The Abellana National School (ANS) has struck a major deal with the Far Eastern University (FEU) regarding its football program.
Starting this schoolyear, FEU will be giving football equipment to ANS in exchange for one player every year.
Among all schools in the city, ANS has produced the most number of national players. To name its recent contribution to the national teams are Major Dean Ebarle of the Little Azkals and Dan Marnel Villarico and Prince Hanesin Antony in last year’s Philippine U-19 squad.
FEU had long been wanting to partner with ANS in football and had slowly started it last year by taking in 15 years old Nikki Bordalba.
However, things were not made concrete because FEU had been busy with the University Athletic Association of the Philippines or the UAAP.
This year, FEU will be taking under its wings Mark Joseph Arranguez, who is also 15 years old.
FEU will be offering a full scholarship and board and lodging for each player that they get.
FEU players had manned the secondary football team of the National Capital Region which defeated Central Visayas in the recent Palarong Pambansa in Pangasinan.
ANS head coach Francis Ramirez said that FEU has to get the consent of the players’ parents prior to the acquisition.
Ramirez added that he prefers giving his players to schools in Manila because they get an incentive in exchange unlike colleges and universities here.
“There, they say thank you, here it’s piracy, dawat-limpyo,” Ramirez said.
Meanwhile, new faces will be fronting the ANS football team in the upcoming 12th Cebu Interclub Football Cup.
Ramirez and his assistant Danny Ramos have decided to “overhaul” the team and get rid of players who have attitude problems and those who lack discipline.
From 38 players, the team now only have 28 for both the team’s boys 14 and boys 17 squads. And of the 28, 12 are newbies. Ramirez said that only 18 have been in constant training because the rest are having their summer classes.
The players train every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the cemented portion of the Cebu City Sports Center beside the oval because the football field is still being rehabilitated.
As a result, the team can only undergo basic training and practice small-side games.
Aside from dismissing those players with attitude problems, Ramirez said that some of his players have also graduated like Rogelio Castellon Jr. while some have gone to other schools.