Focused on winning the crown despite controversies hounding the tournament, the Ceres-Negros Under-23 football team blew away Iloilo, 9-0, (12-goal aggregate) in the final game of the Philippine Football Federation Suzuki Men’s National Under-23 Championship at the Panaad Park and Stadium pitch yesterday.
Before an estimated 3,000 crowd at the stadium that included Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., Philippine Sports Commission chairman Ricardo “Richie” Garcia, Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Monico Puentevella, former PFF president Rene Adad, Vallacar Transit Inc. top executive Ricardo Yanson, and Suzuki president Satoshi Uchida, the Negros XI dominated and humbled their archrival Iloilo.
“The circumstances leading to the finals motivated our players to play well before the homecrowd. I know they will make more goals but not as many as 9,” Negros head coach Norman Fegidero Jr. said.
He was referring to the initial decision of the PFF Competitions Committee to nullify the decision that allowed two 15-minute extensions during the May 19 first game of the home-and-away finals at the Central Philippine University field in Iloilo. Regulation ended 1-1.
Negros won the game, 3-1, after scoring two more goals during the extensions, while two Iloilo players were issued red cards or an automatic suspension from playing in the final game at the Panaad pitch.
The initial nullification of the extension periods took away Negros’ cushion of two-goals and allowed the suspended Iloilo players back into the game.
In a statement released to the media yesterday, the PFF said that after careful consideration with Negros and Iloilo team officials, it was agreed that the final score 3-1 during the May 19 game with all the corresponding cautions and suspensions will stand.
“The decision has affected our players. They played with a very low morale tonight,” Iloilo team manager JR Robles told reporters after the game.
He said the organizers should be blamed for not taking control of the decision and everybody should learn their lesson.
“We hope to bounce from this setback and do our best in the other tournaments such as the ongoing Under-19 men’s championship,” Robles added.
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It's a shame that officials of the game are ignorant of the rules. They should go for more seminars...
ReplyDeleteIt takes two to tango. The organizers are partly are fault for not resolving the issue before it got out of hand. Their lack of leadership magnified the problem, thus somewhat tainting Negros' victory. However, to avoid inviting any controversies, teams must follow the rules by having only eligible players playing for their teams. Anyone involved in any level of cheating MUST NEVER be allowed to be a part of football in any capacity.
ReplyDeleteThe Suzuki U23 Cup finals will be featured tonight on Balls TV Game day at 830pm. Replay tomorrow at 730am
ReplyDeleteOrganizers should inform all teams about the rules before the start of tournament to avoid controversial surprises later on.
ReplyDeleteA little learning is a dangerous thing. How can some of the people here say that there was cheating involved when Iloilo was in fact the only team that submitted its roster a week before the competition started as required by the rules. None of the other teams submitted their lineups on time. NCR violated a rule by not going through the regular elimination stages. NOFA violated a rule when it fielded players who were not issued player release forms from their respective Clubs and FAs. Should I go on? In defense of Iloilo, there is no prohibition in the rules disallowing an FA from picking up its own homegrown players. I believe what NCR and NOFA are referring to, is the rule prohibiting teams from picking-up players of other FAs or teams in the regionals who did not play in said competition. Logic and common sense was not a familiar site in this competition, I tell you. Right Mr. Red Avelino? What was NCR and NOFA so afraid of? A complete Iloilo team with its full complement of players. Why? Because we have the best players as evidenced by our bevy of azkals players and the fact that NCR and NOFA have Iloilo players who were forced to play for them because of their scholarships... Don't believe all the gossip that you hear. Before showing the enormity of your brain, do some research. Its not bad for the health. Try it.
ReplyDeleteI agree a little learning is a dangerous thing. There was no violation committed by NCR for not going thru the regular elimination stages and having 2 teams in the national final rounds. The rules were laid down by PFF and NCR complied with ALL the rules. NCR had no say or influence in crafting the rules. The tournament rules were done by an Ilonggo.
ReplyDeleteThere should be no problem in verifying this fact with PFF. If however there is any denial on the PFF side then please asked the PFF to publicly deny such claims or have their statement documented and I am sure the NCR will act on the matter in the appropriate manner. You are barking up the wrong tree.
The violation of Iloilo was they fielded 3 players that were not in their official line-up of 18 players submitted to PFF a week before the competition. In short they were not registered with the PFF to participate in this particular tournament. There should be no doubt regarding this violation as the PFF disallowed these players to continue to play---such decision only confirms the violation. The eligibility rule is clear. Register a maximum of 18 players. Players may play for their province ( birth place) or for their present club or team. Only registered players are allowed to participate.
The NCR and NOFA have great respect for Iloilo but the eligibility and tournament rules must be respected and all must comply
How did NCR determine its number 1 and number 2 teams? Was there a seeding process? The roster submitted by Iloilo 1 week before the tournament included the 3 players which were disallowed to play. Iloilo did not counter the protests because the organizers and sponsors were pleading with them to just let the tournament continue without hindrance. Iloilo was shielding the PFF President from any controversy and that is why it played against NCR and NOFA despite the fact that it had every right to field those players. Please go check with the PFF and you will see how complete the documentation of Iloilo is. Who cares if an Ilonggo made the rules? The overall coordinator was from NCR and the committee chairman was from Dumaguete, so what now? The fact still remains that the organizers bungled this tournament with their shenanigans. Next time, don't pull out rules and statements from your behind, know the truth. It's refreshing.
ReplyDeleteIf Iloilo did not field any ineligible player there is no reason to shield anyone including the PFF President. Although the PFF President is from Iloilo it doesn’t mean he had anything to do with the controversy-----no one is accusing the PFF President for any wrong doing.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t make sense that Iloilo will not insist in fielding these players if they were eligible. It doesn’t also make sense that the 3 players were disallowed by PFF if they were eligible. Complaints were filed and the decision taken by PFF favored the complainants. How much clearer can that get?
The protests filed by the 2 PFA’s were based on documents. The official line-up submitted to the PFF by Iloilo did not include the 3 players.
This document was double checked and compared to copies of Official Match Reports that covered all matches from the Visayas Regional Qualifiers until the National Final Rounds. All these documents particularly the match reports supported the complaints against the 3 players. The documents revealed that Iloilo used more than 18 players during the duration of the whole tournament which is in violation of the tournament rules and that the 3 players were not registered with Iloilo or any other team since the start of the tournament. The 3 players names only began to appear in the line-up based on the Match Reports during the Quarter Finals and onwards.
On the issue of how NCR determined its Number 1 & 2 team that matter should be addressed to the concerned association.
1. NOFA was accusing the PFF of protecting Iloilo and threatened to forfeit their match after its decision to void the extra time.
ReplyDelete2. The line-up submitted to the PFF contained 21 players. Please cite the violations you are talking about. Don't invent rules.
3. NCR played a total of 19 players after picking up a player from their NCR A team in their match against Iloilo.
4. There were no formal protests recognized by the organizers. Just agreements between the teams and organizers so that the games could proceed as scheduled.
PFF Memo
ReplyDelete28 February 2011
Subject: PFF Men's National U23 and U79 championships
IV. Team Composition
Each team shall consist of ONLY the following:
a. 18 players
b, Two coaches
c. Two other Team officials
II. Eligibility
e. Player Selection
i. Team that qualifies to the Group Stage Eliminations and Regional Qualifying
Rounds may select from other clubs or teams belonging to their association.
ii. Team that qualifies to the National Finals may select from the clubs or teams
belonging to their specific clusters and/or regions, PROVIDED THAT THE SAID PLAYER/S PARTICIPATED IN THE REGIONAL QUALIFYING ROUNDS.
VIOLATION OF ILOILO: SECTION IV Letter A
SECTON II LETTER E Paragraph 2 (in BOLD LETTERS)
How was Iloilo able to register 21 players when the PFF Official Registration Form/Team List Form was number 1-18?
Anonymous “There were no formal protests recognized by the organizers. Just agreements between the teams and organizers so that the games could proceed as scheduled.”
There were formal protests filed by 2 PFA’s based on the eligibility rules and likewise a protest by Iloilo as acknowledged by the PFF in its Memo dated 21 May 2011. Why were they not recognized by PFF?
Why did the PFF tolerate negotiations or agreements between teams and organizers when the PFF positions stated in the say memo of May 21 “THE RULES WHICH HAVE BEEN LAID DOWN AND MADE KNOWN TO ALL CANNOT BE CHANGED BY MERE AGREEMENT OF TEAMS, TEAM COACHES AND THE COMMISSIONER.”
The U23 is a National Tournament and PFF as a member of FIFA has to comply with the general rules set by FIFA to comply with the fundamental principles of the law of the game.
If there was a violation in the eligibility rule even if it had escaped the match officials such violations should still be addressed by the appropriate bodies when there attentions were called and the appropriate sanction applied as dictated in the PFF Catalogue of Punishments. To support this statement please check out FIFA DC Article 77 and PFF Catalogue of Punishments Section 1 Number 6.
Anonymous “NOFA was accusing the PFF of protecting Iloilo and threatened to forfeit their match after its decision to void the extra time”
I cannot speak officially for NOFA but when I was in Barotac I was able to understand the position of NOFA. The perception that PFF was protecting Iloilo emanated from the 1st protest filed by NCR. It was clearly established that the 2 players of Iloilo were ineligible but the appropriate sanction was not applied, and then NOFA discovered a 3rd unregistered player who played against NCR in the Semis. As it is known these players were only disallowed to continue to play in the Final competition which is not in accordance with the PFF Catalogue of Punishments which dictates forfeiture as the minimum sanction.
NOFA also asked if the extra time during the first leg favored Iloilo would the PFF have reversed their decision.
-Why are you raising the same VAGUE and AMBIGUOUS rule? Does the rule address the selection of players from your own FA? NO. Read the earlier posts...
ReplyDelete- So, if you select 5 more players from the other teams or clubs as permitted by the rules, you commit a violation because the you will then be fielding a total of 23 players? Wow! Common sense is not so common after all..
- Submitting a line up of 21 is very uncommon since what is usually allowed in competitions of this format is 30 players. Just like the Suzuki Cup the Philippines participated in. You just select 18 every game...
- WHAT THE PFF AND FIFA SHOULD PUNISH IS TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS FRATERNIZING AND NEGOTIATING WITH OTHER TEAMS BEFORE THE CHAMPIONSHIP. I HAVE WITNESSES THAT TELL ME THAT RED AVELINO, THE OVERALL TOURNAMENT HEAD WENT TO THE HOTEL ROOM OF NOFA MANAGEMENT TO DISCUSS WITH THEM HOW DAN PALAMI IS NOT INTENT ON SUPPORTING THE SEA GAMES TEAM AND HOW THE YANSON BROS SHOULD TAKE OVER AND HAVE FIGEDERO COACH... KONTING DELICADEZA NAMAN DIYAN! DINIDISCUSS NYO NA SEA GAMES WALA PA NGANG CHAMPION...