WE ARE COMING!
Cebu Football Club technical director Ugur Tasci said the creation of Cebu’s first homegrown professional club in the Philippine Football League is a culmination of a life-long dream.
“This has been planned for a long time. Once we came to Cebu and started Leylam, things went on a roll and everything just fell into place,” said Tasci.
After setting up Leylam FC in 2012, the team began dominating the local weekend tournaments and went on a roll in the Aboitiz Football Cup, ruling the men’s open division for years. Leylam also began competing nationally and internationally, finishing second in the Plate Division of the Saigon 7’s in 2015 and winning the Kampeons Cup PhilAm Life 7s in 2019.
“With Leylam FC’s success in representing Cebu, this was the next level for us,” said Tasci.
By this, the amiable expat means putting Cebu’s place back in the local domestic scene with a team bannered by a Cebuano coach in Oliver Colina and with a string of local players, led by John Roy Melgo, whose former stint with Global FC makes him the most-experienced Cebuano pro in the squad.
Though the announcement of Cebu’s entry to the domestic scene has been around for almost a month, Tasci said he withheld having an official announcement unless he was 100 percent sure that the club will be able to compete in the PFL.
“Last Monday, we officially received our provisional license from the PFL. Although they already gave us an approval three weeks ago, there were some requirements that we needed to accomplish and I did not want to give false information unless I am 100 percent sure that we will be able to represent Cebu in the PFL,” said Tasci.
This is our own, our pride. I urge all Cebuanos to support us.
Ugur Tasci, CFC technical director
Tasci also thank the local football community, led by the Central Visayas Regional Football Association, for helping him.
“Once they see me, the first they remember is Leylam FC, but this is not about me or the company anymore. It is time for Cebu to be represented in teh national tournament. That’s why I got this name. I thank Engr. Orale and the rest of the CVFA for this name,” said Tasci.
Engr. Rodney Orale is the president of the CVFA and in the local domestic scene, operates the Erco team, which lost the Aboitiz Men’s Finals to Leylam in the last three years.
“I worked with them closely and I appreciate their full support in this endeavor,” said Tasci.
Tasci also said they chose the Sharks as their logo so they can also promote the famous whale shark watching activity of Oslob in Southern Cebu.
“This is our own, our pride. I urge all Cebuanos to support us, follow us. This is your real Cebu team. We represent the whole of Cebu island. We want all Cebuanos beside us in this journey,” said Tasci.