MindanaoToday.com | DB Garelli United FC hopeful in PFL debut
By: Jack Biantan
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Despite of their dismal performance in the Paulino Alcantara Cup last year, DB Garelli United FC Greywolves are hopeful when they debut in the Philippine Football League (PFL) this season.
One of the reasons of their positive mindset this season is the hiring of veteran coach Joel Villarino whom team manager Karl Mark Claudio pluck from retirement in his hometown in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental to lead the Greywolves in the PFL 2024 campaign.
Joel actually was a long time player and coach of different clubs in Manila including the National Women’s team. He was at the same time a long time service man in the Armed Forces, until his retirement in 2021.
Even in his retirement he led the Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) to the national title of the PFF National Men’ s U19 Division 1 championship beating National Capital Region 1-0, in 2022 in the final match at the PFF training center in Carmona, Cavite.
After winning the Div.1 U19 National title, coach Joel remained in his hometown and concentrated in his little car wash business. Year 2023 was all business for the former national team player.
However, football runs into his veins and when the Greywolves called he did not have second thoughts and immediately signed up to lead them in this year’s PFL season.
“I just got bored in San Carlos City. I was doing very little as a football consultant for the city government and I decided to go back to Manila. It was then just the right decision as DB Garelli United FC called up and they like me to handle the club for this season,” he said.
He added that he is familiar with DB Garelli as he also coached them in 2017. “ We still have few players who played for us in 2017 and the rest are new. It will be a challenge this year but hopefully we could land in the top 10 among the 15 teams entered this year,’’ he said.
It will be indeed a very high mountain to climb for the Bosconians based in Don Bosco Makati as they want to brush off their losing performance in the Paulino Alcantara Cup late last year.
They had a losing streak beaten by the formidable Kaya FC 0-11 and Far Eastern University 0-4. They however showed lots of potentials in the long run losing only by one goal to Philippine Air Force 0-1 and 2-3 to CF Manila.
It is for the first time in the history of the club that DB Garelli will be joining a professional competition like the Philippine Football League (PFL).
According to team manager Karl Claudio, the club has participated in many local tournaments in Luzon since they were established in 2013 by ex-Don Bosco Juniorate Seminarians from DB Pampanga.
He added that they also have competed in various prestigious tournaments like AIA 7’s Football League aside from the Paulino Alcantara Cup.
The club was named after the first student of St. John Bosco, Batholomew Garelli. St. John Bosco, known as Don Bosco, is the founder of the Catholic Religious order, the Society of St. Francis of Sales, whose members are popularly know as the Salesians.
The Salesians have a strong presence in the Philippines managing technical schools, seminaries, parishes, youth centers, and technical training centers in the entire country.
“We currently have local and foreign players. Some of our local players played for different Don Bosco Schools. As for key players, they all have their roles in the structure of the team,’’ Claudio said.
Claudio also said that the coming PFL will be competitive and he is looking forward to their first game against Laguna Stallions on April 7. “All the clubs are strong and highly competitive. I think this is for the first time that the league has this number of teams. It is really hard to say who’s going to be on top but what I can say is that this season will be very interesting for local football,” he said.
The 2024 PFL Season is interesting for the Philippine football community as it is for the first time that the fledging PFL will be having 15 teams.
Aside from DB Garelli United, competing new clubs include Manila Digger, Manila Montet, One Taguig, and Tuloy FC.
Teams who once upon a time were part of the PFL but now have returned to the competitive field are Davao Aguilas, Loyola FC, Philippione Air Force, United City and Philippine Army.
Completing the casts are the old reliables, Dynamic Herb Cebu, Kaya Iloilo, Maharlika Taguig, Mendiola 1991, and Stallion Laguna.
The PFL has so far released only a three month schedule for this season starting on April 6 until June 30. (jackbiantantambok@gmail.com)
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