During the height of the pandemic, Filipino football fans based in several countries all over the world connected online to share their common passion and dream for the beautiful sport. More specifically, for the Philippines to win championships not only in the Southeast Asian region but in the whole continent as well. And if the football gods were kind enough, they would like to see the Philippine Azkals, the national men’s football team, reach the World Cup in this lifetime.
What was once an online session meant to rant and vent their frustrations become the spark that led them to come up with something more fruitful and translate their woes into a more substantial way of helping the Philippine Azkals.
One of these die-hard fans is Stephen Servita, an overseas Filipino worker based in Singapore for the last 14 years. He says the group, comprised of six other football aficionados who are based in the Philippines and Canada, has been compiling names of Filipino foreign soccer players all over the world for several years now. Their common purpose is to identify, scout and find future Azkals who can play for flag and country at the soonest possible time.
“I mean accidental lang pagkakabuo namin ng grupo siguro dahil na rin sa kombinasyon ng pandemic lockdown at stagnant state ng Philippine football. So we have to divert our energy and enthusiasm to still contribute. Palagi kami nagpopost ng mga info sa mga football forum natin. That’s when the idea came up to create PositiveFutbol.Ph account in Instagram,” Servita recalled.
The account eventually became one of the best sources of information regarding football players based all over the world with either Filipino fathers or mothers, or both, which makes them eligible to play for the sun and the three stars.
While Servita chose to come out in the light, his other friends would rather remain anonymous for now. Their contributions, however, can be considered formidable in establishing a database of Filipino soccer players thriving in various leagues in the United States, Canada, and most countries in Europe. As of now, the individuals with Instagram handle FilipinoFootballers and PHfutbolistas are considered the top scouts for Filipino players all over the world.
FilipinoFootballers specialises on foreign-born Filipino prospects all over the world while PHFutbolistas is the go-to guy on youth and homegrown prospects.
“We have a comprehensive list of prospects, like country of birth, current club, age, height, position, which parent/s is/are Filipinos and more importantly Philippine passport status. They scour the internet of football forum, available data bases and most of the time though a bit shady, tracing lineage by stalking their instagram accounts. Ang galing nila maghanap, even those who seemed insignificant players to some people and their details, alam nila,” Servita said.
Servita added they desire nothing but to help the Philippine Football Federation, Dan Palami and the rest of the Azkals’ management team to find players to suit up for the team while they are still young and can represent the Philippines in international competitions.
“Wala kaming nakukuha rito. We are working pro-bono, in Tagalog, puro abono. Gusto lang namin makita o mapanood ‘yung mga nascout namin na maglaro sa Azkals. Iba ‘yung satisfaction na makita namin na mag-cap ‘yung mga nasa wish list namin. ‘Yun lang bawing-bawi na kami,” Servita explained.
Servita is no stranger to football. Football runs in his blood. He is the son of the late Felix Servita, the former coach of the Red Booters, the varsity footballl squad of the San Beda College and the Philippine Navy Team. While the Red Lions, the men’s basketball team of San Beda, were looking for a win and respectability in the NCAA wars during the early 90’s, the Red Booters, under Coach Felix and Aris Caslib, yes the other Bedan football icon, were stringing championships after championships. Coach Felix’s teams — the Navy and the Red Booters — won titles in their respective leagues.
In 1992, in his rookie season, Coach Felix gave the Red Booters their first title in 10 years. It was the start of football glory once more for San Beda as the Red Booters won the NCAA title for four consecutive seasons before Coach Felix’s untimely demise. I should know. I was in San Beda during that time, struggling to reconcile Albert Camus, Jean Paul Sartre and the existentialists with Buddha and Jesus.
Coach Felix and Caslib eventually founded the Mendiola Football Club in 1991. Mendiola FC 1991 is currently the oldest professional football club in the Philippines Football League. Coach Felix died in 1995 while playing the game he loved the most. He collapsed while having a practice at the San Beda Football Field. He eventually passed away at the FEU Hospital.
“Ito na siguro ang contribution ko being one of the seniors and most vocal among our group. ‘Yung makatulong sa national team and our effort to bear fruit for the common goal of a successful Azkals team, and maybe an AFF trophy,” Servita said.
Servita said that among the notable names in their database for future and possible Azkals include Angelo Bruckner, Phoenix Patterson, Björn Martin Kristensen, Josef Baccay, Santi Rublico, Alex Monis, Zico Bailey, Owen Wolff, Nicholas Markanich, Anthony Markanich, Michael Baldisimo, Aidan Daniels, Kadin Chung and Patrick Metcalfe. Randy Schneider and Raphael Obermair were previously called up but thet still have to make their appearance. He said these players are eligible to play for the Azkals if ever they decided and given the opportunity to do so.
Servita and his friends say that they will continue to do their scouting and research as long as necessary. The group will continue their talent identification out of passion as the Azkals need all the help they can muster as they renew their bid for contention and relevance. And no matter what will happen, he assures they will either sink and swim with all our national teams both in men’s and women’s across all age groups.
Here is hoping that all Azkals fans will be like these fine gentlemen. Doing their “jobs” in silence while expecting nothing in return. These are the fans the team needs, unlike those fair weather ones who bash the team at the first sign of troubles and struggles.
Maybe they can also help scout for a possible coach for the team in the meantime while a good friend of mine is chasing his A-license. Hurry up El Capitan Schroecky!
On a personal note, please watch the next episode of 3PTS-Pambansang Tambayan ng Sports this Sunday, October 23, 2022, 2 to 3 p.m. at DZME 1530 kHz and the station’s FB page with The Designated Kit Man, Dennis Principe and Rommel Miranda. Guests include pingpong ace Aljay Villena, boxing promoter turned table tennis manager Ryan Gabriel and more.
Stay safe. Stay happy peeps!