Mabuhay!
The Philippine National Men’s Football Team would like to offer to every Filipino this great triumph achieved in the football fields of Vietnam.
In the 14-history of the Suzuki Cup, the Philippines only qualified twice in the biennial competition that is at once the most prestigious tournament in the Asean region.
To get through the final rounds competition in Vietnam, we played three qualifying matches Laos where we finished second to the host country to advance to Vietnam.
And for the first time, we have advanced to the semifinals where the Philippines will play Indonesia in a home and away series where the winner, determined through the aggregate goal score, will play for the championship.
As we drew 1-1 with mighty Singapore and beat the defending champions Vietnam on their home turf 2-nil with 40,000 people in the stands cheering them on, we got word of how you, our fellow Filipinos watched us, cheered us, and sent us messages of support.
Believe us when we say that it was fantastic to hear and see all of that considering how the sport has largely gone unnoticed back home. We hope that this will be the start of football taking its rightful place as a premier sport In the Philippines.
As we drew Myanmar in a scoreless affair that saw us finish second to Vietnam in our Group, we received word that the Asean Football Federation has deemed that our homefield of Panaad, Bacolod to not be up to the requirements of the AFF Suzuki Cup after consultations with PFF President Jose Mari Martinez and therefore our hard-fought “home game” will be played either in a neutral venue or at the homefield of the other semis winner.
We deplore this decision that was arrived at without consulting the national team management team or even having the facilities inspected. We believe that this is an opportunity to provide Filipinos with a chance to watch some world-class football action that will inspire our countrymen to take up the sport and break new ground for the Philippines.
Just as you were all on our side when we were playing in Vietnam, we ask that every Filipino and football fan out there to express this indignation with regard to this decision in every venue, fora, or media so that we may treat the country to Azkals football. We implore you to express yourself on twitter, facebook, messenger, and everywhere else.
After all, the home field game is rightfully ours.
The Philippine National Men’s Football Team
Team Manager - Dan Palami, Head Coach - Simon McMenemy, Assistant Coaches - Edwin Cabalida, Edzel Bracamonte, Roland Piñero, Trainers -- Wally Javier and Josef Malinay, Media Officer - Rick Olivares, and the players -- Ian Araneta, Jerry Barbaso, Yanti Barsales, David Mark Basa, Joebel Bermejo, Alexander Borromeo, Emelio Caligdong, Christopher Camcam, Mark Drinkuth, Jason de Jong, Anton del Rosario, Neil Etheridge, Mark Ferrer, Roel Gener, Robert Gier, Christopher Greatwich, Peter Jaugan, Ray Jonsson, Nestor Margarse, Reymark Palmes, Kristopher Relucio, Eduard Sacapaño, James Younghusband, and Philip Younghusband.
yuck football. basketball pa rin. sino bang sikat sa football football na yan? sa europe lang uso yan eh. tsk tsk tsk. pinoy talaga sumasakay sa wala silang karanasan.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I'd like to see a home game, this is a battle that's not worth fighting. I haven't been to Panaad but I suspect that it really isn't the best place to play ball.
ReplyDeleteBut my initial reaction on reading this statement was a smile -- statements like these are made when the PFF president is weak and doesn't have the confidence and respect of the constituents -- national team, fans, local football associations, etc. Time to step down, Mr. Martinez, you're just a distraction.
Is this for real? Have the organizers seen the state of the Senayan pitch? The stadium can seat 100K, but part of the pitch looks like ChocNut! Not fair!
ReplyDeleteRex Raymond
http://www.lifesomundane.net/
On behalf of the Women's National team, players, coaches, managers and the women's working group- we support the Men's National team in their action against the deposed PFF President. We call on all supporters to call for the immediate withdrawal of Martinez's letter to FIFA saying his removal from as PFF President was illegal. His removal, not only echoed the sentiments of all national team players, but also 26 of 33 FA PRESIDENTS. Mr.Martinez you dishonored your flag and country. You gave the gun to the opponent and asked them to shoot our players in the back. But you forgot one thing. THE BLOOD IN THEIR HEARTS WILL NEVER TURN COLD, JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAND INDONESIA YOUR SUPPORT! AZKALS will prove you and your cohorts wrong. THE FILIPINO CAN AND THE FILIPINO WILL!
ReplyDeletePanaad's fine!
ReplyDeleteRick,
ReplyDeleteDon't we have any big enough football stadium in Manila? Ultra? Rizal?
Ceeks
I've been following you from the start, congratulations!!! you have exceeded all expectations. Negros will support you 100%. You just don't know it, but you have many supporters especially here in Negros and Iloilo.
ReplyDeleteThis is our chance to show the AZKALS our support in Home-court territory. After the fantastic showing of our teram. someone (Martinez) just have to pull everything down like a crab. HE SHOULD RESIGN. THAT ALSO MEANS, HE DOESN'T KNOW HIS TEAM, HE WASN'T ABLE TO PREPARE BACK HOME.
ReplyDeletePosted this on my fb account. I would love to watch the Azkals play LIVE on our home turf. But if everything fails then have the "home" game in Singapore. There are a lot of Filipinos there (including my friends) who could cheer you on.
ReplyDeleteArt
yuck basketball. We will NEVER excell internationally in a sport were height is a major factor of the game even if we have karanasan. There are also a few well-known meztiso-pinoys that have excelled in this european(?) sport. In football, we can pin our hope of being world champions if we start promoting this game in our country instead of basketball.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad how dumb & ignorant that Dec 9, 7:54a.m comment from "Anonymous" is... Don't u know that soccer is the largest drawing spectator sport in the world?
ReplyDeleteIt's not only #1 in Europe, it's also #1 in ASIA, SouthEast Asia, Central & South America!!!
The Panaad Stadium is in good condition. Minor repair which if given the chance, our local govenment can handle the staging. As for the seating capacity, it's true that it can only hold 20,000 but basing from what I can remember, during the 2005 SEAGAMES, there were even people who went up the trees inside the park just to get the best view. What i'm saying is, let's give it a try if not, then we can start getting commitments from our sports leaders to have this stadium cleared for international play. With the current state of Panaad, we won't spend that much compared to other areas.
ReplyDeletewith due respect to the 1st and 3rd comments, why can football gain ground in this country if fellow pinoys are the one who are discouraging about it. when basketball first enter this country isnt that we also have no match with other countries who first played it? this is the time to throw support for our azkals team because the win that they will deliver will be a pride of us all.
ReplyDeleteGO PHILIPPINES!!! LABAN PRE .
ReplyDeleteI pray that our Filipino people will support our Filipino athletes, whatever kind of sport they are playing. They are the pride of our nation. Hello Aquino Admin, please support our athletes. They give us good news amid all the negativity that surrounds us.
ReplyDeletetumahimik kayong lahat. basketball pa rin. dito tayo magaling eh. we have more commercial backing than that stupid "sucker" sport. baka nga ngayon lang kayo nakapanood ng soccer match eh!
ReplyDeleteOBF!
All of the football pitches I've personally seen in Metro Manila are not FIFA standard. The closest I could say is the the football field in Merville, home turf of Nomads.
ReplyDeleteI am one who will be glad that Filipinos finally find some appreciation for the game of Soccer. Unlike Basketball, our height and build are not disadvantages in this competition. For many years, it boggled me to see how much we sought to be basketball powerhouses when height, which we have in sparse distribution, is one of the basic requirements.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Soccer is not inexpensive. Space is a commodity, shin guards and cleats are not cheap, and lastly, until we can create our own experts, coaches, good coaches will be expensive. Soccer has to start at a very young age. And one of the virtues of good teams is patience...do we have it?
Apart from fighting AFF digitally, is there anything else we can do to support our team? It is time we support our PH team that has brought glory to us. We have all the potentials to excel in this game, unlike basketball.
ReplyDeleteall we need now is to support the appeal, so that the AZKALS can play in our country..
ReplyDeletean Indonesian here. Yes, too bad. The first leg should be in the Philippines or neutral ground (anywhere other than Indonesian and Malaysia hehee). IMHO the AFF has made a very bad decision in choosing GBK for the 1st leg, which somehow doesn't surprise me. And yes, I still remember the pitch that was used during the SEA Games (via TV). I'd say the pitch was slightly in better shape than GBK, although not as good as Jakabaring.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of the achievement that our football team has achieved,but mr. martinez is a disgrace,it will be an economic opportunity for our country to hold the games at home and a boost to our upcoming football stars to make it to the international professional teams.Find a venue anywhere in the country which is up to it....where is your filipino fighting spirit Mr. Martinez, if our football team did it why can't you.
ReplyDeleteMahirap sa iyo kasi, yuck ka ng yuck sa football at uso lang sa europe dahil wala kang alam! Nananalo ang bansa mo sa yuck na football at hinde sa basketball mo! Parehas kayo sa daming Pilipino na ayaw aminin na di tayo mananalo sa basketball maski second coming ni Kristo! Gising ka na at ibaba mo pride mo!! Inutil! Pati neighboring countries natinay nagfufutbol! Di lang sa Europe! Mag-research ka ha, marunong ka naman magcomputer. Di lang sa Europe and Futbol!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's with all the fuss with basketball vs. soccer? If you support basketball, so be it.. If you support football, so be it.. However, practically speaking, we can't achieve world domination in basketball where HEIGHT is a big factor in winning every game.. As for soccer, height is a plus only but skills and teamwork win games in the sport of soccer.. Look at Diego Maradona, Messi, and Owen, they don't have the "height," but they are "footballing machines." Give soccer a chance again in our country.. We used to dominate East Asian football from 1940 through 1970, we can regain our football glory once again. All you need to do is to support our Azkals and offer your help in awakening every Filipino's consciousness that we can be great as a footballing country in the filed of soccer..
ReplyDelete1st person to comment, please do a little research before expressing your opinion.
ReplyDeleteInstead of having a digital battle to lobby AFF, use the digital media instead to get together and find a place to watch the game in public with other soccer fans!
ReplyDeleteSo -- where can we meet? Any big screen TVs in the mall that will show this game? How about a public showing on TV set up by the leadership? NOw that you've lost the home game, this is one thing you can do.
this is what we need in our country,a world class soccer team.
ReplyDeleteThis would be a dream come true for the Philippines football fans, in case the AFF Suzuki Cup official would grant the request to stage the game in Panaad Stadium. This is also a wake up call to our government and countrymen that we can excel in this most popular sport and that we should build a world class stadium. Could you imagine, we have so many green golf courses.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rick Olivares.
Im a great fan of basketball but im starting to like football because of this huge achievement. This crab who posted December 9 should be thrown to Somalia. What a garbage. He don't belong here.
ReplyDeleteBasta... Go Philippines!!!! The National Football Team is making history for us and winning. Lets give our all-out support!!!
ReplyDeletei havent been to panaad so i cant say whether it indeed passes FIFA standards. I just wish that the decision not to play the game in panaad was made after due deliberation and not merely a shrug-of-the-shoulders dismissal.
ReplyDeletein any case, whether the game will be held at panaad or elsewhere, im sure AZKALS will not fail us. This is the moment of Phil.football. and we here in Davao City will cheer them on every moment of the game!
football or basketball? look at PBA and Smart Gilas, where are they taking us. 6th place finish in the recent Asian Games. and the Azkals, gain semis in the AFF Suzuki Cup. we are a basketball loving country no debate on that, but let's give football a chance. try to appreciate football and who knows we might end up in the 2018 or 2022 world cup. As for the Smart Gilas its a big challenge to lift your game to another level. Football is fast approaching and it is the no. 1 world sport.
ReplyDeletewhat a dumb ass yung nag first comment anu naman kung hindi sikat sa philippines yung football? so porket hindi sikat hindi na pwede ipaglaban? hindi ka lang siguro kasi marunong mag football kaya ganyan ka.
ReplyDeletePro Basketball is the "plague" of all other sports in the Philippines. Due to commercialization it sucks all the funding from the other sports where our country has great potential. If not for good hearted football suporters like Dam Palami our Azkals would not even be where they are. Imagine how strong we would be in other sports like Volleyball, Swimming, Track, Baseball.... if some of the funds from basketball are diverted to these sports.
ReplyDeletePaulino Alcántara Riestrá (7 October 1896—13 February 1964) was a Spanish–Filipino footballer and manager. He spent most of his playing career at Barcelona and was the first Filipino and Asian player to play for a European club. He also pla...yed for Catalonia, the Philippines and Spain. Alcántara made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 15 and remains the youngest player to play or score for the club. He also scored 357 goals in 357 matches, making him the club's highest goalscorer. After retiring as a player in 1927 at the age of 31, he became a doctor. On 5 July 1927, Barcelona played against Spain in a testimonial match in his honour and he later served as a club director between 1931 and 1934. In 1951, Alcántara became a selector and managed Spain for three games.
ReplyDeleteClub career
Early career
Alcántara was born in the Philippines to a Spanish military officer and an Ilongga mother. He moved to Spain to play for FC Galeno before he was discovered by Joan Gamper and signed up for Barcelona. He made his debut at the age of 15 years, 4 months and 18 days old on 25 February 1912 against Catalá SC in the Campionat de Catalunya (Catalan football championship) and Barcelona won 9–0, with Alcántara scoring the first three goals of the game. He was nicknamed "El Rompe Redes" (the net breaker) after he broke the net with a shot during a match against France. Among his team mates during his time at the club were Francisco Bru Sanz, Jack Greenwell and Romà Forns. He went on to help the club win a Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) and Campionat de Catalunya in 1913 and a Campionat de Catalunya in 1916.
IRIGIL NA BASKETBALL SA PINAS!!!!!
Paulino Alcántara Riestrá (7 October 1896—13 February 1964) was a Spanish–Filipino footballer and manager. He spent most of his playing career at Barcelona and was the first Filipino and Asian player to play for a European club. He also pla...yed for Catalonia, the Philippines and Spain. Alcántara made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 15 and remains the youngest player to play or score for the club. He also scored 357 goals in 357 matches, making him the club's highest goalscorer. After retiring as a player in 1927 at the age of 31, he became a doctor. On 5 July 1927, Barcelona played against Spain in a testimonial match in his honour and he later served as a club director between 1931 and 1934. In 1951, Alcántara became a selector and managed Spain for three games.
ReplyDeleteClub career
Early career
Alcántara was born in the Philippines to a Spanish military officer and an Ilongga mother. He moved to Spain to play for FC Galeno before he was discovered by Joan Gamper and signed up for Barcelona. He made his debut at the age of 15 years, 4 months and 18 days old on 25 February 1912 against Catalá SC in the Campionat de Catalunya (Catalan football championship) and Barcelona won 9–0, with Alcántara scoring the first three goals of the game. He was nicknamed "El Rompe Redes" (the net breaker) after he broke the net with a shot during a match against France. Among his team mates during his time at the club were Francisco Bru Sanz, Jack Greenwell and Romà Forns. He went on to help the club win a Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) and Campionat de Catalunya in 1913 and a Campionat de Catalunya in 1916.
ITIGIL NA BASKETBALL SA PINAS!!!!
it's a disgrace. our national team has been reduced to an OFW by an ASEAN neighbor to the tune of $200-400T (kickbacks included).
ReplyDeleteNOBODY sells the home game to the opponent. NOBODY.
to the first one who comment didn't you know that FIFA world cup is the world's most popular sporting tournament
ReplyDeletesayang walang home game
ReplyDeleteayos sana yun. pero di bale, wag kayo paapekto
kakayanin niyo yan Team Philippines!
we'll support you :]
Basketball lng ata alam na sports sports nung 1st anonymous!!.. Yes we admit na Mas popolar ang mga NBA stars than football stars but still football is the no. 1 spots in the world. I love Basketball but we have to support our Football National team though.
ReplyDeleteNapakakitid naman ng utak ng first anonymous at anonymous (December 9, 2010 6:48 PM). so sad. Sana tigilan na ng iilang pinoy ang pagiging utak talangka para makatuong naman kayo sa pag-aangat ng kapwa Pilipino. Mahigit 100 years na ang football sa pinas, at naniniwala din ako na eto na ang "rebirth" ng football sa pilipinas! go for RP football team!
ReplyDeletepalitan na yang Martinez na yan!...
ReplyDeleteto those people na nagsasabi na basketball pa rin..? SInong player ba pinagmamalaki ng Bastketball pagdating sa International? sino? hahaha... Sa Football merong Paulino Alcantara.. Na Hall of Famer/Legend sa FC Barcelona..at me nagsabi na pa sa basketball daw tyo magaling??? wahahaha kakatawa naman yan.. Kwawa naman kayo napag iwanan na tulad ng laro niong basketball sa pilipinas..nagsasabi lang ako ng totoo...since kayo nag umpisa na siraan ang football.. Sus ko po... kompara mo nman basktball at football sa pinas ..ang basketball asa kanya na lahat..venue at suportang financial at gobyerno..wala paring marating.. eh ang football wala...pero nakikipagsabayan at considering na bago ang football sa mga pinoy,, ang daming matatangkad na [pinoy pero pag kinumpara mo sa ibang bansa wala pa din..sa football konting tangkad lang ok na...at higit sa lahat me pag asa tayo dito..
ReplyDeletebasketball pa rin! boring ang larong football, hello! takbo ka ng takbo tapos 1-0 lang ang score, minsan draw pa, mganda panoorin yan sa tanghali, pampatulog! hahaha!
ReplyDelete