Surrounded by familiar and talented faces, United City skipper Stephan Schrock is confident that his club will be able to sustain the winning legacy of Ceres-Negros FC when the Philippines Football League unfolds on Sunday at the PFF national training center pitch in Carmona, Cavite.
“I think my team is pretty good and well prepared. Not surprisingly, my teammates are very, very eager to win another title,” said Schrock who is also the Azkals skipper.
Since 2017, with businessman-sportsman Leo Rey Yanson as the team owner, the Bacolod-based Busmen have ruled the PFL thrice in a row, capped in 2019 by a golden double in securing the league championship as well as capturing the Copa Paulino Alcantara Cup.
It was a fitting swan song for Ceres-Negros FC, which relinquished its team ownership and management to a new group of overseas investors early this year while taking on the new name of United City FC.
A total of 16 members led by Schrock and AFC Cup record goalscorer Bienve Marañon are back to carry the colors of the renamed squad, which opens its campaign at 8 p.m. against Maharlika Manila on Sunday.
Schrock and his teammates entered the PFL bubble last Thursday in Seda Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
“All happy, healthy and fit. It was hard for them to be mentally fresh but the boys did not lose their motivation and discipline during the (COVID-19) lockdown,” said Schrock referring to his teammates.
Schrock said that he felt fortunate to keep himself in tip-top shape during his six-month stay in Germany “since restrictions there were down to none in football for the last three months.”
He paid credit to the officials the PFF and PFL, especially commissioner Coco Torre, “in making us winners already in having this tournament. Our hats off to the PFF, the league and commissioner in working towards the fulfillment of this event.
With UCFC’s crack core intact, Schrock acknowledged that he and his teammates “have the biggest targets on our backs,” but felt no pressure himself from the other contending clubs such as Stallion-Laguna and Kaya-Iloilo.
“Generally. I have blinkers left and right. I just focus on the trophy, on my team, on my preparations and we will (aim to) advance and win the league as in the last three years,” he stressed.
