UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Division 2 Players Who'd Be Great To See in The First Division

If I was granted three wishes to add more exciting players to the already thrilling UFL first division, I’d ask for these three from the Division 2:

Jinggoy Valmayor – The former UAAP Rookie of the Year is expected to rejoin Diliman FC in the March transfer window, after a sensational UAAP season with UP. The San Carlos city native has probably the meanest right foot among our national youth team players, as seen during the SEA Games & UFL Cup. His return to the club will strengthen their push for promotion, as they sit just a few points behind division leaders, Pachanga.

Marwin Angeles – That goal vs Incheon Citizen FC was his ticket to fame. The Venice-born 21 year old has since seen action in the Hassanal Bolkiah trophy tourney & started seniors squad matches in their Middle East tour. Global FC which is Laos FC’s sister team are almost sure to take Marwin in, once they see him ripe to battle with the big boys of division one.

Freddy Gonzales – The comebacking "El Conquistador" will surely light up the first division with his flair & clinical finishing, if Pachanga are to gain promotion at the end of the season. The standout from Colegio de San Agustin & former national team striker is still considered by many as the first ever Filipino professional football player in history & the Philippines' finest striker since the legendary Paulino Alcantara (wiki).


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Photo credits: Anton Sheker - Goal.ph,, Marwin Angeles, interaksyon.com

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Strikers In A Slump

It’s almost the middle of the season and some have found difficulty adjusting to the demands of the the current campaign. I’ve listed players who were phenomenal in 2011 (League & UFL Cup) but have struggled to regain their form in 2012. Here is my Top 3:

Yanti Barsales (1 goal in 6 games) - I’m tempted not to place him here, in respect to the former Azkals great. But we can't hide the fact that Yanti won the UFL Cup MVP plum just weeks ago & is surprisingly off the mark this season. It seems father time has finally caught up with him, he is 39 after all. 

Phil Connolly (1 goal in 5 games) - A lot was expected from Nomads upon their promotion to the top-flight. The partnership of Borrill and Connolly was also expected to thrive seeing how they dominated division two in 2011, but the attacking duo has only found the back of the net twice this term. Phil & the club have found life at the top-flight in their first year really challenging as they sit in the table’s bottom half.

Nate Burkey (1 goal in 5 games) - The prized striker from Alexandria, Virginia has been off-target for most of this term, after a breakthrough performance during 2011’s UFL Cup. Kaya added more arsenal to their already potent strike force, by signing Kigbu and Beloya at the start of the year. Nate’s starting role & minutes on the pitch have reduced since.


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Photo Credits: Mark Cristino, interaksyon.com

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Club Kits/Jerseys

Grading my favorite UFL club kits of the current 2011-12 season:

 L: Lee JooYoung; R: Juventus away kit

Stallion FC Pink Kit: 
The Stallion FC boss must be a big Juve fan, and it's not just because of their club crest. The pink kit that the TV commentators keep poking fun at, is actually one of my favorites. Alessandro Del Piero would be proud... this kit is almost a perfect imitation of Juventus' current away kit from Nike, save for the sponsor text. But, I am not sure that is Giligan's restaurant's real logo. Obviously there weren't a lot of work done in making this, but fan-girls, who outnumber the vocal majority of local football fans would look great in those.
Grade: B

Younghusband brothers, Cortina 

Loyola Meralco Sparks FC White Kit: 
I like this set better than the all-orange where they all look like the rain-soaked Dutch National team. I never thought blue and orange would go well together. It's like the Loyola futbol club and Meralco sponsorhip were meant to be. The blue name frame at the back is so unique. I just wish they kept it simpler though, sponsor logos are all over the place. 
Grade: B+

L: Rizaei , R: Bolzico, Burkey, Del Rosario  

Kaya FC Black Kit: 

I dunno but this black jersey which I saw for the first time during the 2011 UFL Cup, gives this sense of toughness. Though, the sponsor logo in the middle with all it's red brightness and box shape, looks a little lost in the mix. And what would football jerseys be without the signature Mizuno details on the sleeves. I don't see them were this anymore, plus they have LBC on their shirts already. For fans planning to go casual on them, this seems to go well with jeans or almost anything - as I've seen on some photos. Grade: B+


I wish these were all out in the market, for us to enjoy. I also wonder if Nike is ready to manufacture a kit for a UFL club, or will it be too costly? Well we all have different tastes, but tell me what your favorite UFL kit is? #UFLkits


Follow us also on Twitter @UFLrantNrave for more of our random thoughts.


*Photo credits: Mark Cristino, interaksyon.com

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Best Foreign Players

UFL's First Division has tons of foreign talents - over 70 of them. They elevate the brand of play of our locals and give our league new flavor. Regardless of the quantity, we picked a few with the best quality in the current season (2011-12). Here's our new Top 3 list:

Eric Dagroh - We call him "The Dagger" and he liked it. Eric may just be Kaya's quickest attacker, constantly making those powerful runs & cuts inside the box. This 22 year-old Ivorian striker, was an important cog in Kaya's run to the UFL Cup semifinals last year. His minutes may be reduced this term, with the inclusion of fellow forwards Beloya and Kigbu, to Kaya's attacking options.
Izo El-Habbib - The Sudanese target man and former Kaya FC standout has always been there among the scoring leaders in league & cup competitions for the past few years. It's his size and technical ability that have given opposing defenders massive headaches. He is undoubtedly the heart of the Global offense and perhaps the best foreign talent in the early years of the league.
Lee Joo Young - He shoots, he SoKors! Trying to make a statement as the new best foreigner is Stallion's out-and-out striker from South Korea. He is arguably the league's best player as of late, contributing hugely to the Stallion's amazing division one debut & leading everyone in goal-scoring. Perhaps the club's most important asset is so in-form this season, that he deserves a cool nickname from the TV commentators: 'K-Pow'?, 'SK-47'?, 'Korean Magician'?, 'SoKoring Machine'?


For more random thoughts about the UFL, follow us on Twitter (@UFLrantNrave).


*Photo credits: Mark Cristino, interaksyon.com

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Hottest WAGs Pt.1

WAGs is an acronym used to describe the wives and girlfriends of high-profile footballers. The phrase isn't a new one, having been kicked around for the past few years, most notably during the 2006 World Cup. And since #PhilippineFootballisHereToStay, it wouldn't hurt to also recognize & behold the beauty of some of our local footballers' "significant others". Here is my first Top 3:

Michelle Madrigal

[SO: Jonah Romero - Kaya FC midfielder/defender]

The sexy model-actress & former Survivor Philippines castaway is often seen joining other soccer WAGs in watching Kaya FC matches. The 'jury' thinks there's a deeper reason why, besides being good friends with some of the players. They say, the Kapuso star who was rumored to be seeing an Azkal a year ago, is now the pretty squeeze of Kaya's do-it-all guy. Jo-Mich, yeah?

.

Isabelle Daza

[SO: Adrien Semblat - Kaya FC defender]

The daughter of the country's first Miss Universe, Gloria Diaz is the apple of the eye of Kaya central defender, Adrien Semblat. She loves & also knows the beautiful game pretty well, having captained the DLSU women's football varsity in her younger years. It shouldn't be long before we see this charming model again, watching & enjoying live UFL games. Don't  let us Miss U so much.

Maria Flores

[SO: Carlie De Murga - Global FC midfielder]

Ola guapa! The Spanish girlfriend of the Global FC newbie has been so supportive, she travels to Manila to cheer him on. The pretty journalism student also follows all of his boy's fan accounts & interacts a lot with fans. If you follow Carlie & Maria, you know they're so in love & are the masters in spreading a lot of 'queso' on Twitter.








Perhaps our version of the team-up of Becks & Posh (the Queen of WAGs) is that of Phil and Angel Locsin. They've been out there for a while, so it's time for new faces to make the list. 
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*Photo Credits: Goal.ph, Mark Cristino, Jojo Lirio, FHM, pinaybeauty.net

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Most Underrated Defenders

As it is in most sports, offensive players get the most raves and praises. But there are the proud and few who kill themselves for the ball, for it to be opportunities in offense. They tackle, cut out passes, go up for 50-50 balls, and in some cases, become integral parts of their team’s attack. Of course there are the famous national team defenders could do these, but here are a few more who also deserve some credit for being the ultra aggressive defenders that they are:

Joebel Bermejo: The 30-year old Azkals veteran is arguably the star of the Air Force defensive line - and part of numerous championships for the club. He holds his ground against the speedy wingers and the top strikers of the opposing clubs. If Chieffy delivers from the left flank, Joebel is equally dangerous on the right - when going forward. Not a lot know that he is the reigning league MVP.
Eduardo Gempisaw: What Eduardo lacks in height, he makes up for in tenacity. The rock of the Navy back four has also been called up for national team duty a few times. At just 25, the burly central defender has more time to help the team bring them to their former glory.
Patrick Ozaeta: Pat is perhaps the best defender, Ateneo has ever produced - with Best Defender and UAAP MVP honors to boast of. Don't be fooled, the under-sized former club captain could go toe-to-toe against the fiercest attackers in the league. His toughness & leadership reminds me of 'THE' Fabio Cannavarro.


For more random thoughts about the players and the league, follow us on Twitter @UFLrantNrave.


*Photo credits: interaksyon.com, Mark Cristino

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Best Goal Celebrations

Goal-celebrations are as much a part of football as the goals themselves. We all know of Tim Cahill's 'boxing Aussie', Nani's acrobatic flips, Peter Crouch's robot dance, and the list goes on. And perhaps the most entertaining set of routines would have to be that of Icelandic side Stajrnan football club.         [Video: Icelandic Team Celebrations ]
 In the UFL's current season, we have seen a few notable goal-rejoicing. Here is our top 3:

Eric Dagroh Dance: You've seen it during the UFL Cup, and again during Kaya versus Air Force. The man they call 'The Dagger' bustamoves after getting one in. We would never know to what beat,  but a source from Kaya says, "in his mind, he is dancing the waka-waka". [VIDEO: Eric Dagroh goal vs Air Force ].
Roel Gener Acrobatics: Up in the sky, it's a bird, it's Jhong Hilario. No it's Roel Gener. I give the perfectly-placed header a 9, and the somersault-backflip celebration a 10. [VIDEO: Roel Gener vs Nomads ].
Carli De Murga Pose: Tebowing? Not quite. The Filipino-Spanish fullback notches his second league goal via a penalty kick against Green Archers United. To celebrate, he either points to dedicate it to someone back in España or shows GAU how big his bow & arrow is. Or a Rexona moment. [See photo above].


Did we miss any great goal-celebrations in the league? #UFLgoalcelebrations


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*Photo credits: Jojo Lirio, Goal.ph, Peewee Ruiz

UFL Rant N Rave: Team of the Week (4): Young at Hart

Formation: 4-4-2
GK: All clubs owe Abodallah Golkhah one - his fine form behind the sticks last Saturday, halted Stallion's amazing run & denied them from earning maximum points for the first time in the season.
DEF: Mansour Madadi, who captained his side versus Stallion FC should also be credited for keeping Pasargad's defense intact, despite being a man down early in the second half. Carli De Murga was steady in both Global matches last week, and was in the score sheet once again versus the Archers. Pat Ozaeta was a rock at the back & prevented Kaya from creating chances all game long. Roel Gener's somersault-backflip celebration was awesome, and so was his well-placed header to go level against Nomads.
MID: With 3 goals in 2 matches, James Younghusband is the Player of the Week. His aggressiveness in both ends & in both games, lifts Loyola back in top spot. James partnered well with Mark Hartmann, who was also superb in both games - proved in the first that he's still the league's best in set pieces & was a quality-provider for both of their goals in the second match. The defense minister Davide Cortina was everywhere when they faced Kaya, put on a lot of defensive pressure which allowed Loyola more possession of the ball. Though only scoring a goal in 2 games, Misagh Bahadoran was a constant threat in the wings in both of their matches (vs Loyola & GAU).
ATT: Phil Younghusband got back to his scoring ways after coming back from suspension & inspired the team to win over tough rivals Kaya. Ian Araneta's brace Saturday night, gave the reigning champs its first league win and further sank Navy FC to the bottom of the table.


Player of the Week: James Younghusband (Loyola)


Other notables: Byeong Yeol Jeong (Loyola), Y.Bersales (Air Force), M.Piñero (Navy), I.El-Habbib (Global), J.Theuer (Nomads)


You could also follow us on Twitter @UFLrantNrave for our regular random thoughts & top 3 lists.

UFL Rant N Rave: Team of the Month (January)

Team of the Month: 
GK: Wilson  Munoz (Stallion)
DEF: Val Kama (Global), Jason Sabio (Kaya), Anton Del Rosario (Kaya)
MID: William Espinosa (Global), James Younghusband (Loyola), Yoon Byeong Jun (Stallion), Lee Joo Young (Stallion)
ATT: Joshua Beloya (Kaya), Phil Younghusband (Loyola), Ruben Doctora (Stallion)


Player of the Month: Lee Joo Young (Stallion)
Coach of the Month: Ernie Nierras (Stallion)


Coach Ernie Nierras & Korean striker Lee Joo Young make up our Coach and Player of the Month for January, after both led Stallion FC to an astonishing 3 league wins in as many games. The club scored a total of 14 goals (conceding only 2) and recorded big and convincing victories over Navy and powerhouse clubs Air Force and Loyola. Lee currently leads the league in scoring with 6 goals.


For our random thoughts on the league, follow us on Twitter (@UFLrantNrave).

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Best League Rivalries

As with most sports, there are a number of great rivalries in the United Football League (UFL). Rivalries are occasionally created due to a particular event that causes bad blood between teams, players, or owners, but for the most part, rivalries exist for geographic reasons. No matter what the case, there are the Celtic-Rangers, Inter-AC Milan, Liverpool-Man United and of course, the Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalries. We have our own and this is MY top 3:

Loyola Meralco Sparks vs Green Archers United – Not sure about this, but some football scribes called this the Philippines' El Clasico. Blue versus Green. Katipunan versus Taft. Ateneo versus La Salle is one of the greatest local rivalries in sports. I know GAU is made-up mostly of La Sallians. How many Ateneans are there on the Loyola roster? Nevertheless, Loyola leads GAU in the number of commercial endorsements and in their head-to-head battle (since 2011) with 2 wins and 1 loss.

Global vs Air Force – They are the teams that have dominated the league & the only champions of UFL tourneys the past 2 and a half years. Contests between the two have always been close and down-the-wire. Some say the Caligdong-Barbaso match-up is a must-see, and so is the scoring display of Araneta-Bersales and El-Habbib-Bahadoran. Their affairs are usually low-scoring but always intense. In the last four meetings between both teams, it’s been even at 2 draws and a win each.

Kaya vs Loyola Meralco Sparks – Perhaps the hottest & most anticipated encounter would be this. This new rivalry was born out of their hotly contested semis encounter in last year’s UFL Cup. Loyola, with a thrilling comeback, edged out their counterparts 5 to 4 after being down 3 goals at the half. The match of the year was so in-demand, that it had been replayed a number of times on TV. This match-up also brings big names, celebrities and camera-friendly WAGs to the stands. Despite Kaya being a place ahead in the table last season, Loyola tops their head-to-head match-up (since 2011), winning 2 games and drawing one. 
You could catch what probably would be the match of the season, Kaya FC versus Loyola Meralco Sparks today (February 4) at 4pm in Rizal Stadium or on AKTV on IBC13.
If there's an El Clasico, I wonder what to name these match-ups. Anyone got suggestions?What's your favorite rivalry? #UFLrivalry

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*Photo credits: Mark Cristino, interaksyon.com

UFL Rant N Rave Top 3: Top Utility Players

There are so many players who could play multiple positions in the midfield and defense. When a team-mate is injured, some will typically slot into the position and fill the gap. While there are some, who for their height and strength, could move in from the back to play a striker's role.


Utility players have the ability to play in several positions naturally. Men who fly in the face of convention & perform well in two, or sometimes three different areas of the pitch. The more skilled, stronger & mentally prepared players are the better utility players, as they will have the competencies to fill the roles assigned to them.
During my time watching local football, i've noted a few players, so important to their club due to their versatility. Here is MY top 3 utlity players in the UFL:

Roel Gener – The 36 year-old all-arounder is the “national utility player”; plays the wings, defensive midfield or fullback roles for the Azkals. This gutsy Barotac Nuevo native also runs the show and places himself in the attack when needed for his UFL club.

Val Kama – In the central defense pairing of Guisso and Kama, Val may be the slightly better defender. Perhaps one reason, coach Graeme gets to move him freely to a defensive midfield role when needed. Has decent pace, which he usually combines with creative but effective clearances. And a pretty awesome job goalkeeping (vs Pasargad) in emergency situations.

Jonah Romero – Tireless grafter. High work rate. Great skill moving forward. Midfield, defense, no worries. Keeps his cool. That simple. And that effective. Jonah Romero.

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Photo credits: www.interaksyon.com