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When I found out about the Philippine national team, I sent them an e-mail, with my resume, if you will,” says 30-year old fullback Rob Gier, who was already an experienced pro in his early 20s. “Not to brag or anything, but I was playing at a good level in England, and would they be interested in having me? I actually wish I had found out when I was a spring chicken.”
“I didn’t even know the Philippines had a national team, to be honest,” admits United Football League All-Star Nate Burkey, who is now based in the Philippines and headed in the lone goal against Sri Lanka. “But when I heard about it, I wanted to play, no question. It was a good chance to follow my roots.”
“I don’t understand when people ask us how ‘Filipino’ we feel,” explains Gier, who is expecting his first child in five weeks. “The blood that runs through us runs through our “homegrown” teammates. Just because we were born in another place or grew up in a different country doesn’t make us less Filipino. We feel Filipino every second of our lives.”
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