GLOBAL FC chairman Dan Stephen Palami announced that they are on the final stage of their negotiations to sign up high profile coach and legendary English defender Terry Butcher.
This is the first step of Global’s move to go big time as they prepare to enter the Philippine Football League (PFL) which is slated to start next year.
“My intention is to bring the attention of the football world by involving well known personalities at the club level,” Palami said.
Palami also confirmed that negotiation is also underway to move Global FC to Cebu where they will represent the province in the PFL.
“I am still in negotiations with Cebu Football Association president Ricky Dakay to make Cebu as our home city,” Palami added.
The early reports which have come out about Global’s move to Cebu have received positive feedbacks from the Cebu football community.
However, nothing has been signed yet but Palami, despite of the absence of a football stadium which could host the matches, has already started the formation of the club.
He has also assured Cebuano fans that the club they would form would have Cebuanos in their line-up.
“We will start sending our coaches to liaise with the youth coaches in Cebu. My intention is identifying elite youth players from Cebu as well as others who could form part of the club’s second team and reserves. It is also aimed to align the local players and coaches with the philosophy and style of the first team,” he said.
Butcher was even in Cebu to check the University of San Carlos stadium in Talamban. Global FC could make the USC stadium as its official home field. The stadium is still under construction and might be ready next year when the PFL opens.
Football fans best remember Terry Butcher as one of the five England defenders who tried to stop Diego Maradona from scoring the “Goal of the Century” during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
He could also be remembered as a bloody defender while playing for England in the vital World Cup qualifier in Sweden in 1989.
Butcher suffered a deep cut to his forehead early in the game but got sideline stitches from the physiotherapist and continued playing with a bandage forehead.
His bandage disintegrated and reopened the cut to the extent that his England white jersey turned into red at the end of the match.
To this date, he is best remembered for that match and that bloody image.
(l.biantan@gmail.com)