New recruits to boost Azkals

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta Jr. and national team manager Dan Palami broke the news during an interview at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night in the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel last Saturday. They confirmed that three recruits will reinforce the Azkals in the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in Yangon, Myanmar, on March 21, 23 and 25, assuming the Philippines dumps Mongolia in their qualifying series.

The recruits are led by Spanish-born Angel Aldeguer Guirado, a Fil-Spanish striker who has played for the Spanish Division III team Deportivo Ronda in Malaga. He cuts an imposing figure on the pitch because of his 6-2 frame. Guirado, 26, is a first cousin of Caloy Garcia, Rain Or Shine assistant coach in the PBA. His mother Angela Aldeguer is the sister of Garcia’s mother Gloria and father Juan is Spanish. The Garcias trace their roots to Ilagan, Isabela. Guirado has worked out with the Azkals but is not eligible to play in the Azkals’ second leg match against Mongolia in Ulan Bator on March 15 because he’s not in the lineup submitted to the AFC.

“Angel was in Manila five years ago,” said Garcia’s mother Gloria. “He will leave for Spain tomorrow and rejoin the team in Myanmar. It’s a pity he can’t play in Mongolia because his name was not included. The coach (Michael Weiss) is happy with him.”

Guirado, who speaks only Spanish, now has a Philippine passport. In Spain, the mother’s maiden name is used by children to follow the father’s surname so that the Azkals’ latest recruit is known as Angel Guirado-Aldeguer or Angel Guirado y Aldeguer. It’s the same in Cuba where former Philippine boxing coach Raul Fernandez is known as Raul Fernandez-Liranza or Raul Fernandez y Liranza as his mother’s maiden name is Liranza.

Araneta said possible future recruits are the Toronto-born De Guzman brothers, whose father Bobby is Filipino and mother Pauline is Jamaican. Midfielder Jonathan, 23, is now playing for Spanish La Liga club Real Mallorca after a stint in the Dutch league. Older brother Julian, 29, used to play for the Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna and now suits up in the Canadian league. The De Guzmans, however, have indicated no interest to play for the Philippines so far. Julian has played for the Canadian national team. FIFA allows players to switch national teams provided they are able to show legitimate passports.

The two other Azkal recruits are Fil-German Stefan Schrock and Fil-Danish Jerry Lucena. Schrock, 24, plays for the German Division II club Greuther Furth. His mother is Filipina and father, German. Lucena, 30, was born in Esbjerg, Denmark, to a Filipino father and a Danish mother. He plays for the Danish Division I club AGF Aarhus.

Schrock showed up at the PSA Awards Night walking with crutches. He’s in town to apply for his Filipino passport.

Also at the PSA Awards Night were goalkeeper Neil Etheridge’s parents Martin and Merlinda Dula of Concepcion, Tarlac. Etheridge was not permitted to take a leave from his English club Fulham to play in Ulan Bator. His parents are in town for a two-week holiday.

The Philippines will advance to the group stage in Myanmar if it beats Mongolia in their qualifying two-game series on an aggregate goal basis. Awaiting the Philippines-Mongolia winner in Group A are host Myanmar, Bangladesh and Palestine. The top two finishers in Group A will join the top two placers in three other groups to play in the eight-team Challenge Cup finals where the winner qualifies to compete in the AFC Asian Cup.

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The country’s hottest cue artist today isn’t sure of what event to play in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia this November. It was recently confirmed that there will be 10 gold medals at stake in billiards and snooker with eight for men (8-ball pool singles, 9-ball pool singles, carom 1-cushion singles, carom 3-cushion singles, snooker singles, snooker doubles, English billiard singles, English billiard doubles) and two for women (8-ball singles, 9-ball singles).

At the 2009 SEA Games, nine of the 10 events slated in Indonesia were the same. Struck out was men’s 9-ball doubles for another carom event. Two years ago, only one carom gold medal was on the line – this year, there will be two.

Dennis Orcullo, 32, said he can play 8-ball or 9-ball singles but the choice isn’t his to make. At the 2009 SEA Games, Ronnie Alcano took the gold and Gandy Valle, the silver, in 8-ball singles while Orcullo settled for the bronze in 9-ball singles. A few weeks ago, Orcullo captured the world 8-ball championship.

Orcullo was one of four athletes given the highest honors at the PSA Awards Night. He was cited for his gold medal in 9-ball singles at the Asian Games last year.

Orcullo had a gloomy look in his face when he revealed that uncle Silverio is still missing at sea after a fishing trip in stormy waters off Surigao. It’s been 27 days since his uncle went off to sea. Orcullo’s father Gomercindo was also lost at sea and presumed to have drowned nearly 30 years ago when the billiards star was only three. His uncle used to bring him around billiard halls to hone his game as a wide-eyed boy who began playing at eight.

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International boxing referee Carlos (Sonny) Padilla and the PBA’s winningest coach Virgilio (Baby) Dalupan received lifetime achievement citations during the PSA Awards Night.

Padilla, 76, came with daughter Zsa Zsa Padilla and granddaughter Karylle. He had a heart-warming reunion with Awards Night guest of honor and speaker Rep. Manny Pacquiao. Padilla’s last fight as a referee was Pacquiao’s win by stoppage over Australia’s Nedal Hussein at the Ynares Center in Antipolo in 2000. Pacquiao was floored in the fourth round and joked that he was lucky to get a “long count” from Padilla.

One of Padilla’s most memorable fights was the WBC featherweight title bout between defending champion Danny (Little Red) Lopez and challenger Mike Ayala in 1979. It was the Ring Magazine’s Fight of the Year in 1979.

“Ayala lost the fight twice by knockout,” recalled Padilla. “In the 12th round, Ayala went down. I picked up the count at three and waved it off at 10. Lopez and his team were celebrating when the Texas commissioner told me the fight wasn’t over because according to the knockdown keeper at ringside, Ayala beat the count. So I had to order everyone to get out of the ring and resume the fight. In the 15th round, Ayala was knocked out and it was finally over. Something good happened after that incident. The boxing organizations later ruled that the referee’s count is final. At least, I contributed to a lasting rule.”