A front row seat to history

This appears in the Friday February 11, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

A front row seat to history

by rick olivares

Philippine Football Federation President Mariano V. Araneta was all smiles as he boarded his Philippine Airlines flight from Bacolod to Manila yesterday morning. “I am all smiles not just because of the result but also because we were able to mount another international match in our home country,” said the former Mr. Football of the Philippine Men’s National Team’s first win of the year where they beat visiting Mongolia 2-0 in the first leg of the AFC Challenge Cup.

National Team Manager Dan Palami was all smiles after the game. “I am very very happy for the win. It validates our success from last year,” he said as a crowd of well wishers asked for photos with the former University of the Philippines football player who has bankrolled the national team out of his love for the game. “But this is just one match. We still have a long ways to go. But we’re happy to be able to come away with a win in front of the home crowd.

Ian de Rama, Panaad Stadium Manager estimated the crowd to be anywhere from 16-18,000 people. “If we had more seats, I am sure we would have filled them out as well.”

ER Subramaniam, the Match Commissioner for the home and away series, also had good words for the home match that has been eagerly anticipated by Filipinos since the national team’s successful campaign in the 2010 Suzuki Cup that sparked a surge of interest and support for football. “It was generally good but you could see the inexperience in certain areas,” noted the Malaysian. “There is the matter of ticket distribution, the media relations, and the proper deployment of people in and around the pitch. But that is something that is workable.”

Thousands of Azkals fans lined up as early as 6am outside Panaad Stadium on match day in anticipation of the free General Admission tickets that were allegedly to have been distributed to that morning. But there were none available and many left angry and disappointed. “Magulo yung mga announcements nila,” grumbled Alice Tamayo who came all the way from Iloilo with her two sons. “Magtatanong ka sa PFF pero walang mga sagot.”

Fans came from everywhere to see the Azkals, as the national team is nicknamed, do battle with the Mongolians who squad is called “the Blue Wolves”.

John Paul Maunes and Merryl Marie Bernabaye (in picture above), a couple from Cebu wanted to celebrate their seventh-year anniversary by watching the Azkals. “We can think of no better way to celebrate,” beamed Maunes who has been following the national team for years.

Xyrus Dael and Artagnan Pinili of the Bayawan City Football Club of Negros Oriental (picture below) made the eight-hour bus ride to watch the match along with three other teammates. “We are happy that football is receiving all this attention,” marveled Dael. “We watched them during the Suzuki Cup and we are very happy to have that home game. We should have had one in the semifinal leg of the Suzuki Cup. That could have made a difference and who knows – we might have made the finals.”

Graeme McKinnon (see pic below), a Australian national who has loved in the Philippines for almost two decades and once played for the old San Miguel and Lhuillier football clubs, flew in from Sydney to for the game. “I feels great to see the rebirth of football in this country. The sleeping giant has awakened. And I had a front row seat to history.”

With Harry Balais (pic below)