| Fil-foreigners eyeing Challenge Cup stint |
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| Friday, 28 March 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 By Cedelf Tupas BACOLOD (Daily Star) - Two players affiliated with English Premiere League clubs have expressed interest in joining the Philippine Team that will see action in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup in May. The Philippine Football Federation is keen on tapping James Hall of Everton and goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, a reserve of London-based Fulham, to beef up the national side that will vie against Bhutan, Tajikistan and Brunei in the May 13-20 tournament to be held in Iloilo City and Barotac Nuevo town. Both the Glasgow-born Hall, who signed a one-year contract with Everton last year, and Etheridge, 18, have Filipino mothers, Philippine Football Federation president Mari Martinez said. Martinez told the DAILY STAR that Everton has appeared receptive to his request for the services of Hall, who is currently recovering from a knee injury. Martinez said he expects the club’s formal response this week. The PFF president also said he doesn’t see any problem related to the release of the 6-foot-3 Etheridge, whose parents are currently processing his Philippine passport. The other foreign-based players in the squad are brothers Phil and James Younghusband, midfielder Chris Greatwich and defender Anton Del Rosario. National coach Norman Fegidero, who is currently overseeing the RP booters’ training camp in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, welcomed the development and expressed optimism that the players can join camp as soon as possible to make the team more cohesive for the tournament. Phil Younghusband, still under contract with London-based Chelsea Football Club, will join the national squad on April 27. His older brother, James, is arriving in Iloilo City today, to fight for his spot in the team. Fegidero said he has already cut Filipino-American midfielder Henry Brauner from the squad. Also fighting for spots in the team are Negrense keepers Edmundo Mercado, Edward Sacapaño and Archie Bayquin, midfielder-strikers Floriano Pasilan Jr., Robert Cañedo and Arnie Pasinabo, defenders Lemuel Unabia, Joel Ballo-Allo and Alejandro Montelibano. Greatwich, who captained the national team in the Asean Football Championships in Bangkok, following the absence of Aly Borromeo due to injury, has yet to confirm the exact date of his arrival in the country. Phil Younghusband, who will be out of contract with Chelsea this May, and Greatwich combined for eight goals during the Asean Qualifiers in Bacolod City in 2006. Also returning for another tour of duty is rightback Del Rosario, who scored a stunning 30-yard free kick against Brunei in a 4-1 win that clinched qualification for the nationals. Fegidero, who also coaches West Negros University, said the national team will play tune-up matches against the Western Visayas PRISAA squad on April 1 at Barotac Nuevo, before embarking on a Visayas tour from April 8-10. The key stops in the tour include San Carlos City, Dumaguete City, Cebu City and Bacolod City.
socdunk
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| Hoping for the resurrection of pinoy soccer nationwide.The new breed of pinoy fc players must capitalize in getting the attention of dissappointed basketball enthusiasts and dwindling number of PBA fans.Pinoy-foreign born booters can rival pba fil-am cagers in terms of good-looks,celebrity status and football as an alternative to basketball.Football can save our face after rp-harbour-centre suffer an embarassing defeat against Football craze indonesians in a recent seaba games.Imagine a basketball nation like rp settle for bronze and let the slamdunking-striker-midfielder-indonesians!wrested the seaba title from us. I'm pinning my hope on rp football to retaliate against football nation indonesian-fc. |
Admin
said:
| Sorry 'bout the typo.. It's been corrected. |
Neil Etheridge
said:
| I didnt know it was that hard to spell my name, as its not Spelt Neal but it is spelt Neil, thought i would just confirm that |
ROBERT
said:
| HEY ITS NEIL... NOT NEAL!! |
runi
said:
| anong petsa ang stop nila dito sa bacolod? at sa panaad ba? |
juliano
said:
| bacolodfan, i think james is fighting for his spot in the team as told by coach norman. the PFF doesn't call the shots for the national team but coach norman. |
bacolodfan
said:
| James Younghusband in not fighting for his spot. He is officially in the line up and this was confirmed by the PFF. |
MikeH
said:
| No. Academy/Reserve team. Just like Phil and James. If he was a starter, then Everton wouldnt release him. |
cebuana12
said:
| is james hall a starter of everton? |
