Negros XI: We never back down

THE Ceres–Negros Football team denied the reports that recently came out in a national daily that they withdrew from the All-Visayas Regionals of the Smart Club Championships, which kicked off Tuesday at Central Philippines University (CPU) football pitch in Iloilo.


According to the reports, there were last-minute withdrawals of Dumaguete and Bacolod teams, thus leaving the Stallion Football Club of Barotac Nuevo, Don Bosco United FC of Cebu and Laos FC of Leyte to battle for two slots in the next phase of the inaugural club competitions sponsored by Smart and organized by Philippine Football Federation (PFF).


In an interview over Bombo-Radyo Bacolod Thursday, Negros Team Assistant Coach Ramon Janeo strongly refuted the reports that they pulled out from the tournament.


“We never back down. In fact, we have already confirmed our participation in this tournament because we want the team to play. Not until May 10, while we were playing against Masbate in the PFF Suzuki U23 National Cup, that we heard that the Smart Club Championships started in Iloilo. We felt sad because we weren’t properly informed regarding the details and schedule of this tournament,” Janeo said.

The team also questioned the PFF committee handling this event why they were not notified since the PFF was also been here during the staging of the PFF Suzuki U23 National Cup last week.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) secretary-general Paulline Javelona said that she also denied the Negros team’s withdrawal.

“PFF did not even ask if NOFA was really withdrawing from the tournament or just be late in its arrival at the venue,” Javelona said.

However, Javelona said that Negros Team has also some lapses after they did not follow the event’s calendar.

“The Club Championship is scheduled May 10-15. If they (Negros Team) were not able to have that calendar of tournaments, they haven’t competed in the U23 Regionals,” she explained.

“This situation with the Club Championships is similar to that of the PFF Suzuki U23 National Cup Regionals. There was no proper information disseminated. The competing teams only made their initiatives of joining the leg in Dumaguete,” Javelona added.

But PFF tournament head Cyril Dofitas argued, saying that PFF has sent all the provincial football associations the communications regarding the schedules of competitions.

Janeo said that the Negros Team will discuss the possible actions they will have regarding this issue.

Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on May 13, 2011.