Independiente F.C.

Independiente F.C.

Full name	Independiente Fútbol Club
Nickname(s)	Los Hijos del Sol
Founded	1982
Ground	Estadio Agustín Sánchez La Chorrera, Panama (Capacity: 3,040)
Chairman	Ricardo Escobar
Manager	Pascual Moreno
League	Liga Nacional de Ascenso
2011 (C)	Runner-up 2nd (Group B)
Home colours Away colours

Independiente Fútbol Club is a Panamanian football team playing in the Liga Nacional de Ascenso. It was founded in 1982 and is based in La Chorrera, Panama. It was formerly known as Club Atletico Independiente de la Chorrera (or simple C.A.I.) until 2009 when business man Ricardo Escobar bought the team.

History

CAI, as many football clubs, was created to satisfy the desires of young players to practice football. With the noticeable participation of Antonio Aguilar and Visitación Muñoz, that by 1982 begin to participate in local leagues of the district of La Chorrera especially the ones in the sector of Martin Sánchez. After obtaining various championships consecutavely in the sector, the team was invited to participate in other leagues of sectarian level. In 1986 CAI joins the league of the Colon community, which at that time functioned as the district league, however in the years to follow the participation was regular without a lot of importance.

Transition

In 1994, the president of the club Jaime Lay resigned at the start of the season. Given this situation both Antonio Aguilar and Visitación Muñoz invite a group of gentlemen to choose the new board of directors for the club; Carlos Alberto Campos Muñoz, Luis Montesuma, Pedro Carrión, Jaime Dávila and Caesar Rogelio Lasso Madrid. At the end of the meeting, Carlos A. Campos Muñoz was chosen president, Antonio Aguilar vice-president, Caesar R. Lasso Madrid secretary, Visitación Muñoz treasurer, Luis Montesuma fiscal and both Pedro Carrión and Jaime Dávila vocals. That year, CAI obtained the district championship of La Chorrera after defeating Lidia Aurora F.C. 2 to 1. After gaining the championship, CAI obtained the right to represent La Chorrera district in the provincial championship of ascent, but it was a total failure. The team was eliminated in the 1st round by the inability of the players in assuming a responsibility of such heights, since they all preferred to attend parties and skip practice the next day. This lack of discipline and order force Carlos A. Campos Muñoz to take serious measures in order to purify the organization. That year 90% of the players and the manager were expelled.

New beginning

In 1996, Carlos A. Campos Muñoz and with contribution of Visitación Muñoz decide to compete in the local district tournament, with the under-17 category and with a new manager, Rene Salazar. With a development plan of short, medium and long time limit, the ascent of the club is initiated: 2 years to achieve the district championship, 3 years for Primera A (now Liga Nacional de Ascenso) and 6 years to compete in ANAPROF (now Liga Panameña de Fútbol). That year was hard to digest the few positive results that were obtained and that put in doubt the "Campos" administration but that eventually would give its fruits. But the new administration concentrated its work with youths of low age and with athletic projection and prepared by an expert of the matter, René Salazar, the objective would be achieved. In 1997 CAI achieved to arrive to the series semifinal, however they lost against Santos Jorge 2-1.

Ascent

In 1998, CAI participates in the league of the Colon community, who functioned as the local district tournament of the moment but due to bad handlings and the negative arm of the policy made of the tournament a failure. Carlos A. Campos Muñoz leads together with other club's president (Juventus F.C., San Jose F.C., San Germen F.C., San Francisco F.C. and Mitra F.C.), a movement to found a league for the Balboa community and motivates the community of Virgin of Guadalupe to found another league for that community, totalizing three leagues of the district of La Chorrera, which is today the local district tournament.

The just founded league of the Balboa community, directed by Virgilio Landecho, C.A.I. is crowned champion after beating Juventus F.C.

In 1999, the team participated in the tournament for ascent of the West of the Panamá Province, even when the intentions of the leadership of La Chorrera local district tournament to disband the club in retaliation to have led the movement to found the two leagues Balboa community and Virgin of Guadalupe community; but this was legally constituted and affiliated with the federation Panamanian of soccer FEPAFUT and recognized by the national institute of sports (INDE), therefore La Chorrera local district tournament leaders could do nothing. Later, when the leadership of the provincial league of Panama West recognized CAI's rights, the team was able to participate in this tournament of ascent, obtaining a successful campaign that is attributed to the administrative organization, to the skillful technical manual of Rene Salazar, the collaboration of friends and close friends to the club and the discipline and interest of the players. CAI managed to win provincial final match, and having among its squad the top scorer of the tournament, Rubens Axel Almansa H. with 21 goals in all the campaign.

In September 1999, CAI gained the right to represent Panama West in the national championship denominated Copa Rommel Fernandez, of whom the provincial champions and runners-up participate. In this championship the team was placed in group four, next to the Tecnica and Deportes F.C. of Colon, Olimpic F.C. of Panama and Punta Alegre F.C. of Darién. CAI cassified second place behind Olimpic F.C. of Panama, in the regular round. During the second round the team reaches the semifinal series beating 3-2 Inter, 3-1 Guabito F.C. of Bocas del Toro, 2-0 Rio Abajo F.C., 2-0 to San Isidro of Herrera and 5-1 Niupy F.C. of Los Santos.

In the semifinal CAI beats 2-0 Olimpic F.C. and in the final they beat 3-1 Zona Libre F.C. of Bocas del Toro the favorites to take the trophy home, with goals from José Luis Garcés (2) and a goal from Rubens Almanza. CAI were crowned champions of the Copa Rommel Fernandez and ascended to Primera A.

The Panamanian federation of soccer FEPAFUT, awarded the right of affiliation by a value of $3.000,00, $1.500,00 of inscription and gives to the club a check by a value of $500,00 to resolve part of the expenses of CAIs first goal, to be in Primera A.

Primera A

2000 was CAI's first participation in this championship, the team finished occupying the seventh place and staying in this division. Between 2000 and 2001 the team was able to fortify itself, working with responsible young players to face the challenges that would be imposed in the 2002-03 season. With the determination to manage this accomplishment, to reach the planned goals the project begins with a year of anticipation, the work begins with newly assigned D.T. Daniel "Ñelo" Montilla Ruiz leading the team. Daniel Montilla, together with the rest of his technical body plan the recruitment of new players, obtaining a selective group and beginning to prepare them both physically and tactically technical, managing to have it in ready for the beginning of the 2002-03 Apertura.

In 2002-2003 after passing series of situations of instability of the championship system and the amount of clubs that would participate in it, it was agreed to on the part of the administration of ANAPROF that the championship would be of two season (Apertura and Clausura) and the amount of clubs would be 15, divided in two groups; A and B.

Group A would include the participants of the east zone (Panama and Colon): Club Deportivo Pan de Azúcar, Asociación Deportiva Orión, Club Deportivo Italia, Club Deportivo Español, Rio Abajo F.C., Chepo F.C. and Colon River F.C.. CAI would be placed in group B which would include the west zone (La Chorrera and the rest of the provinces of the interior): Club Atletico Guadalupe, Chame F.C., Coclesano F.C., Chitré F.C., Niupy F.C., Chiriquí F.C. and Bocas del Toro F.C.

The teams that would get promoted to ANAPROF were the champions of the Apertura and Clausura. If the same team won both the Apertura and Clausura season, then the other team to get promoted would be the one who was better placed when both seasons are averaged up. The system of the Apertura season would be that each team plays the other teams of its respective group in a home and away match, and the first two of each group would later face each other in a quadrangular in which the first and second place teams would face each other in a final.

CAI managed to finish first place of group B and gained the right to proceed to the next round. In the quadrangular the team finalized first without losing a single match and was to face Club Deportivo Pan de Azúcar in Apertura final. The final match was played at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez, it was a worthy final match for this category of ascent. The game finalized 4-3 in favor of Club Deportivo Pan de Azúcar and thus frustrating CAI's aspirations assure a participation in ANAPROF. However Rubens A. Almansa was the top scorer of the championship with 20 goals.

Sadly on February 1, 2003 CAI mourns the unexpected death of Daniel (Ñelo) Montilla.

The Clausura season was difficult since the team did not count with 5 of their star players, who because of their good participation were contracted by other clubs of the Professional league, thus debilitating significantly the squad. These players were Axel Almanza, Héctor Martinez, Hanamel Hill, Julio Creek and Juan Maning. Given the present circumstances CAI had to reorganize its squad with young players. The Clausura season ended with a modest presentation of the team, achieving to maintain the category.

For the 2004 championship the team played with a young squad and a new technician, CAI participated modestly occupying the seventh place. In view of the previous result, it was decided to regroup all the young players of the category Sub-15, Sub-17, Sub-19 and the youngest players of Primera A, and to train them with 5 months of anticipation for the 2005 championship.

Also CAI obtained from Cuidad del Niño, an organization of charity that lodges more than 300 children of limited resources and without home, a great amount of land where sporting facilities existed previously. The club will restore them and use them as a training camp and game venue.

In 2006 CAI did not manage to arrive to the semifinals and remained in 4th place with 16 points. The ascent in a period of 3 years has been planned (2010) and to accomplish it the club has turned their attentions to the young players in the smaller categories sub-13 and sub-15.

In 2007 there was not competition in the Primera A due to organizational problem, however the league was planned to start on 2008. For the 2008 season of the Primera A, CAI had a campaign they would wish to forget ending up last in the aggregate table of both the Apertura and Clausura championships. Since they were the last overall they were to be demoted to the Copa Rommel Fernandez, but fortunately for CAI, the board of directors of the Primera A had decided to expand the number of teams of the league from 8 to 10, which would mean that not only would the champion and runner-up of the 2009 season of the Copa Rommel Fernandez would be promoted, but also the last team in the aggregate table (CAI) would not be demoted.

In 2009 the team was bought by Ricardo Escobar and completely changed the management and the name of the club to Independiente F.C.. Also they would play their home games for the 2009 season in the Estadio Agustín Sánchez of La Chorrera. In the Apertura championship CAI finished runner-up to last years Liga Nacional de Ascenso champions Rio Abajo F.C..

Emblems

The teams’ colors are blue for signifying the idea of water and sky and yellow for signifying the idea of light, life and youth. The team's motto are:

• Lealtad (loyalty): the commitment of fidelity, respect and fulfillment of life, to the soccer, its rules, the fair-play and the club.
• Honor: the honesty and dignity of a sportsman and the importance of defending at the colors of the club.
• Disciplina (discipline): the fulfillment of the responsibilities and obligations that concern to situations in life and norms of the club.

Independiente's old crest

Honors

• Copa Rommel Fernandez: 1

2000

Notable former players

• José Luis Garcés

External links

• CAI Un-Official Website(Spanish)