BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Bleachers' Brew #366 Fil-Croatian hopes to makes national team



This appears in the Monday, April 1, 2013 edition of the Business Mirror.

Fil-Hrvatski nada da će igrati reprezentacije
(SEE THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION BELOW)
by rick olivares

Što je nogomet?

To počinje kao dječja igra koja se brzo pretvara u strast. On troši mnogo njegovih budnih sati igrati igru ​​pod gorućeg sunca koje bronce svoju kožu. Njegov prvi dodir je super kao njegov na terenu inteligencije. Nadalje, on može završiti i oko prozora. On živi za uzbuđenje bodovanje ciljeva i slušajući urlanje gomile.

Uskoro igra postaje sredstvo da ide na koledž. On igra dobro, a njegova igra privlači pozornost mnogih najboljih škola u Manili. No, osjećaj obitelji, jaka crta filipinski, igra veliku ulogu u njegovoj odluci da ostane u blizini kuće.

Mladi dečko odluči otići na University of West Negros gdje su mnogi od rodnom Barotac Nuevo također su se odlučili otići.

Ne ubrzo nakon toga, on je izabran za reprezentaciju koja se natječe u 2008 AFC Challenge Cup u Iloilo. To je tamo gdje on dobiva svoj ​​prvi kist s politikom koja je sama omotan oko sporta.

On je kao i mnogi drugi vlak dugo i teško i natjecanja vremena, pridošlice iz Europe letjeti i početi čak i ako nikada nisam trenirao s momčadi. Njegov trener ima povjerenja u njega da su mu ruke vezane.Odluka je donesena na katu.

Nakon tog turnira, on se koncentrira na školi, gdje je također na čelu wnu Mustang na nekoliko lokalnih i regionalnih prvenstva, uključujući nacionalni naslov.

Neposredno prije Under-23 nacionalnog turnir održan u 2011, njegova majka razboli. Njegov brat nije učinio još u svojoj Naravno zdravstva. Njegov otac plaća kao školski instruktor nije dovoljno. Sada igra je zauzela drugo značenje, on će iskoristiti svoj talent da zaradite novac platiti za diže bolničkih računa. Njegovi naknade dok je igrao za wnu i za pomoć Negros momčad, ali to nije dovoljno.

Ali to nije tako jednostavno. On želi da odgovaraju za rodnom gradu momčad u Iloilo, ali je postrojilo se u susjednoj i suparnik Bacolod gdje je otišao u školu.

Kad je rezultati protiv rodnog tima, postoje fizičke prijetnje o njegovoj osobi i on se zove svaki ispisati ime u knjizi. No, jedna riječ koja se ističe je "izdajnik". Nakon Bacolod osvaja nastupni Pod-23 naslov, jedan od njegovih trenera kao mladić ga doziva: "Jeste li zadovoljni s onim što si učinio?"

On to ne razumije. On nije samo Iloilo porijeklom nije igrao za momčad rodnom gradu. Tu su i drugi u National Capital Region momčadi. Tu su i drugi iz Dumaguete također igrao za Bacolod ili negdje drugdje. Oni su bili poredani postoji jer se dogodilo da se studira tamo (pravila dopuštaju takav).

No, nogomet je religija u njegovom rodnom gradu Barotac Nuevo. Za mnoge, on je samo počinio svetogrđe igrajući za svoje suparnike preko mora.

Sljedeće godine, BEDIĆ igra za Pachanga, momčad sastavljena od igrača iz Iloilo, Bacolod, Africi i Manila. Oni osvojiti UFL je divizija 2 time zarađivati ​​promociju na najvišoj razini nacionalnog nogometa Capital Region. No, klub je prodao Diliman FC i igrači su se raspršili diljem nogometnog krajolika. On ostaje s Pachanga, ali se uglavnom klupu kao što je prednost za igrače koji su došli preko od Diliman.

On troši malo više od pola sezone u nogometnom čistilištu da je klupa prije nego što je objavljen u rodni klub, Stallion, gdje je odmah čini njegova prisutnost osjeća.

Sada on ima priliku igrati i pokazati ono što on može učiniti zajedno s njihovim utvrđenim zvijezdama poput Rubena Doctora i Rufo Sanchezom. On se nada da je redoviti dovoljno za njega pokazali svoj ​​talent.

On je jednom igrao na reprezentaciju i bio je vrlo sretan zbog iskustva. Danas, s naklonosti Filipinaca temelju inozemstvo, ne postoji domaća igrač počinje. Ni kultni Chieffy Caligdong, junak mnogih igri. Nema koherentan program za razvoj homegrowns koji su često rekli da se zavalite i uživajte u iskustvu jer Europljani su puno bolje. To ga irks kao što to čini i mnoge druge, na ne bude dao priliku.

Njegov brat, sada inozemstvu počinju svoju karijeru kao skrbnik, zna Jovin je sumnjama i kaže mu da počne gledati na budućnost.

Ali BEDIĆ voli sport previše prestati sada. On kaže da ima još nekoliko godina, a onda će on znati da li je on stvarno je namijenjena za predstavljati svoju zemlju.

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Fil-Croatian hopes to play national team
by rick olivares

What is football?

It starts out as a child’s game that quickly turns into a passion. He spends much of his waking hours playing the game under the burning sun that bronzes his skin. His first touch is superb as his on-field intelligence. Furthermore, he can finish in and around the box. He lives for the thrill of scoring goals and hearing the roar of the crowd.

Soon the game becomes a means to go to college. He plays well and his game draws the attention of many top schools in Manila. But the sense of family, a strong trait of the Filipino, plays a major part in his decision to stay close to home.

The young lad chooses to go to the University of West Negros where many from his hometown of Barotac Nuevo have also chosen to go.

Not soon after, he is selected to the national team that is competing in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup in Iloilo. It is there where he gets his first brush with the politics that has wrapped itself around the sport.

He like many others train long and hard and by competition time, newcomers from Europe fly in and start even if they’ve never trained with the team. His coach confides in him that his hands are tied. The decision has been made upstairs.

After that tournament, he concentrates on school where he also leads the WNU Mustangs to several local and regional championships including a national title.

Right before the Under-23 national tourney held in 2011, his mother falls ill. His brother isn’t done yet in his health care course. His father’s salary as a school instructor isn’t enough. Now the game has taken a different meaning, he’s going to use his talent to earn money to pay for the rising hospital bills. His allowances while playing for WNU and for the Negros team help but it isn’t enough.

But it isn’t that easy. He wants to suit up for his hometown team in Iloilo but has been lined up in neighboring and rival Bacolod where he has gone to school.

When he scores against his hometown team, there are physical threats on his person and he is called every unprintable name in the book. But the one word that stands out is “traitor”. After Bacolod wins the Inaugural Under-23 title, one of his coaches as a youngster calls him out, “Are you happy with what you’ve done”?

He doesn’t understand it. He isn’t the only Iloilo native not playing for his hometown team. There are others in the National Capital Region squad. There are others from Dumaguete also playing for Bacolod or elsewhere. They were lined up there because they happened to be studying there (the rules allow such).

But football is a religion in his hometown of Barotac Nuevo. For many, he just committed sacrilege by playing for their rivals across the sea.

The following year, Bedic plays for Pachanga, a team composed of players from Iloilo, Bacolod, Africa, and Manila. They win the UFL’s Division 2 thereby earning promotion to the top level of National Capital Region football. But the club is sold to Diliman FC and the players are scattered across the football landscape. He remains with Pachanga but is mostly benched as there’s a preference for the players who came over from Diliman.

He spends a little over half a season in the football purgatory that is the bench before he is released to his hometown club, Stallion, where he immediately makes his presence felt.

Now he has a chance to play and show what he can do alongside their established stars like Ruben Doctora and Rufo Sanchez. He hopes it’s regular enough for him to showcase his talent.

He once played on the national team and he was quite happy for the experience. Nowadays, with the predilection for Filipinos based overseas, there is no homegrown player starting. Not even the iconic Chieffy Caligdong, the hero of many a game. There is no coherent program to develop homegrowns who are oft told to sit back and enjoy the experience because the Europeans are much better. It irks him as it does many others at not being given a chance.

His brother, now abroad beginning his career as a caregiver, knows of Jovin’s misgivings and tells him to begin to look at the future.

But Bedic loves the sport too much to quit now. He says he has a few more years and then he’ll know if he’s really meant for to represent his country.

- 0 -

Happy April Fool's Day!!!!! 

What’s in a name? Bedic. Bedich. Yes, that’s how some folks pronounce Jovin’s surname as if he were from the Balkan states and not from Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.

So if you’re wondering about the headline “Fil-Croatian hopes to play for national team” – it’s an April Fool’s Day joke of sorts. Only the headline and the photo is the joke while Jovin’s story is not.

This was an idea that Bob Guerrero and I hatched a few weeks ago and is our way of saying, “You don’t have to look beyond the Philippine shores all the time for talent. There’s a lot of it here in the Philippines.”

There are players like Patrick Deyto, Jason Cordova, Jerry Barbaso, Ruben Doctora, and Bedic to name a few who deserve to be “inspected” (to use the football term). That and be given equal chances as well.

Now, we hope that we caught the attention of the powers that be.



26 comments:

  1. Damn Rick you got me there! Akala ko naman talaga may Fil-Croat striker! And while I understand what you are trying to accomplish with the post (and the joke) you can't blame me for salivating at the prospect of a Fil-Croat who plays like Davor Suker as you have put it.

    Anyways, while I agree that we should have a better program for developing local talent I disagree that we should accommodate local players on the team just for the sake of having local players on the team. Whether they be local or foreign based, the starting 11 should be chosen based on performance and fitness and not on where they were born.

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  2. And this isn't a joke. I saw all matches in the 2004 and there were two players in the Iloilo team that I was confident I'd see in the national team. (Cebu beat Iloilo in that semifinals and we were lucky to escape with that win.) The two players? Bedic and Doctora. :-)

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  3. It is not a matter of being "homegrown" or "overseas-based"..what metters most in football is being able to play high-level football against highly ranked opponents where winning is at stake. Our "Dream Team" that played against Turkmenistan showed that they were a tough team to beat and won 1-0 (Neil Etheridge and our other quality players were even on the bench- this showed the depth of talent we now have in our national team) and then just look at how Turkmenistan massacred Loyola-Meralco 4-1..what does that tell you?

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    1. Did you watch the Loyola-Turkmenistan game? Is Loyola wholly Filipino? Why don't we give all the slots on all our national teams to the Pinoys based overseas?

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    2. You are missing my point buddy! Our overseas-based Filipinos are much more equipped with Football Skills - the RISK of losing a game is less than fielding-in less equipped players than them - the game against Turkmenistan was not a training ground - it was a qualifying round for a major title in Asia where a win and a good score was needed to be achieved - that is my mindset and that is why they beat Turkmenistan in a hotly and closely contested match ..the AZKALS prevailed in the 90 minutes game because of their well-schooled football abilities. I am not saying that our locally trained boys and other non-Filipinos in the UFL are not good its just that the team that played for the Philippines Azkals had the edge in terms of exposure and experience playing against well-seasoned footballers that belong to quality football clubs overseas most especially in Europe where football is considered a "RELIGION".

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    3. And you missed the point of what I wrote. I said that opportunities must be given to the homegrowns. We've fielded lots of Fil-fors before and the results were not good too. only when a program was put up by Dan Palami did we start doing better. How will the locals be given an opportunity to show what they can do when they aren't given the same exposure by that person who is passing off as a coach? Then you make a case about Loyola-Turkmenistan? You are comparing apples and oranges. One was a real match while the other was a friendly. Loyola wasn't even complete. The Green Men had a good 10-minute window to break it wide open when the Sparks went to their bench. They were saving themselves for Tuesday's match vs Global. Next time you argue a point stick to the issue and don't turn the article around to make your case.

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    4. You are entitled to yours and I am entitled to mine and that is my mindset and heartset end of the story.

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    5. Then next time I suggest you don't post them here if you're going to adopt that attitude.

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    6. Real Madrid - Barcelona Argument in here . Brazil - Spain argument , Which team is better the past decade ? that answers your question . you can build a dream team as long as you want but local talents is the "KEY" for further growth of the sport . I'm not expecting local talents as the core of the national team for the next 5 years but exceptional talents should be selected for friendlies to prove their worth . I mean give them a chance to play one full match against region rivals or even against lowly ranked teams .

      example the team is missing a defender . they played manny ott on the right back (because he's better) but seriously a local defender call up like barbaso or bervic italia is a good choice for a chance .

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  4. And lets not forget that azkals, with their best squad for ages, hardly managed to beat Turkmenistan who on the other hand, didnt send their best players to the Philippines.

    Loyola didnt field all their best players either, and it was a practice match.

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    1. Why don't you ask the homegrown players who competed in the 2011 Sea Games? They were told to sit back and not to expect playing time because the "Euros" (his term not mine) were better.

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    2. What i was trying to say was, that everyone thinks the azkals are so good with the european players, that theyre gonna win every tournament they join, win every game they play. Im for the homegrown players getting more chances, but thats not gonna happen. They even bring in the european players for practice matches. How is that gonna benefit Philippine football?

      How is that gonna benefit the talents? And look at the UFL. Teams are signing coaches and players that are in a league of their own, and to be honest, they shouldnt play in the UFL because theyre too good for the league. Look at Global, signing so many foreigners that they have to go for a manhunt after filipino players so that they can compete in the Presidents Cup. And then you have all the people that says this is for the good of the sport, that the talents have to put their game faces on and fight harder to get noticed. How is that gonna happen?

      Its like if a team in League One signed a bunch of players at the level of C.Ronaldo and Messi. How can a player outcompete those players? Its easier said than done. The league is taking baby steps, but the clubs are taking giant leaps with their recruiting policies.

      With that said, i wanna say that i dont have nothing against Palami. And like you said, talented players has nothing to say when theyre told to sit back and enjoy the view.

      I can understand some of the players backing out when theyre called up because in reality they know they wont get a chance. PFF will never change when it comes to their selection process.

      I was about to bring in the three stooges in the discussion, but im gonna leave them out of this as of now.

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    3. nice one brotha'!.... and to you rick, u made your point. We get it. We just have diff. opinions. respect and accept.

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    4. I can understand some of the players backing out when theyre called up because in reality they know they wont get a chance...

      This mentally is the main difference between good players and great players.

      Whether or not you get chosen to play in the national pool or in the starting XI. Training with the best players in the country and arguably with the best coaching staff is already plus for any players.

      If those players turned down those offers then they really don't deserve to play for the national team. If those players were demoralized because they were told that they won't be seeing any playing time since the Euros were better then they really don't deserve to play for the national team.

      I fully respect the purpose of this article but nobody else can help them but themselves.

      Right now, the playing level in UFL is getting better and better. This is a great platform and opportunity for those lads to show what they got.

      It might be a year, or two or maybe more but once they let go of that dream of playing for the national squad will only prove that they don't deserve to play for the national team.

      Now, are they really Filipinos? Filipinos don't give up that easy. For those who turned down the offer to be part of the national pool, well.. thank god you guys are not Filipino.

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  5. Rick 1 Mallillin 0

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  6. Can we use the same arguments for foreign sounding names such as Joshua McNally, Angelo Verheye, Leigh Gunn, Chad Gould, Simon Greatwich, Mark Hartmann?

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  7. Different opinion and different perspective. I don't care who play for the flag. I have no issue of this homegrown vs foreign-based, besides most of the foreign based players are also responsible for the 'Breakout' last 2010 with some help from homegrowns of course. We won't be talking about football because of them. If only we didn't stop caring for football then WE won't crying HOMEGROWNS. :)

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  8. I agree, it really doesn't matter to me who plays for the country as long as it's for the country; but, I also agree that if we want to sustain the interest of the Filipino people in the sport, people should see local players in the football field and actually contributing to the team. However, given the "higher level" of football that the Euro-based players give to the game, it would be nice to keep them in the team to help hone the local players, whilst providing opportunities to the homegrown players to showcase their own talents. But I also think, the most important aspect of national team is good team cohesion/ teamwork, which can really be ultimately achieved if the players play together like forever, as everyday if they can...which is of course, kind of impossible. I hope he gets to play for the national team though...

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  9. Sir ric another Fil - Balkan footballer of Stallion FC , Bervic , also deserves a national team call up . He's a solid defender , and also he's one of the most under appreciated defenders in UFL (along with Jerry Barbaso of Global) ,

    and also Bervic plays like a balkan footballer . hehe. but nonetheless he's a good footballer .

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  10. Fun fact , Bedic , Ansing Gustillo and Sobrevega (now goalkeeper with stallion , formerly a midfielder) this three are used to be unstoppable on during High School days . they won games easily , even with college teams . Given proper training young lads could compete with euro guys , lets admit it , the training for young players are quite not the standards .

    And also "even if he's not a local talent" why is that Mark Hartmann is not on the national team ? some attitude problems or what ? yup we need the talents coming from europe . but also we shouldn't forget the talents in the local league . Balut , Mart Hartmann , Deyto , Bedic , Barbaso , atleast deserves a "one game playing" call up . or how about a call up or a friendly using just local talents or a call up that is not the usual call up , different names . not the usual .



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    1. The national team isn't a training ground my friend. There is a certain level of skill, inteliigence etc etc that a player should have at a certain age group. Training should start when they were younger.

      Let us all admit it, we all have to wait for 5 to 10 years before you will see a homegrown talent playing for the nationals.

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    2. sure not a training ground , but how can you missed top local talents like Balut , barbaso or even Bervic Italia of Stallion , not be numbers oriented here but , did you see how James Younghusband perform against Stallion defenders ? you can say the same with against global during the UFL cup ,

      but How could missed barbaso Deyto , Tating Pasilan and balut doctora ? exactly not a training ground but top local talents are "sayang" as they call it , "kung nabigyan ng sana ng experience at proper training during younger years , this could kid do great " yan ang sasabihin , I'm not anti fil foreign , my point is , atleast give top local talents a chance to play fully in the national team . I mean yup fil foreigners definitely raised the quality of the game in the philippines , but exceptional local talents should also given a chance .

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    3. Where have you been my friend? Deyto was part of the recent training camp. What do you want? An automatic selection in the 23 man roster? Considering we already have 3 experienced goal keepers and even a player from the Premier League wasn't able to play.

      For Tating Pasilan, haven't you heard that he can't commit to national duties because of prior commitments at La Salle? Even Deyto only became available just this year because he too can't commit to the national team.

      All we want is to give exposure to homegrown talents but you have to look at the other side of the story. Local talents were asked to join the camps but they don't even dare to show up. The Azkal management even complain that the local talents who were invited just leaves the camp without even asking permission.

      Balut or even Italia was part of the squad against CFIM if I'm not mistaken. They were given a chance and exposure.

      If I remembered correctly, in an interview Palami said that some local talents wants a starting position. This isn't the right attitude my friend.

      And yes, I watch UFL as much as I can and I know for a fact that the core defense of Stallion is Joaco and Kim. They are one of the best in the business. jams YH is one of our substitute players. That's how deep our squad is right now.

      And going back to the topic of giving chance. My friend, we have to look at the other side of the story. We don't even have the list of players that didnt show up and to those who just left the team without permission. It isn't proper if we assume who those players are but they are definitely one of our elite local talents.

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    4. "And going back to the topic of giving chance. My friend, we have to look at the other side of the story. We don't even have the list of players that didnt show up and to those who just left the team without permission. It isn't proper if we assume who those players are but they are definitely one of our elite local talents." <----- I know this one . its mark hartmann and from stallions , also from green archers :D

      A chance , but a full playing experience is not the same 10 to 5 minute experience , mean give a player a full game chance even against guam . and How did balut performed in limited time ? against u 23 australia .

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  11. Goodness gracious. All of a sudden we have top class football atheles that can play for the national team and the only thing that we need is to give them a chance to showcase their talents!

    Oh man.. I'm sure that the PFF would like this and Palami would be glad since they don't have to pay for all the costly air fares of our professional players since most of them are just playing in the UFL.

    Such exciting time for PH football.


    Oh yeah.. Happy April Fools

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  12. Funny thing is that Global signed a new european player, and letting go of some filipino players. I thought they needed filipino players for the presidents cup?

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