Former Ceres player Toni Doblas. –CERES PHOTO
SEVILLE, SPAIN—Toni Doblas spent the eve of one of the biggest matches of the La Liga trying to make sure that Real Betis would end up getting a favorable result against rival Sevilla.
The Spaniard Doblas is now working behind the scenes as Real Betis’ goalkeeper coach, four years after his well-traveled career ended in the Philippines with the former Ceres-Negros club.
“He brought the team to the next level in Asian competition with his championship experience,” Ivan Gayares, who at the time worked for Ceres as its media officer, said of Doblas.
It was with the Bacolod club where Doblas made 22 appearances between the sticks in 2018, resulting in the second of Ceres’ run of three straight championships in the Philippines Football League (PFL).
Serbian coach Risto Vidakovic, who himself was a former Betis player, breezed through the PFL season with a team that also had Stephan Schrock and future Philippine Azkals naturalized player Bienvenido Marañon.
But his biggest contribution for Ceres was on the continental scene when the Busmen stunned crack Australian side Brisbane Roar in the second preliminary round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.
Ceres eventually settled for another AFC Cup stint, reaching the Asean Zonal Final for the second straight time where it lost to Singapore’s Home United in a two-legged affair.
“The departure of Roland Muller left a void in the team, but Doblas came in and produced world-class performances to bring Ceres to another Asean Zonal Final appearance in the AFC Cup,” said Gayares.
The 42-year-old Doblas has been serving his current capacity at Real Betis since 2020, helping the Andalusian side win last season’s Copa del Rey after beating Valencia in the Final held in this city.