Intramurals

Like a telenovela, the reported in fighting among the players of the Philippine Azkals has brought a twist to the saga of the country’s football team.

This is not exactly new. When the Fil-foreign players were slowly being introduced into the national squad, there have been rumors that the move has not been received well by the local bred players.

I’d like to think of all the reports as rumors, but I’m sure there is also a lot of truth into them.

The local players probably feel left out when the national side started recruiting the Fil-foreigners that have decimated the ranks of those who were born and raised here.

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If our goal is to form a competitive team, then the management of the Azkals cannot avoid but look overseas for talent that can be tapped to play.

We cannot blame them for doing that as the level of football in our country still needs a lot of improvement after years of poor management of the national association.

On a more positive note, the influx of Fil-foreign players can also be used to help elevate the level of football in the country.

This happened in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) not too long ago.

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In the PBA, several Filipino-American players suddenly started applying for the draft, but they were not always picked ahead of the locals.

The situation may not be entirely the same in football as we don’t have a professional league that pays players lots of money in the first place.

Like other footballing nations, their national team members are not always playing in the local leagues.

My dream is to someday see players like Emelio ‘Chieffy’ Caligdong playing for clubs in other countries, but for now, I’d be contented to know that some players, who have Filipino blood, are already there.

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You probably already know that on Sunday, the Animo La Salle 12-K Run is taking place with the start/finish line to be set up at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City.

I would also like you to know that proceeds of the event will go to the Scholarship Fund of La Salle.

Many of the alumni of Andres Soriano Memorial College (formerly ASMS) de la Salle are signing up to show their support to the scholarship program and their Alma Mater.

You can do the same to share your blessings to the less fortunate.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings to my aunt, Eva Frasco Quiñones, younger sister of my father. Auntie Eva is also very much like a mother to me as she is always there to support me and my family in good and bad times.

The same goes to my cousin Ted Fernandez, my mistah Lt. Col. Rene Honasan of the Air Force, and Arlene Densing.

Belated greetings to those who turned a year older last July 7, but I missed mentioning them – Norman Moses Carcellar, Nesreen Abdulrauf, Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon ‘Nito’ Durano III, and my cousin Angela L. Martinez.

Advance greetings to those celebrating tomorrow like Jonathan Yu, Felix Guanzon, Allan Slamero, Malyn Madayag-Hernandez, and Wesley Chiongbian.

More power to all of you!