History

Global FC is an association football club originally formed in March 2000. The club is based in the Philippines and participates in the UFL. The club is named after the company Autre Porte Technique Global, Inc. The team started in Division 2 of the UFL inaugural season in 2009. That same season, the team managed to finish on top with an unbeaten record, hence the comparison to Arsenal Gunners’ “Invincibles,” a rare record in the English Premier League. As the champions of the 2009–2010 UFL Second Division, the team was automatically promoted to LBC United Football League First Division. Global FC has also seen success as Teknika FC during the recent PFF-SMART club championships in 2011.

After being promoted to the First Division, Global FC almost dethroned Philippine Air Force FC in the 2011 United Football League. However, Air Force Rider was able to defend their title and was crowned the 2011 United Football League Champions after a 1–1 draw against the team. Despite the loss, Global FC ranked second in the team standings after playing 12 games (six wins and six draws) and with their striker Izzeldin Elhabib as the top scorer of the league. Moreover, Global FC won third place in the recent 2011–2012 UFL Cup after beating Kaya FC.

Club Officials

Global FC was formed by Dan Stephen Palami, or “Big Boss” to club members. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) with an accounting degree from the University of the Philippines. Also once an aspiring lawyer, he left U.P. Law School in his senior year to set up his railway company, Autre Porte Technique Global, Inc. He became the team manager of the Philippine national football team in late 2009, and after the success of the Azkals during 2010 Suzuki Cup, Palami became widely credited for being the “savior of Philippine football.” He is also the president of the Leyte Football Association (LFA). During the recent 2011 Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) of Cebu-San Miguel Brewery (SAC-SMB) Sports Awards at the Ayala Activity Center on March 5, 2011, he was honored as Executive of the Year while the Azkals received the PSA Presidential Achievement Award in the same event.

Global FC is managed by Franco N. Lorenzo. Like Dan Palami, he is a certified public accountant with an accounting degree from the University of the Philippines, but also has a masters degree in business administration. He is currently the administration and finance director of Autre Porte Technique Global and the assistant manager of the Philippine national football team. He was in charge of delegations for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-19 Qualifiers in Zibo, China, in November 2009.

The coach of Global FC is Graeme MacKinnon.

Football Clinic

The football clinic has served as an invaluable means to promote the sport, not just in terms of providing the sport with more exposure but also because it encourages kids to engage in a healthy, esteem-building hobby. This great endeavor has so far been the best way to build good PR with everyone as it has provided positive publicity, has set up a good image, and has leveraged negative press. Early 2011, Global FC in partnership with the Philippine national football team offered a football clinic to kids, the Azkals-Global School, but it is now called the Global Football Academy. In those three months, there were at least 80 kids who signed up, ages 4–18 years old, from various backgrounds. Corinthian Gardens Football Field in Ortigas was the venue for the clinic. The coaches were Mo Ibrahim, Nii Ayi, Dexter Palad, Jennifer Barandoc, Charmie Tomaneng, Bernard Lelis, and some Azkals and Global FC players. The football clinic is still ongoing and will be the perfect opportunity to build awareness and interest among young people and soccer moms everywhere.

In addition, Global FC has been regularly teaching football at Raya School since the start of the school year (June 2011). The physical education class of students is converted into a football clinic every Friday and this spikes interest in the sport while promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Regular involvement in football can build character in positive ways because kids learn to work together with others, to form a common goal, to develop virtues such as courage and patience, and to prefer physically engaging activities to video games.

Charity

Our football players are involved with the community and give back to their fans and supporters. Just this April, the Philippine national football team, together with some of the key players of Global FC, assisted in conducting a relief operation for the victims of flooding in Tacloban, Leyte. The relief effort was a success and reached more than 2,000 victims from Tacloban and Palo, Leyte. The Leyte Football Association, BH Party List, and some other key associations played important roles in the outreach program. Global FC plans to commit itself to charitable involvements this year and beyond.

Vision

To be recognized as the best and most widely supported football club in the Philippines.

Mission Statement

We are an association football club dedicated to creating new opportunities for our players and extending our preeminent and competitive position in the field of football nationwide, with sound management initiatives, unfaltering professionalism and sportsmanship, and a sustained drive to succeed. Through innovation, commitment, excellence, and continuous improvement, we want to develop, encourage, and invest in Filipino talents to advance football in the Philippines.

Core Values

• Integrity
• Innovation
• Teamwork
• Commitment
• Excellence
• Continuous Improvement
• Equality
• Accountability
• Passion

Objectives

• To draw the best out of our players so that they can be counted among the best.
• To establish and maintain a position of leadership in Philippine football.
• To win every game and competition with genuine professionalism and sportsmanship.
• To gain the support of football fans of the United Football League.
• To represent the Global FC brand through a variety of activities, products, and services as a result of our prominence and success.
• To embrace the Internet as an instrument to connect with fans and supporters.
• To consistently build and strengthen our relationship with our sponsors and stakeholders.
• To be an involved, responsible, and socially aware football club.

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