1 million worth of salaries.
Another Global Makati player, Paolo Salenga, is said to be owed nearly PHP600,000 as well by the team management.
The row within the club reached boiling point when its former graphics designer, Saya Jaruda, called the team out on social media regarding the unpaid wages which even affected his college schooling.
John Cofie, one of Global Makati's new signings, then dropped a huge revelation saying that he too has not yet gotten his first paycheck with the club.
Jaruda later said that Global Makati had already reached out to him and got his salary, but the team has yet to update if it has already settled its dues with its players.
Following a meeting with the PFL, Global Makati vowed to resolve its salary issues within a 10-day period which ended on Aug. 3, but no news has been heard about it since then.
The PFL could also revoke Global Makati's license for failing to comply within the time frame it set.
To make matters worse, the club shut down all its social media pages, further casting uncertainties on whether it will still participate in this year's PFL season.
Meanwhile, GAB reiterated its assurance that the professional athletes will be taken care of by the agency regarding their salary situation.
"As [the] agency tasked with regulating and supervising professional sports in the country, GAB shall ensure that the welfare of our professional athletes should be upheld at all times," GAB further said.
On the other hand, del Rosario hopes that the Global Makati players will get what should be due them.
"I just want justice for not even myself but for all the other players because... a lot of these players who committed their time and effort over the months, possibly years, didn't receive any wages during that time," he said. "I can't imagine the struggles they're going to now."*PNA
https://www.visayandailystar.com/2020/August/10/sportnews1.htm
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