Finding
glory (or Viva España).
Four Spaniards (some with
Filipino blood in them) find their dreams of glory in an old outpost of the
Spanish empire.
by rick olivares pic by nona c.
Lost in the post-game celebration
following Stallion’s 2-1 win over Global in the finals of the 2012 UFL Cup was
a quick photo op for four players. Joaquin Cañas, Rufino Sanchez, Carli De
Murga, and Juan Luis Guirado posed in front of a few fans while holding up the
Spanish flag.
The four shook hands and chatted a bit
before repairing to their respective sides of the field to be with their teams
that awaited the awarding ceremony.
“It took us four months,” glowed Cañas
who co-captained the Stallion side along with Ruben Doctora Jr. “Four months to
find our glory.”
The arrival of Cañas and Sanchez is a
strange story as they first took part in an exhibition match between a
selection of UFL players and Internacional de Madrid for the victims of the
horrific Typhoon Sending that opened 2011. In the Spanish club’s brief time in
the Philippines, they visited several areas and came away moved by the
destruction they saw. Sanchez and Cañas also fell in love with the country.
When the opportunity arose to play in
the Philippines on loan, it took several months for the move to happen.
“I didn’t think it would take this
long,” added Cañas. “But we are champions. This will be one of the most
memorable events in my life.”
The arrival of the two Internacional
de Madrid players galvanized an already good Stallion club. Cañas gave the club
a stronger backbone on defense while Sanchez was simply deadly up front.
In the UFL Cup Finals, his first touch
was equally impressive even if he was playing on only one leg (he was beset by
cramps and later replaced by OJ Clarino late in the match). He managed a through
ball that nearly led to a third goal for Stallion while hobbling around. That
prompted Match Commissioner Joseph Gensaya to shake his head in amazement:
“That is a quality football player. What can he not do?”
It isn’t only Spaniards on Stallion
who have made an impact on local football. De Murga and Guirado have been
integral parts in Global’s winning its first league title last season. Along
with Guirado’s younger brother, Angel, the three have also become fixtures on
the Philippine National Team where their contributions have had a great effect
on the Azkals’ stellar finish in these past two years.
While all four have dreamt of playing
for La Roja, current World Cup and two-time European champions, finding glory
some 7,000 miles away isn’t so bad. “You are a part of something big,”
explained De Murga. “We are doing something for the Philippines and you see how
it affects the country and also Southeast Asia. It’s a fulfillment for me and
for all of us.”
Guirado concurs: “Playing in the
Philippines and the national team has helped us in making names for us. As a
football player, this is a good thing, a blessing.”
The English Premier League may be the
most popular league in the world but the ones who have made the most impact on
Philippine football have been the Spaniards.
Paulino Alcantara, Barcelona’s
all-time top goal scorer is Fil-Spanish. Eduardo Teus Lopez Navarro, another
Philippine-born Spaniard minded the nets for Real Madrid from 1913 to 1918.
Dr. Juan Cutillas, a former Atletico
Madrid player, was a long time Philippine national head coach and most recently
was manager for Kaya.
In the 1970s, Philippine football
received a massive boost in play with the arrival of Tomas Lozano, Manuel
Cuenca, and Julio Rojas among others.
Said Cutillas in a conversation
several months ago, the retired coach observed, “You see more and more Filipino
teams trying to play more possession ball like Barcelona or Spain. And that is
good. A good model to copy because it teaches team play and sound fundamentals. Of course, the Philippines is a former Spanish colony and it is nice to see the roots between the two countries reestablished."
The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over three centuries before they ceded the islands to the Americans following the Spanish-American War at the turn of the 20th century.
The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over three centuries before they ceded the islands to the Americans following the Spanish-American War at the turn of the 20th century.
Summed up Cañas about the Spanish
influence on Philippine football: “That is why Spanish football is number one.”
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Additional reading: STALLION WINS 2012 UFL CUP
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I FULLY EXPECT A COUPLE OF TV NETWORKS TO STEAL THIS STORY. LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO.
With Rufo and Joaco one day after winning the UFL Cup title at Starbucks The Fort.
Got plans.
THIS --->
ReplyDeleteI FULLY EXPECT A COUPLE OF TV NETWORKS TO STEAL THIS STORY. LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO.
Yes, I have had a number of stories stolen and passed off as their own. it really irks me. As journalists, it is our job to sniff out stories and not steal them. That leaves me in a difficult situation as I am not backed up by a major network or media outfit. Kinda tough. But I just plug away.
DeleteDidnt know Juani plays here. Dont remember when and where, but I remember reading that he found some desk job in Spain.
ReplyDeleteGood to know hes still playing
how about hiring some spanish referees..that would be the best for the league
ReplyDeleteHA HA Ha...unfortunately Spanish officiating doesn't come close to living up to the play of their land.
Deleteoh~ Carlie went out of the locker room after all. was this taken when all the fans had left the stadium?
ReplyDeleteQuality Teams = Quality League = Quality Grassroots = Quality National Team .
ReplyDeletewe are getting there . don't get me wrong , but foreign talents on clubs elevates the level of competition in the local league .
Guys dba on loan cla rufo and joaco for 2012-2013 season only? Babalik na b cla sa mother club nila na CFIM sa spain? or maglalaro pa cla sa UFL next year? Updates plss?
ReplyDelete