RIGHT after his talk, Carlo Rodriguez grabbed a chair in the farthest corner of the conference room and hunkered back to work.
“Good presentation,” I told Rodriguez, as he quietly tapped on his laptop while the meeting went on.
But “good” now seemed inadequate, considering that the first few lines he said before the Philippine Football Federation Board of Governors were perhaps the most impassioned delivered that day, muted only by his restraint.
As a member of the women’s football committee, Rodriguez presented the Women’s Program to the Board, with an appeal for support. Later that Saturday evening, the PFF appointed him to lead the committee.
Rodriguez’s new task is a daunting one: taking women’s football to a higher level. But he has a road map.
“First is we want to win internationally,” the former Ateneo standout said. “We’re looking at the coming SEA Games this year all the way to 2015, as well as the AFF Under-14, U16 and U19 competitions in 2012.”
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It really is not that daunting. Before they lost their FIFA ranking the WNT were approximately 80 places higher than the Azkals in world rankings. If top foreign based players who play in USA, Canada, and Australia are recruited, as well as a coach who is accustomed to dealing with high level female footballers then SEA Games gold and a top 40 FIFA ranking would be easy.
ReplyDeleteThe PFF, schools, and sponsors have to recognize that women's sports are important. Now THAT is a daunting task. I am reading articles in this blog about the Germans, Japanese, and private companies and individuals all promising money and assistance to the MEN'S national team. Women play football too. They could not even get a washing machine to wash their uniforms after practice.
Pinays in USA, Canada, and Australia grow up being told that women's sports are important and they grow up getting the same funding as boys. They also don't worry if their skin gets dark from the sun or that they might get a bruise.
Raising funds for grassroots development is tough but changing an attitude is cheap. Once the attitude is changed, hopefully the rest will follow.
How can you compare the WNT and MNT? WHat's your comparison? FIFA ranking? What's your point regarding "WNT ranked higher than MNT of a margin of 80"? Parang gender sensitivity na ata ang issue dito ah...
ReplyDeleteThe assistance as promised are intended for the PFF as a whole and not for the Azkals alone. So, I agree that it is up to the PFF Management to balance the act so to speak. However, The Azkals proved their worth during the Suzuki cup being semi-finalist - this was the turning point of the football fever nowadays...hence in order for the WNT to get attention, they also have to prove their worth yet... Pacquiao, Bata, Donaire and even the PHL Cagebelles(WNT Basketball) has proven their worth by bagging medals/crown... there is no such thing as shortcut to success...
Before this football frenzy, the Azkals and the Malditas were both similarly situated, they lack support, they don't even have a decent pitch for practice nonetheless, when the opportunity arose during the 2010 Suzuki Cup, the Azkals definitely took that challenge...
I support both the Azkals and Malditas, I was even there at MArikina football field cheering for the WNT back then... If the Malditas is up for the challenge to the upcoming tornaments by proving their worth, for sure, men and boys will go gaga over the Malditas just like girls going gaga over the Fil-for azkaleros... Let's us all support football as a whole dito sa Pinas! JOGA BONITO! PEACE!
what makes it daunting is to make the program sustainable. and the program involves down from the grassroots all the way to the seniors team. and you're right, every step of the way, attitudes must be changed. and the task never ends.
ReplyDeleteWomen's sports is very different from men's sports and it has a lot of philosophical and moral implications.
ReplyDeleteAt hindi lang yan problema sa football.
Think about it...bakit walang Women's PBA?
I think there's a general lack of interest in women's sports. In my university, when our women's basketball team won the UAAP championship, nobody cared.
of course, philosophical and moral implications from the dark ages. how medieval.
ReplyDeleteThe WNT has to prove their worth? They went to Hong Kong and beat and tied HK to move on to the next round of the AFC Cup. The futsal team won a bronze at the 2007 SEA Games. The WNT can beat teams like Singapore,Indonesia, and Malaysia even with meager funding. They lost to South Korea 4-0 but I think that qualifies as a good result. The MNT did not beat Singapore and Indonesia despite the money spent to bring in a English coach and players from around the world. It was Dan Palami's money so nobody can complain because it did not go to the WNT but it just goes to show that funding will produce results. What did the Azkals do to deserve funding prior to beating Vietnam? You cannot starve the MNT and WNT of funding and then complain that they haven't done anything to deserve funding. Australia, Canada, and USA treat women's football fairly. They are in the top 10 in the world. People pay to watch them play and their games are on television. It is the PFF, not the Philippines Men's Football Federation. Women should not have to make do with scraps from the men's table. Fund them and the trophies and medals will come. Even with scraps they will still beat Singapore and Indonesia.
ReplyDeleteSorry Jonny for failing to mention former World Cup and Olympic champions, Norway. I mentioned USA, Australia, and Canada because of the large numbers of pinay players who play at a much higher level than women in the AFC countries.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are a woman speaking, I suppose? You're comparing Indonesia and Singapore women/men alike? The MNT played in front of 60,000 hostile fans in GBK Stadium as well as in Vietnam! What do you imply that MNT cannot beat Singapore and Indonesia? Insulto yun ha!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not belittling the bronze medal of the WNT at the 2007 SEA games but futsal is just an offshoot of football! Football is still football!!!! What I'm trying to say is that the success of Azkals today is brought about by their performance in the recent Suzuki Cup which is the highlight of the SEA football scene.
"funding will produce results" insulto din sa Azkals yun ha pati kay Dan.. Pera pera lang ba ang football ngayon? In a way syempre nakatulong ang pera pero performance pa rin ang labanan dyan.. at the end of the match score pa rin ang binabasehan hindi ang pera na ginastos sa team..parang sour graping ka kasi sa funding ni Dan sa MNT eg....
Sa mga statement mo feminist kasi ang dating mo eh... Equality among equals!!! inaapply mo kasi literal ang equality eh...kung gusto mo sabihin mo lang single tayo football o futsal pustahan para magkaalaman na! Literal kasing equality gusto mo eh! O di kaya punta ka na lng sa bansa na inidolo mo!
No I am not a woman. Do you respect my opinion more because I am a man? I am not implying that the MNT cannot beat Singapore. The last time the WNT played Singapore they won 3-0. Beating Vietnam was a great result for the men. The last time I checked, the AFC Cup ranked ahead of the Suzuki Cup. Beating and tieing a 55th ranked team (Hong Kong) away is more impressive than beating a 130th ranked team. I am not putting the Azkals down, but even with meager resources, it is flat out incorrect to suggest that the women don't deserve equal respect to the men. The fact that they walk behind the flag and the anthem is played at their games should be enough for them to deserve respect.
ReplyDeleteAnd what do you think of me? Am I a man? or a woman? Would you also respect my opinion more if I am a man? You see, who in the first place is whining about ranking of the MNT and the WNT?...I cannot help but think that sobrang big deal talaga sa you ang rankings?!!?? In fact you're even bragging that "the WNT were approximately 80 places higher than the Azkals in world rankings" what's exactly your point then?
ReplyDeleteOfcourse, AFC Cup ranked ahead of the Suzuki Cup since AFC(Asian Football Fed) consists AFF(ASEAN Football Fed)!!!!!!...
You see, you clearly misunderstood the concept of equality among equals that's why ou're even comparing/treating the rankings of the MNT and the WNT the same...
Do you think the no. of participating countries in AFC Cup or even AFF Cup for men and women are the same?!!!? Have you forgotten that our ASEAN or even Asian (esp Middle East) neighbours are mostly Muslim states wherein patriarchal system governs the law on Islam thus limiting the role and rights of women? Have you seen the Pakistan WNT playing?... still covered by veil and wrapped by clothing from head to toe so that there would be less skin exposure... my point here is that some Asian conservative muslim states doesn't even have WNT! Therefore the participants in Womens AFC Cup are lesser in no. compared to Mens AFC Cup THAT'S WHY the Malditas is automatically eligible to play for the AFC Cup!
Ofcourse your putting the Azkals down! Just read and review the context of your statements again...if you mind...Nakaka-insulto yan!!!!!!!!!
If you read my statements there is no such word/s depicting any hint of disrespect towards the WNT...I even have a close relative being a former Malditas herself (a pure Filipino by the way)..and I personally know a no. of previous coach handling the WNT that's why I am always and still a proud supporter of the Malditas. Hence there is no way nor I am suggesting that "women don't deserve equal respect to men." You're not even sure what my gender is.
Truth of the matter is you're just insecure when it comes to the Azkal's success and you're even putting them down, it even boils down to Dan's financial assistance by your so called "funding will produce result" theory.
I don't want to argue about the Azkals and i wish them the best. They had the funds to fly in players and coaches from around Europe and North America. I am not jealous and that is how a team should be run. If the WNT gets the funds to bring in a foreign coach, and top foreign based players, I would expect results. If the plan for the SEA Games is to develop preteen girls and have the older girls go to the same school so that they can car pool then the WNT is doomed.
ReplyDeleteNowhere in the Sun Star article was it part of the plan to bring in top overseas based talent. Why? Because they don't have the money. Everything is going to the MNT airlift. Without the Palami money the Azkals go back to struggling against teams like Maldives. God bless him for his efforts. I hope that soon we see every boy and girl in the country kicking a ball. In the meantime, the top "pure filipina" players in the world play overseas. Some will come at their own expense. If you want the rest of the top pinay players, you are going to have to pay for their airfare. (like the MNT does)
"Without the Palami money the Azkals go back to struggling against teams like Maldives" --- wtf!!!
ReplyDeleteI dare you! Say that in-front of the MNT kung hindi ka kukuyugin!!!.. Mukha kang pera kasi! Akala mo lahat madadaan sa pera....
When it comes to other Asian or even Asean countries, do they have half-blood players in the WNT?? How bout foreign coach/es? BTW, Pinoy ka ba? O nagpipinoy-pinoyan lang?
Even before Dan, Both the MNT and the WNT sometimes pay the expenses out of their own pocket, that fact is already a common knowledge.
Do you honestly think that thru "funding" will get result then? Hay naku, sa kaiisip mo ng pera lalo lang makukurakot yan ng mga magnanakaw diyan sa puwesto. Pera-pera lang ba yan?
hEY @jonny sir, I would like to propose a voting here..
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When it comes to Philippine Football as a sport, which of the two will make a greater impact? Choose only one.
1. funding will produce result;
2. performance will produce result.
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What is it with you and "half blood" players? Would it make you happier to know that Patrice and Angeline Impelido are "full blood"? That Castro and Dayot, who played with Angeline in Hong Kong are "full blood"? I know Thailand brings a girl in from Colombia to play for them. They also pay for her family to come. Castro's goal can be seen on youtube. Angeline scored as well.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to be "half blood" to be able to play women's football at a high level. You do need training, diet, proper coaching, experience, and a high level of competition. You also need a plane ticket if you are going to go from North America to Manila. No plane ticket, no player. Would you be in favor of funding travel to bring in foreign based players for the WNT if they were "pure blood"? I have no problem telling anyone that without Dan's funding the team would be back to struggling against teams like Maldives. They did struggle against Maldives. James and Phil were refusing to play for the MNT because financial commitments made to them were not kept. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Dan Palami. Without money there would be no James and Phil. Greatwich would have been back in New York instead of scoring against Singapore. I am sure in the next few years Qatar will put together a pretty good team. How? Oil money will buy players. I am sorry if it offends anyone to suggest that money has anything to do with putting a successful team on the pitch. Make sure that you don't watch the EPL. If you learn that the best teams are the teams that spend the most money you will be crushed.
Ikaw pa ba yung dati na anonymous? O nakisawsaw ka lang? Otherwise stay out ka na lng...Why? what's your problem with me stating that my relative is in fact pure-Filipino? Eh proud kmi na isa sya na sa line-up na pure-pinoy may problema ka ba? ha?
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against Fil-For, in fact the team badly needed their presence because of their skill and conditioning...what can you expect from the locals eh wla nga tayong league? much more decent facilities....
HEnce, ofcourse I am proud and will always be proud of the fact that this relative of mine has made it to be one of the Malditas considering that she is just a local, a homegrown.... Imagine, even without proper training and facilities, by just sheer determination she just made it....
Pag-makadiscuss ka ng EPL akala mo kung sino kang may alam... FYI, last year, I am fortunate enough to watch two EPL match LIVE in Stoke!!! I am updated of the recent splurge of cash in the EPL this transfer window...Binasa mo ba yung discussion namin sa itaas? This is with respect to the Football scene here in RP...my view is that good performance first then funding will follow while anonymous is of the view otherwise...get's mo?
Terrific to see such a passionate debate.
ReplyDeleteWomen's football has been around in Europe for decades. It gets financial support from top league clubs and governmental sports grants yet spectator numbers have never increased.
Two simple reasons: 1. It's not televised. In this modern age any sport not shown on the box becomes marginalised. 2. For practical reasons games must be played on the same days and same times as men's matches. Sorry ladies, even 11 beauty queens could never distract a loyal supporter from watching his local home town team.
It must be a tough job to try to put a brave face on what is happening with the WNT. Carlo Rodriguez has a road map while at NAIA jets are arriving daily with new MNT prospects. They really need to come up with a better plan than having college students go to the same school so they can get to practice more easily. Obviously women playing in universities in Canada and USA can't be expected to quit school and their teams so that they can attend school in Manila. He may have a road map but it looks like the WNT is on foot.
ReplyDelete