30 March 2012

Limpag: Will we see the end of factionalism in CFA?

By Mike T. Limpag

Fair Play

Friday, March 30, 2012

I THOUGHT Cebu Football Association president Richard Montayre was joking when he told me last week he saw my names among the nominees for today’s CFA elections, so I didn’t really pay that much attention.

Imagine my surprise when I learned Richard wasn’t joking and I’m really one of the nominees.

To whoever nominated me, thanks, but no thanks.

I am withdrawing the nomination, since, one, I have no business being with the CFA board, it raises a lot of conflicts of interests and two, just because I have a column on football doesn’t mean I should be in the board.

What am I supposed to do there? Pester Dan Palami daily until he makes Cebu his permanent home?

That doesn’t mean, of course, a journalist isn’t qualified to sit on the board, as three others—including one I unabashedly said I’d support a few columns back—are nominated.

Yes, I love the sport and I want to see the CFA succeed but I rather like my current role and besides, I think I can serve local football better doing what I’ve always done—writing about it, criticizing things I don’t like and praising the CFA for things I liked.

Aside from my name, I was also surprised to see Richard and Bro. Mari Aberasturi among the list of nominees, since the last time we talked about the elections, it seems they’d rather run a 160K ultra than run in one.

Perhaps they had a change of mind or perhaps, like me, they didn’t know they were nominated?

As for me, guys who didn’t know they were nominated shouldn’t be running because there is so much at stake in today’s elections, there’s no room for surprise nominees or double talk. Guys who are nominated should be those who are ready to take the job, not those who get a nasty surprise when they see the list of nominees.

Anyway, whoever gets elected today, I hope they will get the support of the community.

The last four years weren’t exactly rosy for the sport because of the factions and another four years of that is what we DON’T need. I’d rather run the 160K than go through four more years of infighting.

Despite the infighting, we’ve made some strides. Imagine the things Cebu football could have done if the community had been united.

So good luck with today’s elections and I hope the CFA gets a fresh start and support
of the community it serves.

And oh, in case you missed my point, I’m not running.

UFL. Aside from the elections, another thing to look forward to today is the UFL action in Manila—Global vs. Kaya, and Loyola vs. Philippine Air Force.

Global, Kaya and Loyola all have 18 points and are only separated by goal difference, 21 for Loyola, 13 for Global and 8 for Kaya.

UFL Cup winners Air Force is seventh with seven points and could vault to fifth with an upset over Loyola.

Cebu Queen City, too, has a 6 p.m. match against the Lions, which sits second to the last in Division 2, and I see another rout for the Cebuanos.

A win for Cebu will boost its hold of the third spot in Division 2, before they take on the leaders Pachanga and Diliman anew in the second round of matches.

By the way, I’m interested who Dan Palami will list as his sub keeper in today’s game as his starting keeper, Paolo Pascual, is on a six-week rest and Global only has Jerome Etoundi as the other keeper. And according to their former coach, Etoundi has two red cards in three starts.

I wonder how Carli de Murga would fare against Nate Burkey?

(www.cebufootball.blogspot.com)


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 31, 2012

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