Freddy Gonzalez (Filipino footballer) explained

Freddy Gonzalez
Fullname:Alfredo Fernando Razón Gonzalez
Birth Date:10 January 1978 [1]
Birth Place:Mandaluyong, Philippines
Position:Forward
Youthyears1:1998–1999
Youthclubs1:Portland Pilots
Years1:2000–2003
Clubs1:Kaya
Caps1:45
Goals1:16
Years2:2003
Clubs2:Ngân hàng Đông Á
Caps2:15
Goals2:2
Years3:2004–2012
Clubs3:Pachanga Diliman
Caps3:127
Goals3:51
Years4:2013–2015
Clubs4:Loyola Meralco Sparks
Caps4:42
Goals4:5
Nationalyears1:1997–2002
Nationalteam1:Philippines
Nationalgoals1:4
Manageryears1:2024–
Managerclubs1:Philippines (general manager)
Pcupdate:22:30, 28 February 2015 (UTC)

Alfredo Fernando Razón "Freddy" Gonzalez (born 1 October 1978 in Parañaque) is a Filipino former football player. He is the current national team director of the Philippine Football Federation and the current team manager of the Philippines national team.[2] He is the current interim team manager for the Philippines women's national team, after the resignation of Jefferson Cheng.

Early years

Gonzalez's mother, Terry Razón, enrolled him to Tomas Lozano's Makati Football School (MFS) at age six. He later became the high school football star of Colegio de San Agustin. Gonzalez earned himself a soccer scholarship to the University of Portland, then considered one of the most professionally run (football wise) and well coached university teams in the US.[3] He stayed there for two years (1998/99) and honed his offensive skills playing for the Portland Pilots, the school soccer team.

Club career

Learning the game from Spanish expatriate, Tomas Lozano, Gonzalez tried out with French club Calais RUFC coached by Ladislas Lozano, Tomas' brother, in 2000. Gonzalez trained in France for two weeks but was sidelined due to a torn hamstring. By the time he was recovered from injury, Lozano had already accepted a coaching job in Morocco.

Due to impressing team manager Nguyen Tien Huy of the V-League club Ngân hàng Đông Á (East Asian Commercial Bank FC) for his play for the Philippines in the 2002 Tiger Cup in Jakarta, Gonzalez signed a one-year contract with the club in January 2003.[4]

He also played for Komodo AS of Indonesia in 2004, being the only active Filipino professional player at that time.[5] He was a part-time player in Europe and also played for Kaya in the Philippines. Unfortunately, right after his contract with the Vietnam professional club expired Gonzalez retired from playing football, concentrating more into his interest in surfing and other business ventures such as bringing in the Brazilian flip flops brand Havaianas into the Philippines. [6]

Return to football

However, he put up the team Pachanga for the United Football League Division 2 in 2011.[7]

In January 2012, for the first time in almost half a decade of retirement, he played for Pachanga. He scored in his debut in the 4-0 win against Agila in the opening match.[8]

In the mid of June 2012, he led the team to the championship in Division 2 having 123 goals in the league.[9] He won the Division 2's Golden Ball and Golden Boot Awards together with teammate Kenneth Dolloso, which won the Best Goalkeeper Award.[10]

Loyola

On January 7, 2013, Gonzales transferred to Loyola before the start of 2013 PFF–Smart National Championship knockout stage and UFL 4th season.[11]

International career

Gonzalez made his debut for the Philippine national team in the 1997 South East Asian Games.[12] He then played in the then "ASEAN Tiger Cup," (now Suzuki Cup), in Vietnam in 1998.[5] He has, since then, represented the country in South East Asian Games (particularly the 1999 SEA Games in Brunei), in the Tiger Cup,[13] and in any other invitational and qualifying tournaments.

International goals

Scores and results list the Philippines' goal tally first.

Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 29 August 1998 1–1 1–3 1998 Tiger Cup
2. 31 August 1998 1–1 2–5
3. 2–1
4. 17 December 2002 1–6 1–6 2002 Tiger Cup

Sports executive career

Football

Philippines national teamOn 11 January 2024, it was announced that Gonzalez was appointed as the new national teams director of the Philippine Football Federation and team manager of the Philippines national team, succeeding long-time national team manager Dan Palami.[14]

Personal life

Gonzalez graduated with an Engineering degree. He is married to Regina Anne Marie Arcenas-Gonzalez, Managing Director of Terry S.A., Inc. (Official distributor of Havaianas, David & Goliath, Pininho, and Dupe in the Philippines). With his varied interests, he opened "Aloha Board Sports," a shop that catered to skaters and surfers. He also owned a skate shop at the Global City in Taguig called 5-O.[12]

Honours

Club

Pachanga

2012

Loyola

2013

2014–15

Individual

2012

2012

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gonzalez, Alfredo (Player Profile) . uflphilippines.com.ph . United Football League . 2012-07-29 . dead . https://archive.today/20130416114336/http://www.uflphilippines.com.ph/teams-players/1327834229421/sid-/lid-UFL/Players.html . 2013-04-16 .
  2. Web site: PFF appoints Freddy Gonzalez as Director of National Teams. Philippine Football Federation. 11 January 2024. 11 January 2024.
  3. Web site: Alfredo Razon Gonzalez | Usapang Football | Philippine Football Forum.
  4. Web site: Pinoy import laments soccer rut in RP » the Dean's Corner by Quinito … . www.philstar.com . 27 January 2022 . https://archive.today/20121030111213/http://www.philstar.com/thedeanscorner/articlescontent.aspx?articleid=207713 . 30 October 2012 . dead.
  5. Web site: PFF sets tone for soccer revival » the Dean's Corner by Quinito Henso… . . https://archive.today/20121026200710/http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=245030 . 26 October 2012 . dead.
  6. News: Terry S.A.: The Company Behind Havaianas in the Philippines . Ashley Martelino . Spot.ph . December 11, 2020 . July 2, 2024.
  7. Web site: UFL: Freddy Gonzalez Turns Back the Clock . Bob Guerrero . April 7, 2014 . July 2, 2024.
  8. Web site: Former national striker Freddie Gonzalez makes a smashing return in a Pachanga victory . Olivares, Rick . 2012-01-15 . 2012-02-03 .
  9. News: Pachanga defeats Agila, secures UFL Division One promotion . interaksyon.com . TV5 . Decena, Karl . 2012-06-16 . 2012-07-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120818094939/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/pachanga-defeats-agila-secures-ufl-division-one-promotion . 2012-08-18 .
  10. News: Azkals de Murga, Younghusband win UFL top individual awards . interaksyon.com . TV5 . InterAKTV . 2012-06-26 . 2012-07-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120730011952/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/azkals-de-murga-younghusband-win-ufl-top-individual-awards . 2012-07-30 .
  11. News: Former national team star Freddy Gonzalez joins Loyola Meralco Sparks . interaksyon.com . TV5 . Decena, Karl . 2013-01-07 . 2012-01-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130111202529/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/former-national-team-star-freddy-gonzalez-joins-loyola-meralco-sparks . 2013-01-11 .
  12. Web site: Azkals' joint: Alfredo Fernando Razón Gonzalez: A man before his time!. 29 October 2011.
  13. News: ASEAN ("Tiger") Cup 2002 (Indonesia and Singapore) . . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Burkert, Sturmius . Courtney, Barrie . 2004-12-08 . 2012-07-29 .
  14. News: Villanueva . Ralph Edwin . Gonzalez appointed director of Philippine national football teams . 11 January 2024 . The Philippine Star . 11 January 2024.