The best of the best - the 2013 UFL season's top XI

The 2013 United Football League season has wrapped up, with the Stallions deservedly crowned champions of the UFL. As many leagues feature a best XI of the season, we thought we'd do the same, forming a starting eleven from all the teams. These are the players who performed the best at their positions, given the relative status of their clubs.

So without further ado, for this writer, the best XI of the season are:

Goalkeeper: Friso Klok (Nomads)

Klok will be a controversial choice for the best goalkeeper of the season, especially when Nomads conceded 43 goals. Roland Sadia of Global won the Golden Glove award at the awarding ceremony as the best goakeeper, too, but Friso Klok’s performances for Nomads have at times been nothing short of inspired.

Nomads were a team that struggled for goals, scoring only 16, the second-lowest tally in both divisions of the UFL, as only the relegated Air Force scored fewer. At times, Klok pulled off a quality save per minute as the busiest Nomads player, and without him, the Nomads may well have conceded not only the most number of goals in the league, but would have been in much greater danger of relegation

Factoring in the number of shots, the level of the team surrounding him, and the quality of the saves, and Klok gets my nod as the goalkeeper of the season. For similar reasons, Patrick Deyto also deserves an honorable mention.

Right Back: Jerry Barbaso (Global)

With hair so unique in the UFL it should be trademarked, Jerry Barbaso had a solid season on the right for Global. Contributing to his team’s impressive defensive record, Barbaso was also there to overlap and create chances at the other end.

An underrated player, Barbaso has been with manager Dan Palami since his UFL career began, first with Laos, and then with the Global team that won the Second Division in 2010 to earn promotion to the top flight. A key component of the defense, Barbaso is improving his game and at 25-years-old will be in his prime for quite a few years to come.

Center Back: Joaco Canas (Stallion FC)

Joaco Canas was the heart of the Stallion defense. Organizing their back three, he captained the Stallions to their first league title to add to their 2012 UFL Cup success. Joining from Inter De Madrid on loan, Canas controlled the aerial game for a Stallion side that was a quick, fluid, passing team, which lacked height as a result.

Canas gave his squad some much-needed balance and also chipped in with three goals in the season. With a severe shortage of homegrown center backs, Canas leveled up Stallions’ play at the back and was a major reason for their League and Cup success.

Center Back: Carlos Guisso (Global)

Guisso was the rock of the Global defense, screaming out instructions so loud that the rest of the stadium could hear, but it was effective as the Global mainstay commanded the best defensive record in the UFL. Even Team Socceroo, which won every single one of their 16 games in Division II, conceded more goals than Global.

Left Back: Jeffrey Christiaens (Global)

Christiaens is perhaps the most underrated player in the league. The 22-year-old joined Global last year and instantly gave Global’s play a jolt with sound technical skill, good running and movement, and quality crosses from the left.

A hatful of assists for the winger underlined his contribution of six goals as he was Global’s second top scorer behind Izzo Elhabib, despite playing in defense most of the time. His attacking prowess didn’t detract from his defensive duties either, as he could track back and smartly play his position too.

At times the rest of his team couldn’t keep up with him, yet Christiaens can still improve his game a lot, a frightening prospect for the rest of the league and for other South East Asian nations. Christiaens truly deserves a more regular spot in the National team line-up already and with youth on his side, he could be the best winger the Philippines has ever seen.

Right Wing: James Younghusband (Loyola Meralco Sparks)

James Younghusband didn’t have the best of seasons by his standards, but his range of passing, crosses, and support play were still some of the best in the league. Popping up with three goals, his header against Stallions almost cost that squad the title as Loyola followed up their 2-0 win over Global by holding the eventual winners to a 1-1 draw, to show that on their day, they could keep up with the top teams in the league.

Center Midfield: Chris Greatwich (Kaya)

A natural leader, Greatwich was at the heart of everything good Kaya did. Scoring five goals for his team, he helped to rescue their season and ensure they finished fourth and weren’t pipped to the post by Pachanga. With several underperforming players around him, Greatwich’s consistency was the key and he will be hoping similar quality and established players join him and OJ Porteria this summer.

Also coaching the Kaya Academy, Greatwich’s influence off the pitch for Kaya is immense. The club has a player they can build their team around for the next few years as they look to bolster their side in the transfer window and once again emerge as contenders in the league. Until then, he helped to hand Global their only defeats of the season, as ultimately Kaya, runners-up last year, cost Global the title this time around.

Center Midfield: Mark Hartmann (Loyola Meralco Sparks)

Mark Hartmann is perhaps the brightest prospect in the league and one of the brightest for the national team. The former Portsmouth Academy midfielder controls a game when he’s on form, and is probably the best technical player in the UFL already. A regular signing for this writer on Football Manager in the lower leagues, the same medium the Younghusband brothers were discovered, Hartmann is one of the best players in the UFL at just 21-years-old.

He is also on the path to redemption on the national scene following the 2011 SEA Games debacle as he captained the U-23's in their 1-0 loss to Singapore. Maturing on and off the pitch, Hartmann at times carried the Sparks and lit up the early stages of the season, finishing with 13 goals, the most of any midfielder.

In the second half of the season though, his form slumped a bit and the Sparks suffered and finished third. However, if he can improve his consistency Hartmann should be a definite starter for the Azkals in the near future, and there is a lot of support for him featuring now. And that sort of quality at such a young age is sure to get heads turning and transfer talks flowing if the Sparks fail to win a trophy again this season.

Left Wing: Lee Joo Young (Stallion FC)

Lee Joo Young was a fearsome opponent for any defense this season. Having soured eight goals, most of them screamers from outside the box, Lee could change a football match with one kick. Given freedom to roam in the unusual but effective 3-6-1 formation of the Stallions, Lee would pop up from either side to bang in a goal.

Striking with either foot, he was the perfect support for Rufo Sanchez in a team which didn’t lack goals, or goal-scorers. Lee shone in the side, ably supported himself by namesake Lee Won Hyung, who is another honorable mention, to emerge as a handful for any team.

Striker: Rufo Sanchez (Stallion FC)

The top scorer in both divisions of the UFL this season, Rufo won both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the awarding ceremony of the UFL for being the top scorer and most valuable player of the league.

With a ratio of more than a goal per game, the Spanish striker terrorized defenses whether the ball was at his feet or in the air, as the complete forward was the only player to score more than one hat-trick, one of which was a perfect hat-trick, as he scored with his right foot, left foot, and head against the Air Force.

Striker: Emmanuel Mbata (PSG)

Emmanuel Mbata will be another controversial choice in this UFL XI, but with Phil Younghusband often times misfiring and presented with many simple goals, Mbata’s performances for a mid-table side more than carried his team. Helping PSG into seventh place and himself to fifth top scorer of the league, it was a very successful season for the Nigerian striker.

Factoring in the number and quality of chances the top scorers in the league got, as well as the level of players around them to the number of goals they scored, Mbata emerges as one of the top strikers in the division.

With uncertainties in the coaching staff and the disappearance of several players over the course of the season, there are rumors of another mass exodus and rebuilding project at PSG. If Mbata is available, his statistics alone show he will be one of the most sought-after players in the league and he may well be a perfect fit for Kaya, who need a proven goalscorer in their ranks. - AMD, GMA News



Agree or disagree with Roy's picks? Let us know in the comments.