PFF BOG in Cebu

THE first Board of Governors meeting of the new Philippine Football Federation administration will be held in Cebu City on Jan. 29.

BOG member and Cebu Football Association president Richard MOntayre said the board will have a lot of things to tackle as they try to chart the new path for the PFF.

“We are planning to make the BOG meeting, quarterly instead of annually. We will have two in the Visayas, one in Manila and Mindanao,” Montayre told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview yesterday.

One of the things they will discuss this Jan. 29 is the proposed Under 19 and Under 23 national tournaments.

“Most of these players (U23, U19) are in college, and we are looking for ways to come up with these tournaments before the school year ends,” Montayre said.

The PFF will scout players for the Southeast Asian Games this November in Jakarta in the U23 and U19 tournaments. If the tournament pushes through, it will be the first national tournament by the PFF since the former president scrapped these events in 2008.

Aside from that, the BOG will also tackle the schedules of the national teams, the reassignment of the different committees and the proposed budget this year.

According to Montayre, he will get the grassroots development committee, while Vic Emperado will head the competitions committee.

“Daghan ka-ayo mi i-tackle,” said Montayre.

Unlike the previous administration, when funds were allocated annually, this year, the PFF is planning to allocate funds every quarter, to coincide with the planned quarterly meeting of the BOG.

“Para na-a dayun follow-up,” Montayre said.

As for the Cebu teams in the proposed U19 and U23 tournaments, Montayre is thinking of having the five coaches in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. come up with a selection or to hold a two-day 11-a-side football festival that will serve as a trial.

Montayre said he will also meet national team manager Dan Palami to discuss the planned visit and 10-day camp of the Philippine national team.

Aside from the Aboitiz Sports Field and the Don Bosco Boys Home in Liloan, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu has also offered its facilities to host the 10-day camp.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on January 13, 2011.