MIKE T. LIMPAG Can Global and Cebu connect again?

The favorite topic whenever Cebuano football fans got together since December has been “what’s happening to Global Cebu? The last time we heard something concrete from Global Cebu was when it was fighting to have its home leg in the twolegged semifinal played in the Cebu City Sports Center.

Since then, from the Cebu fans’ perspetive, it has been quite a confusing ride. We’ve heard of the team being sold but that it wasn’t really sold. We’ve read how key players were sold before new management was to take over. We’ve read how it had to forfeit its match against Kaya because it couldn’t afford to fly; we’ve read how key players have left; we’ve read how key people haven’t been paid; we’ve read how it had to postpone a game because it didn’t have enough people in the squad.

To be honest, the things we read about Global in the second season have been one embarrassment after another for Cebu football. But on the other side of the equation, you can also say Global Cebu doesn’t care if it embarrasses Cebu football because it hasn’t received any help from the community now.

The club is Cebu in name only.

The latest twist is Marjo Allado’s resignation two days ago. I received a copy and, after confirming that it was from him, shared it online. That didn’t sit well with management, who said they should have been consulted first.

But on that same day, too, on the pitch, Global Cebu took the lead against Stallions before suffering a 2-1 loss. That was after a ridiculous 11-1 loss to Marikina that was due to them fielding a defender at goal. Why? I don’t know.

The latest game showed that while the club is struggling in almost all fronts, on the field, it isn’t giving up, it is willing to fight on.

But it is in this fight, that I think, the Cebu community can help. But the big question is, can the Cebu football community still play a role? A few weeks ago, I had a chat with someone who was about to talk with Global. He had some great ideas for the club and how to get the community and LGU involved.

I asked him a few days after that supposed meeting what happened but he told me it didn’t push through. The reason? He’s not sure who talk to, he’s not sure who’s in charge of Global Cebu. He’s not sure who even owns Global Cebu.

At that time, we really didn’t know who owned Global Cebu and the stories we were hearing were bordering on the ridiculous.

A few days after that, I had a chat with the father of one of the players and he said he now owns the club and was interested in a meeting with the Cebu community.

I think there are still some interest in the community to get involved, but for that to happen, both Global and Cebu has to meet. I know the Cebu Football Association got turned off with the sudden sale of Global Cebu, but Cebu football isn’t only about the CFA and that’s the beauty.

If Global can’t seek any help from the community that it carries in its name, you can’t blame the club too if it starts exploring other options in Manila.