(CNN Philippines) — Under the blistering hot Philippine sun, the players and staff of Stallion FC dig in to work as they prepare for their upcoming league match against Kaya FC.
Coach Ernie Nierras casts a watchful eye over his wards, running the likes of Simone Rota and Ruben Doctora through their paces. He goes through the session with an air of authority and respect that has everyone at attention, everyone including their newest player.
Sporting a blonde hairdo, it is hard to miss the 5-11 player dancing with the ball as he glides along the pitch wearing the unmistakable pink of a Stallions FC shirt.
A new face in a new country.
He is 21-year-old Levi Gilmar Di Silvà Fernandez, but you may refer to him simply as Gilmar.
The Wasps of Scotland
After his time in Malta, Gilmar found himself in Scottish Championship Alloa Athletic’s reserve team early this year.
He featured for the reserve side of the Wasps, as Alloa Athletic are fondly called, regularly and performed well.
The management of Alloa then allowed Gilmar to take a leap of faith in the Philippines with United Football League (UFL) side Stallions FC and be taken in on loan to gain first team experience and grow as a footballer.
It is Gilmar’s hope to return to Scotland after his loan spell in the Philippines and contend for a place in the first team of Alloa Athletic.
‘ ’18’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:7aefdabc-42d6-419c-9dd0-a3a88fc69d8a’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘Gilmar last competed for Alloa Athletic FC in the Scottish Championship before moving on loan to Stallions FC in the United Football
From the British Isles to the Philippine Archipelago
When the opportunity came for Gilmar to ply his trade in the Philippines and eventually audition for a role with the Azkals, it was a chance he had to take.
Gilmar had the option to play for other prominent UFL sides, but it was his opinion of Stallions FC coach Ernie Nierras that convinced him to pull on the pink shirt.
Making the leap to a country on the other side of the world is difficult, but Gilmar credits coach Ernie Nierras for making the transition easier.
It was coach Ernie who made the effort to assure his relatives in England that he would feel welcomed in the country.
For Gilmar, the move to the Philippines is not only a chance to further himself as a footballer but to push his way into the national team picture.
Becoming an Azkal
Before trying his luck in the Philippines Gilmar turned down the opportunity to represent Jamaica.
He said he chose the Philippines because “my nan (grandmother) would love it” and so would his mom and the rest of his family. It is his Filipino grandmother who he credits for raising him to be the man he is now.
Gilmar is honest when he says that he hasn’t been to the Philippines since he was 11 and hasn’t kept in touch with his Filipino roots as well. He is familiar, though, with Filipinos says it would be an honor to play for them.
Appearing for the national side isn’t a sure thing. Gilmar still has to impress the likes of national team coach Thomas Dooley and manager Dan Palami to do so.
With hair, flair, and a name so similar to a certain Brazilian football icon, the local football community is curious to see what the young man from the British Isles can bring to the table.
‘ ’42’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:820895bc-7cd3-420c-ada3-dfaca51a8f49’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘Hair, flair, and name. Gilmar draws comparisons to the Brazilian
A Filipino Neymar?
“There’s pressure,” admitted Gilmar.
Since he was 16, his appearance and his attacking flair have drawn comparisons to the Brazilian footballer. His agent shared that there would even be moments when Gilmar would be stopped on the street in their travels due to the resemblance.
Gilmar understands that there will always be heightened expectations when compared to an international superstar. Expectations that he himself admits are hard to live up to.
In the end though he doesn’t want to be known as the ‘Filipino Neymar’ – he wants to be remembered instead as Gilmar.
