This appears in the Thursday December 23, 2010 edition of the Business Mirror.
PFF bares plans for national competition and help from Japan
by rick olivares
Even before the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) sent an official memorandum recognizing Mariano V. Araneta as the interim president of the Philippine Football Federation, the former Mr. Football was already in discussions for a national tournament and grassroots development.
In a conversation with BUSINESSMIRROR, Araneta bared that the PFF will meet in early January 2011 to finalize plans for an Under-23 national tournament by summer time to prepare a national team for the year-end Southeast Asian Games that will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia. “We are currently studying the infrastructure that we have and what other properties that need to be changed and supported from grassroots development to futsal to a national tournament and to the national team,” revealed Araneta who is also the president of the Iloilo Football Association. “Rather than hold tryouts, we believe it is for the best to conduct a national tournament to discover new talent and fit them with those from the national team who are still eligible to compete since the Sea Games features the U-23 team.”
Some of the current national players who are eligible for the Sea Games include defender David Basa who will wrap up his UAAP stint with the University of Santo Tomas after the Season 73 tournament, backup goalkeeper Christopher Camcam, and Fil-German Mark Drinkuth to name a few.
“Even before FIFA recognized us, the Japanese Football Association already sent a technical director to take a first hand look at our facilities and programs to see how they can help us. And we appreciate all the help we can get,” announced the interim president.
Araneta also said that the PFF is closely working with the Philippine Sports Commission on hosting the home games of the AFC Challenge Cup next year when Mongolia visits the Philippines for a match. “Right now we have a lot of lead time to improve the facilities in Panaad, Bacolod,” said the president. “We intend to show the world that the Philippines is capable of hosting a world-class sporting event. We’re also studying the television aspect to see how we can have the games of the national team televised. The game or games – since we wrote to Mongolia to ask if they would like to play even their “home game” in the Philippines because of the weather --- will be played in the evening. That will mean more Filipinos will get to watch the national team play on primetime television. We want to build on our recent gains for the betterment of the sport in the country.”
It might be a good idea for the PFF to look at college players not only in the Philippines but also in the USA for their Under 23 team. There is a 21 y/o senior Midfielder at Loyola Marymount University named Vincent Ocampo whose team won the West Coast Conference Championship(impressive since California is the deepest and most competitive state in the USA) and who has competed for the Chivas USA(a Major League Soccer Professional Team) Under 20 team that reached the finals of the Super 20 league of the USL in summer of 2009. There is also Joshua Miranda from Dominican U of California who is a 5' 10" sophomore midfielder. Pass this info to the PFF Rick. Will send you some more potential candidates if I hear of any.
ReplyDeleteI read that the national team is holding tryouts for potential national team candidates. I suggest using the January camp to do so, since a lot of the European based players will still be on winter break and can physically join the team.
ReplyDeleteAlso it would be a good idea for the national team to start exposing younger players to international competition. I see no point on having older players sitting on the bench and using up valuable training time that can be used to develop the next generation of locally based national team players. Sure there would be growing pains but they will have a better chance of developing and learning technique and tactics from the Euro players while training than some of this older players whose first touch and movement without the ball skills are for lack of a better word, atrocious.
Case in point, back in the 1990's the US, lacking a professional outdoor league and looking long term at the 1994 World Cup which they were hosting, decided to form a young team made up mostly of graduating college players instead of pro players playing in their indoor leagues. Result they made it to the World Cup 1990 after an absence of 40 years and lost all 3 games in the first round. The core of this team became the bedrock of the US team in the years ahead and the reason they had a respectable finish in the second round of the 1994 World Cup which in turn made Major League Soccer possible.
Rick, there is a list on Azkals.com named Fiipino Soccer athletes in US Colleges with both male and female athletes that might be of interest to the PFF. One of the athletes parents, Charles Pettys actually contacted the PFF 3 years ago inquiring about playing for the national team. In fact esp. with the women national team, there are enough players to form an all foreign based team that can dominate SEA and be competitive in Asia. As you know when it comes to women's soccer, the US is a world power and has tons of talent in their colleges and leagues.
ReplyDeleteAyos!
ReplyDelete