Confident NCR teams look to go deep in U23 Cup

This appears in the Thursday May 5, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

Confident NCR teams look to go deep in U23 Cup

by rick olivares

Despite not going through the cluster eliminations and regional competitions, the two teams of the National Capital Region Football Association are confident that they will give a good accounting of themselves in the ongoing PFF Suzuki Under-23 National Cup.

The NCR elevens will be coached by Hans Smit and Anto Gonzales and will respectively compete in the eight-team quarterfinals stage in Bacolod and Laguna from May 6-10. The players of the two NCR teams are mostly drawn from the NCAA and the UAAP and went straight to the quarterfinals.

Smit, the long time head coach of the De La Salle University men’s and women’s football teams said that there might be some chemistry problems since the players mostly compete against one another. “But I'm confident that the players will end up complimenting each other once the games start. Basing on how they are off the field, they are quite comfortable with each other and friendly. Now it's how they do it together on the field.”

Initially, UP striker Jinggoy Valmayor was included in the NCR lineup but had to be removed for academic reasons. Although Valmayor is from San Carlos, Negros Occidental, he can suit up for the NCR team as he has been playing in Manila since high school. There are a number of NCR players who hail from the provinces. Among them are UAAP Season 73 Men’s Football MVP Stephen Permanes who is from Butuan and backup keeper Ronnie Aguisanda who is from Cagayan de Oro.

It isn’t only the NCR that has players who are playing for teams other than their hometowns. Dumaguete midfielder, Morris John Tulang is from Dipolog City. Bacolod midfielder Jake Moralla is from Dumaguete while striker Jovin Bedic is from Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo. The latter happens to play for West Negros University in Bacolod and thus is allowed to play for the city.

“But almost all the NCR players are Metro Manila born,” underscored Smit. “Very few are from elsewhere.”

Smit doesn’t believe that the absence of Valmayor, who led the UAAP in scoring with nine goals in 11 matches in his rookie season, will hurt the team. “There are equally great strikers that will perform. Remember this is a selection so all quarters have been covered.” Smits NCR team has in its lineup UST striker Ojay Clarino, FEU’s scoring machine Jess Melliza, and La Salle Don Rabaya (who is from Dumaguete). Gonzales’ NCR eleven which will compete in Laguna has among other Ateneo’s Anton Amistoso and La Salle’s Arturo Enriquez.

Regarding chemistry, Smit said, “Being from the UAAP hasn't really made it easier for the players. It’s harder to get them to play together since their talents have to be zeroed into a single unit. We are all hoping that when the time comes. A good sign is that every session we have is that they are playing better as a team!

Of the team’s chances, the longtime national coach made no bones of their objective. “Our target is no less to reach the Finals! But I can maybe only say how far the NCR will go after I've seen the other teams play!”

The top two teams that emerge from each of the group competitions will advance to semifinals in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo on May 15-16.