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 time 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, 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.
Posted by Rick Olivares
Bleachers' Brew
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WOW. The PFF needs to get its sh-- together. This is the NATIONAL team, the pinnacle of what the federation is supposed to support.
ReplyDeleteSome people I who was once a coach to a national team sent to Thailand for the SEA Games, was never got his pay and dues from ousted Mr. Martinez as the pres. of PFF. Some of the football books and CDs from FIFA are not given to Filipino coaches. Really Mr. Martinez should be drawn out of that office.- Joseph
ReplyDeletewhen the next pff congress comes, lets just boot mari out legally and put a capable interim prexy till the next pff election!!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck Azkals! Despite all the odds, you still played like warrior poets, for flag and country. Keep on playing and making us proud! Wherever you are playing, you'll have all of us behind you.
ReplyDeleteif panaad is not available, why not play our game at a neutral country. singapore or better yet vietnam, after vietnam plays the indons on the 15th which theyll most probably win, the viets will surely cheer for the pinoys on the 16th to win. that would be like playing at home with thousands cheering for us!!!
ReplyDeletePinoy AZKAL in Jakarta said...
ReplyDeleteIt boils down to money as stated by Mr. Martinez with his decision to give up our home games. Its a big let down that we cannot host a tournament of this caliber ... He simply does not see that an enthusiastic Pinoy crowd would gather to an excess of 40k to watch a home game ... tsk tsk tsk.
Is Mr. Martinez even a Filipino, a 100% pinoy and does he really aim for the development of football in the country or is this purely business???
The best alternate venue for the game would be Malaysia, I am a pinoy working & living in Indonesia. Malaysia & Indonesia has a history of rivalry be it in sports, economy, culture and etc... In my opinion we can take advantage of this, the Indonesian would surely be uncomfortable playing in a Malaysian environment but then again nothing beats home soil I hope this happens!!!
Let's take back the PFF for Filipinos and for the love of Pinoy Football. MABUHAY AZKALZ
To our MNT, Pilipinas laban! Here is the state of Filpino football. The MNT get no financial support from the PFF. The WNT has lost their ranking because they have been inactive for more than 18 months. So the PFF is not providing any funding for the MNT or WNT. We have players who are not picked for youth teams because their parents do not have money to pay for the trips. Coaches are not getting money that was promised to them. We have a new headquarters but we do not have a satisfactory field to play on. Martinez has been a complete failure. The MNT has earned success despite him. I know that our players must be shocked that their dream of running on to the field and hearing the anthem played in their country in front of their fans, has been taken away from them.
ReplyDeleteFUCK YOU MARI MARTINEZ!
ReplyDeleteJust posted on ABS-CBN:
ReplyDeletePresident Araneta (the man we recognize as the real president) accepted the offer of the VFF to host the home game. Still awaiting AFF reply...
Manuel Gelito Ott is a member of the team, too. He played 3 games in Laos and does not participate in Vietnam because of no school exemption
ReplyDeleteMabuhay kayo Azkals! You guys are heroes both on and off the pitch for taking this stand. Martinez doesnt deserve his position. FIFA should be ashamed of continuing to support this painful excuse of a federation head. You donated so much money to the PFF but we wont even play in the world cup qualifiers and wouldnt have even played in the Suzuki Cup if it wasnt for Dan palami. Has FIFA ever wondered what Martinexz is doing with all that money since none of it is going to the football team?
ReplyDelete