MANILA, Philippines — The Asean Football Federation (AFF) has thrown out the appeal of the Philippine Football Federation to hold the Suzuki Cup semifinals between the Philippines and Indonesia in Bacolod City and reaffirmed that the two semifinal matches on December 16 and 19 will be both held at the Geloga Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The supposed home-and-away encounter that could have given the country a chance to host a historic game on home soil was denied after the AFF concluded that the country does not have a football field that meets international standards.
The Philippines had earlier hoped that a neutral country could host the first game – in this case Vietnam – which has accepted a request from the Philippines.
But this, too, was turned down by the Asian federation.
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) head Mariano Araneta on Friday said the AFF decision was approved by ousted PFF president Jose Mari Martinez, reportedly still recognized by FIFA as the association head.
Martinez was voted out of office by PFF directors during a recent meeting but Martinez appealed the results to FIFA which reportedly ordered another election.
The PFF, under Araneta’s leadership, immediately sent an e-mail message to the AFF Friday morning to reverse the decision, but the AFF answered on the same day that the decision to bring the matches in Indonesia is final.
Araneta added they tried their "best to bring the match in the country,” and said that the local government of Negros, the provincial football association there, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee agreed to provide everything to make it possible.
“Facing Indonesia is already tough for our team; playing against them in Jakarta makes it a harder task,” Araneta said.
“But our team is strong. I believe that they can handle it and they won’t get distracted with whatever is happening in the association right now.”
Manila Bulletin
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5 hours ago
Martinez, AFF, and FIFA are all a bunch of corrupt idiots who only care about money and not the game.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Azkals! You'll need it in Indonesia twice. Hope that the referees for both matches will be fair. However, I think that calls will not favour the Azkals for both games.
Out with Martinez!!!
Corruption in the PFF is a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteBut considering that they have an excellent manager, corruption should not affect the Azkals, especially if and when they get their own stadium.
Kawawa nga lang si Dan Palami. Milyun-milyon na siguro ang nadonate nya sa Azkals. Kaya nga tulad ng sabi sa isang article na nabasa ko, isa ngang SAVIOR si Mr. Palami.
And seeing that the Azkals are now more successful than ever, rich people (whom I hope are also football fans) should be jumping at the chance to help build a stadium for them.
I'd also like updates on how the renovations in Rizal Memorial Stadium are going. I know that DLSU is helping finance the project in exchange for access for their athletes, but I'd like to know when they expect to finish.
It couldve been in Vietnam at least! This is like sending our boys off to no man's land. Filipinos will be very disappointed with Martinez! Shame on you!
ReplyDeletecan the articles please not confuse ASIAN with ASEAN. thank you.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, for all you who are so fast to believe anything that is written, must realize that the problem in the association were masterminded by the Araneta Camp. They have schemed all this for a very long time. Araneta always wanted the position for president of PFF and he was going to get it no matter who he destroyed along the way. but that is the way he is even in the business world, because he has no ethics and integrity. We the business sector know this.
ReplyDeleteMr Araneta can not even offer Barotac football center where he was suppose to be responsible for building a good one with superior materials but instead used inferior materials in building it. How can FIFA and AFC trust you.
Whoever said that Dan Palami is an excellent manager. Who is he fooling. He makes everybody believe that he was the one who spent for everything. I hope his conscience bothers him, if he has one. If you think he is SAVIOR, I pity the fate of the Philippine team. He is so big headed and thinks he owns the team as he likes to brag. He has forgotten who put him there.
What has happened to the Philippine Team. Whatever happened to their manners. How easily they are persuaded in thinking that this so called"new management" of PFF really cares for them.
Some media people asked Martinez if the Philippine team already paid courtesy to him who is the recognized PFF president by FIFA and AFC. Martinez said no and he tried to call each one of them but they would not answer their phones which we believe were instructions of Palami and the Araneta camp.
Is the Philippine Team now against FIFA and AFC? Is this the same Philippine team that Martinez put together, the team that he fought for when everybody was against him bringing in the imports. Even Araneta and his group were against bringing in the imports as he wanted it to be all pure filipinos. Now the so called Araneta administration iskissind the soles of the feet of the imports and promising them the heavens. Isn't that poetic justice.
The Philippine team together with their so called manager have joined the Araneta camp in making sure they leave out Martinez in the cold.
The Philippine Team better wake up and not be fooled by Palami and the Araneta camp.
Dont let the victory give you swelled heads to cloud your judgements, Azkals. You seem to have short memories.
To the idiot who wrote that Martinez, AFF, and FIFA are all a bunch of corrupt idiots who only care about money and not the game, were you talking about Araneta, Borromeo, Romualdez and Palami? Because the description fits them to the T.
ReplyDeleteOut with the Araneta Administration!
It will be held at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia. NOT GeloGa
ReplyDeleteI do accept the sad truth that the Philippines does not have stadia that fully passes international standards.
ReplyDeleteI just hope that the mess that the PFF is in will sort itself out before they get suspended by FIFA.
To that Anonymous guy who wants to convince us that its not Martinez's fault. You better stop, we know its his fault. We dont want him around anymore. Its also good to hear that the Azkals did not talk to Martinez after the game, he doesnt deserve any recognition. The football community doesnt recognize him anymore, and its also good to hear that he is not left out in the cold, that he deserves.
ReplyDeletePeople we should look for ways how to get rid of this Martinez.
let me change this, typo error
ReplyDeleteThe football community doesnt recognize him anymore, and its also good to hear that he is "NOW" left out in the cold, that he deserves.
xyz100 here.
ReplyDeleteTo the Martinez supporter above:
“First of all, for all you who are so fast to believe anything that is written, must realize that the problem in the association were masterminded by the Araneta Camp. They have schemed all this for a very long time. Araneta always wanted the position for president of PFF and he was going to get it no matter who he destroyed along the way. but that is the way he is even in the business world, because he has no ethics and integrity. We the business sector know this.”
Nothing wrong with wanting the PFF presidency, and as a matter of fact it’s good to have ambition. And it’s especially good if the goal is to replace INCOMPETENCE! I would applaud destroying incompetence in order to further the progress of football.
Incompetence is a recurring theme in what I read about Martinez, and a second description is astonishment that someone in that position could actually be so utterly incompetent. The astonishment is slowly wearing off, however, just because I’ve seen so many instances already.
“Whoever said that Dan Palami is an excellent manager. Who is he fooling. He makes everybody believe that he was the one who spent for everything. I hope his conscience bothers him, if he has one. If you think he is SAVIOR, I pity the fate of the Philippine team. He is so big headed and thinks he owns the team as he likes to brag. He has forgotten who put him there.”
If you are contradicting the fact that Dan Palami spent money on the team, I’d like to hear more about it.
“Some media people asked Martinez if the Philippine team already paid courtesy to him who is the recognized PFF president by FIFA and AFC. Martinez said no and he tried to call each one of them but they would not answer their phones which we believe were instructions of Palami and the Araneta camp.”
Well, well, well, it just goes to show how incompetent Martinez is in handling the PR situation. If Palami is getting all the media attention, if Palami is spreading the word that they got no word of support from PFF, if Palami is instructing others not to answer phones (I don’t know if this is true) just so he can maintain that Martinez didn’t talk to them, it just goes to show that Palami is many levels above in handling the PR. If Martinez cannot manage the PR, which comes with the position, then he doesn’t deserve to be in the position.
Incompetence…..
“The Philippine team together with their so called manager have joined the Araneta camp in making sure they leave out Martinez in the cold.”
This is a good thing for Philippine football.
Reading this post I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Mr. Martinez himself who wrote it. Doesn’t matter. Here are more example of incompetence:
1. Lending PFF funds to friends for “safekeeping.” Ridiculous. Corruption at worse, incompetence at the very least.
2. Talking about McMenemy’s replacement in the middle or the start of the tournament. What’s in his brain?
3. Discussing gate receipts to justify the away/away decision. Stupid manegerial move. Money is important, but there are more important things than gate receipts or talking about it when the fans want to see the Azkals. A real manager wouldn’t even bring up that idea in public.
4. No vision – he is squarely to blame for not having a stadium ready in the case that the Azkals would go to the semis. At the minimum he should’ve opted for a neutral site instead of the away/away situation that he approved.
There’s many more, some tiny things, but when you add them all up it paints a clear picture that Martinez is INCOMPETENT.
Martinez – please leave.
Finally we hear from the other side. To the folks defending Martinez here, why not hurl your accusations at the next congress and defend your man in front of your peers. The public is eager for facts. But as it stands, and all readers can see this, your story is just that, a story. So far we've read of accomplishments from Martinez himself, but it all reeks of self-aggrandizement.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'd rather see a nearly 100% overhaul of the football organization. There still remain, too many "experts" who have done so much for football that we have neither a decent stadium nor a development program that will create the next crop of Younghusbands and de Jongs (sarcasm mine). As patriotic as these young men are, the reliance on foreign-bred talent cannot be a sustainable program.
The problem of the PHL team is the problem of our country. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteto the anonymous guy who defending martinez. you are so into Maris' pocket that you do not realize you're on his spell. snap out of it, or maybe you're plainly Mari Martinez in disguise. anyways i don't care, tell me this if Mari love so much filipino football, if he's a true football player, if thinks he created this DREAM team. then why the hell did he put our boys in the lions' den? gave them the dis advantage of an Away & Away game for indonesia. and his reason is to get a gate share of the match? how bout his share? this is worst than match fixing, at least it's done secretively. this one is, in tagalog, "harap harapan". nakakahiya!
ReplyDeleteYes the problem of one is the problem of the other. There is so much that needs to be overcome.
ReplyDeleteits hard to argue with someone who turns a blind eye. the truth is that the football community has spoken and that man, if he is one, shouldn't be there anymore.
ReplyDeletelet us rally behind our azkals. go azkals.
The PFF needs to be overhauled or else it will always be dysfunctional no matter who is in charge. All the FAs need to work together to develop the right infrastructure (stadiums, training facilities, development programs) at home. Hopefully, with some of this success, there might be some additional corporate financial help since we might lose FIFA money thanks to a certain individual. Regarding the future of the NT, Philippine United FC in England is not the answer. We still might be able to find foreign-based players with Pinoy blood but that should not be the basis in forming the NT. The priority is getting the house in order and developing the game here in the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteFor goodness sake, the PFF website is a mess. It looks like it hasn't been updated for months. There are a lot of broken links. How sad. There is nothing about the Azkals recent success.
For now though, let's cheer the Azkals on and worry about the PFF after the tournament is over.
To the id*t above who posted this: "Whoever said that Dan Palami is an excellent manager. Who is he fooling. He makes everybody believe that he was the one who spent for everything."
ReplyDeleteMay I ask you: where is Azkals now?
And you? what do you have to show for Pinoy football? If there is any?
The football community in the Philippines have spoken already, we dont want Martinez anymore. Its not the Local FA/Congress ousting him now, its the community as a whole.
ReplyDeleteAMEN
ReplyDeleteWho is this idiot defending Martinez? You sound really familiar..I dont think your a filipino. If you want credibility, show a picture of yourself and tell us your real name. Martinez is a sham..he is trying to save face and the whole Philippine team has officially denied his so called efforts and ghost 3 year plan. He couldnt call or text the players because he knew he hadnt lifted a finger to help them yet he tells everyone who cares to listen that he was the one responsible for their success. If that was true why cant he even pose for a picture with them ..they have been on TV and front pages this whole week. Ang kapal ng mukha. Which credible federation head would pass up this photo op? No one would but thats because he is not CREDIBLE. You paid for your hospital bills and groceries out of the funds that were suppose to go to the azkals. Now you sold them out AGAIN together with every football loving filipino by agreeing to hold both matches in Indonesia. Vietnam was offering to shoulder all expenses. Why not Singapore or Malaysia where there is a sizeable OFW population??!! Huwag mo kami gaguhin !! Ugok!!
ReplyDeleteThat "idiot" is relating a story contrary to facts, speculating and spinning. Now if he were to provide some factual references, then maybe we would be believable.
ReplyDeletecorrection: maybe HE would be believable.
ReplyDeletebaka si ronnie nathalnielz yan. ahahahahaha
ReplyDeleteI think, Martinez is an unpatriotized man and also stupid person.
ReplyDeleteI read statement from news media in Indonesia. The statement said that "Indonesia will not gives ALL gate receipts to PFF(Martinez) because the organization that wants the match helded at jakarta is PFF itself".
So, he will get nothing !!