Villaflor: Martinez chides ‘stubborn’ CFA

By Noel S. Villaflor

SOMEONE’S in a really bad mood these days.

A couple of nights ago, an e-mail with an attached letter from the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) popped up in the Footnote inbox.

The letter, a PDF file dated Aug. 3, 2010, was addressed to Cebu Football Association (CFA) president Richard Montayre. It bore the PFF letterhead and was signed by PFF president Jose Mari Martinez. Copies were furnished to the CFA board of directors and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Vision Asia Department.

Martinez apparently is furious that the CFA has been directly writing the AFC to inquire about the Vision Philippines project with Cebu as pilot area.

The PFF president’s letter begins: “Enough is enough.”

(Before I continue, allow me say that those three words are a real classic. It grabs the recipient by the scruff and makes him pay attention as he quakes in his socks.)

“The PFF has been very lenient and accommodating to the needs of CFA to survive as a pilot project in the AFC Vision Philippines program. You have been advised countless times that anything that has to do with AFC must be coursed through the PFF so we can review the documents and support and follow the Vision Program,” says Martinez.

“Apparently as I understand, you are not clear with my English language,” he adds.

Martinez then cites meetings in Kuala Lumpur and Cebu where they supposedly discussed these matters.

The CFA launched the Vision Philippines-Cebu project last January. Several weeks later, the project ground to a halt. The reason: the PFF failed to send funds for the project, the CFA claimed.

The PFF, however, insists: “You very well know that the direction of the Vision Cebu/Philippines is geared more towards Football Development, and this has also been stressed by AFC in letters they sent, but you choose to insist otherwise. If you have coursed all these through the proper channels, this could have been avoided,” Martinez says.

“Further, may I remind you again that the AFC Vision Asia program is not a financial assistance program. As such, there is no financial subsidy from AFC in this regard.”

Granted the CFA did err in “bypassing” channels of communication, one can’t help but ask: Why did the CFA bypass the PFF in the first place?

Another point that confuses me is the PFF’s statement that the programs are not “financial assistance” programs but are “geared more towards football development.”

But how in the world can anyone pursue development of this magnitude without funds?

In his letter, Martinez admits that the AFC released 50 percent of the P10 million that the AFC president pledged during the PFF Congress in 2008, with the balance supposed to be released in 2009.

“Please be reminded that this token was given under the good graces of the AFC president and to only assist in the initiatives and events under the said program. PFF
was given a guideline on the budget allocation for the project,” he says.

I wonder, do the guidelines say distribution of the funds also depends on the “good graces” of the PFF president?

Apparently, the CFA board’s convictions have left Martinez in a foul mood.

“Because of the present pressing relationship between PFF and your association, and your stubbornness to continue to directly deal with the AFC instead of PFF, shows me a clear picture of your arrogance. It has also left me no choice but to decide for CFA to go on its own directions towards Vision Philippines.”

The PFF gave the CFA two days to respond why the PFF should take “drastic moves to your actions.”

Last Thursday evening, the CFA Board reportedly met and replied to the PFF through e-mail. It also furnished copies “to all the FAs in the country” as well as media outlets. However, Sun.Star Cebu Sports and the Footnote inbox have yet to receive any copy. So we wait.

(nsvillaflor@gmail.com)

Sun Star Cebu