A STATEMENT FROM THE PHILIPPINE MEN'S FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAM: Giving credit where it is due

The following is a statement released by the National Men's Football Team during their press conference this evening at H2O in Manila. The team picture was taken at noon before the Philippines' match versus Myanmar by me being the team's media officer.

A STATEMENT FROM THE FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAM

In the last few days, Filipinos everywhere have heard about how the Philippine National Men’s Football Team has received all sorts of help from the Philippine Football Federation.

While our triumphs on the football field and the glory we’ve attained is something we are sharing with every Filipino and football fan out there, taking credit for matters one did not do is something we do not condone.

In the past year, the national team has been kept running and going by Mr. Dan Palami who has graciously shared his resources with the team yet has asked nothing in return except that we help promote the beautiful game and win glory for the country.

He has spent quite a lot from his own resources and that amount is something we are not at liberty to say. Suffice to say that it is a lot. And on the contrary, we have not received one centavo of support from the PFF. Not to mention a call or a text during the final rounds of the 2010 Suzuki Cup in Hanoi, Vietnam, we the national team made it to the semifinals for the first time in the 14-year history of the competition.

To hear of a three-year plan that he has put in place is actually laughable and downright insulting. This year, we’ve never had any decent training grounds for us to practice on until recently when we trained at the Alabang Country Club and the International School of Manila. Even the simple matters such as processing the paperwork regarding our request for the release of the Armed Forces servicemen to national team duty cannot be done.

And now there is the matter of the former PFF president telling Asean Football Federation officials that we, the national team, cannot have our own home game, that we fought so hard for, to be played in front of our countrymen.

What a wasted opportunity!

This is not meant to be a laundry list to air out our grievances. Rather, we just want to set the record straight.

Thank you and mabuhay!


The Philippine Men's National Football Team: 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.