CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES – After having attracted their biggest cheering fans ever in the inaugural season of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the Global Cebu FC would like to personally thank their Cebuano fans by holding a meet and greet this Friday, July 14, 6pm at the Mountain View Atrium of the SM Seaside, at the South Road Properties.

Global have won their first two home games at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), first against Ceres-Negros FC, 1-0, last July 5 and versus Stallion Laguna FC, 3-0, last July 8.

The two games have drawn the largest number of paying crowd for the Global at more than 5,000. Previously, Global have been playing their home games at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

“It was one of the big motivation (the crowd) for the players to work hard and win the game against Ceres, it was a tough game but sometimes the players want to get tired but when they see this much fans cheering for them, they cannot stop so they keep on going and going so hopefully we have this crowd, every single game we have this kind of crowd, even get more and more, we are so happy now that we’re having our home games in Cebu and we will play more home games in Cebu and we will try our best to win more games for Cebuanos and for us also this year,” said Global team captain Misagh Bahadoran.

Bahadoran described their first home game here as what football should look like in the Philippines, having the fans traveling to watch and support their teams in games.

Global Cebu FC: This is football

“This is what football looks like and it should be in the Philippines as well like seeing thousands of people cheering for their team,” said Bahadoran.

He said that it is sad to see just 5 or 10 persons coming out to watch them play in Manila and maybe 20 on the other side but they are all match commissioners.

According to Bahadoran, the crowd that gathered at the CCSC last Wednesday to support both teams gave the players, especially for Global, the biggest motivation to give their everything in the game.

The crowd is one of the reasons why he and the rest of the team wants to play all their home games in Cebu now.

“Of course as I’ve said that’s one of the biggest motivation we get even if I was seated on the bench, seeing and hearing a lot of people cheering for Global gives extra motivation, you know that’s one of the reasons we love to play in Cebu now coz we had our first game here, we saw thousands of people shouting and screaming supporting us, it was giving us a lot of motivation,” said Bahadoran.

The team captain added that in all the years that he’s been part of Global, he has never seen his teammates work extra hard on the pitch as last Wednesday, that they were giving 110 percent or more all because of the support and seeing fans cheer for them.

“I could see a lot of my teammates, they were more than 100 percent in that game, even the defenders they try to clear the ball very strongly, the strikers come back to defend, I never see that motivation in my teammate since I’ve been of course playing for Global for 7 years,” said Bahadoran.

Bahadoran and Global head coach Marjo Allado also expressed their heartfelt “thank yous” to the Cebu Football Association (CFA) who they say have taken cared of them and that despite of the short notice they were provided with very good facilities such as a nice hotel. They said everything was “perfect”.

“First of all in behalf of the global management, staff and players we would like to thank the CFA for taking care of us here and also to those who watched last Wednesday, thank you for your support,” said Allado.

Global Meet and Greet

When asked about holding a fans day, Allado said they are open to the idea because the Cebuanos deserve to meet their favorite players.

“Yes of course, if we have time this week then we can organize  one for the fans because this is very important also. For me, last Wednesday, the fans for me is like the 12th player of the game, they’re the ones who give the extra push to the players especially in the last 20 minutes, they’re the ones who gave energy to the players,” said Allado.

Bahadoran, for his part, had hoped that the CFA would organize an event that would allow them to explain to the fans that they cannot sign thousands of autographs or take pictures with everyone because they are not celebrities but football players.

But, he does want the Cebuanos to know Global, to be able to talk to the fans, give out shirts and perhaps some of their personal stuff.

“I had hope that CFA will organize something, of course we cannot give signature  to all  players or take pictures with everybody, this is not football, football players cannot really go through every single players, we are not celebrities, we are football players but I hope the CFA will organize something because we are new in Cebu, we will introduce ourselves one by one, players will introduce themselves to each of the fans to each of everyone, so they know who they are cheering for and which number is what, who is number 22, 23 whatever it is,” said Bahadoran.

At the meet and greet, fans can have their photos taken with their favorite Global member and the players will also be signing autographs.