AFS captures men’s Open crown

By Jasmine W. Payo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

AFS captured the men’s open championship after downing Far Eastern University, 2-1, in the Alaska Football Cup 2012 yesterday at Ayala Alabang Country Club fields.

Led by Most Valuable Player Matthew Hartmann, AFS wrapped up the tournament unbeaten starting from its four-game sweep of the elimination round.

A former youth player at English club Portsmouth, Hartmann relied on his vast international experience as well as his clever play, proving crucial for AFS’ campaign.

Hartmann, who is under contract with UFL club Loyola Meralco Sparks, also saw action in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games and has scored one goal for the national side.

Ateneo copped the Boys 10 title after blasting Makati FC Elite, 3-0, in the finals.

Don Bosco Victorias picked up the Boys 8 crown also at the expense of Makati FC Elite, 2-0.

AFS clipped Dolphins United in the Final Four, 3-2, after drubbing Superbad FC, 2-0, in the quarterfinals.

Dominating from the get-go, AFS amassed 12 points with victories over Pampanga Agricultural College (6-1), Super Friends FC (2-1), ABC-Stars Naga City (2-0) and Leylam FC Cebu (2-0) to top Group A in the eliminations.

Runner-up FEU dropped an early game to finish second with nine points behind La Salle’s 12 in Group D eliminations.

But the Tamaraws, whose core ruled the University Games held late last month in Bacolod City, reached the finals after stunning the Archers in the semifinals with a 3-0 shutout.

It was a fitting follow-up to their 6-1 quarterfinal triumph over Manila All Japan. 

inquirer.net

PFF bars Matthew Hartmann 's inclusion in Loyola for Singapore Cup

The Loyola Meralco Sparks were happy with their historic victory over Geylang United FC in their opening match in the 2012 Singapore Cup Friday night.

But there was a bit of bad news for the club after it received notice from the Philippine Football Federation barring midfielder Matthew Hartmann from playing in the match, a day before kickoff.

Hartmann has been suspended by the Philippine Football Federation for a year from its sanctioned events because of his departure from the national team in last year’s Southeast Asian Games in the middle of the tournament. The suspension prevents Hartmann from suiting up for Loyola in the United Football League, a PFF-sanctioned competition.

The Loyola braintrust thought that the Singapore Cup stint was not covered by the PFF ban on Hartmann, who was included in the lineup for the game. The football body, however, had a different interpretation.

“Since they allowed Sparks to join the RHB Singapore Cup, they are interpreting it as a sanction by them,” wrote Roxas in a text message to News5.

“We were caught off-guard. The players were disappointed.”

Hartmann was also depressed by the PFF’s decision, but Roxas said this became the Sparks’ extra motivation to win the match.

The PFF Disciplinary Committee chaired by Gregorio Larrazabal said in a letter earlier this month that it had decided “to affirm the decision of the Disciplinary Committee in imposing a ban on Mr. Hartmann in joining the national team; and to modify the decision of the Disciplinary Committee in its decision imposing an indefinite ban on any football club or organization from fielding him in any PFF sanctioned tournaments, and limits the ban to one year, to be reckoned from the date of the Decision of the Disciplinary Committee.”

Roxas said that if the PFF wanted to stop Hartmann from playing for the Sparks, the federation should have extended the suspension to tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Football Confederation and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Loyola will appeal Hartmann’s case before the PFF, as the Sparks are set to play in the RHB Cup quarterfinals in July.

News5 has sought PFF president Mariano Araneta’s comment on the matter, but he could not be reached.

Interaksyon

Hartmann suspended for a year

MATTHEW HARTMANN has been suspended for the rest of 2012 and will be banned from the Azkals for abandonment of the national team.

The Appeals Committee of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) handed the decision on Wednesday after the PFF’s Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend Hartmann on January 25.

Hartmann was suspended for abandoning the national team during its stint in the Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Hartmann claimed he left the team because of a row with national team head coach Michael Weiss.

In a letter to PFF President Mariano Araneta, a copy of which was also given to Loyola team officials, Appeals Committee Chairman Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal decided “to affirm the decision of the Disciplinary Committee in imposing a ban on Mr. Hartmann in joining the national team; and to modify the decision of the Disciplinary Committee in its decision imposing an indefinite ban on any football club or organization from fielding him in any PFF sanctioned tournaments, and limits the ban to one year, to be reckoned from the date of the Decision of the Disciplinary Committee.

The decision furthered: “The period, for which the case was pending before the Appeals Committee, is to be considered as a portion of the period of the ban.”

Loyola Meralco club president Lorenzo Roxas was disappointed with the decision as he felt that “the club suspension has no basis.”

With Loyola missing its two Korean players—midfielders Jeong Byeong-yeol and Park Min-ho—because of dengue, Roxas was looking forward to having Hartmann back in time for the club’s match in the United Football League with Kaya this weekend as well as for next week when the Sparks compete in the first leg of the Singapore Cup against Geylang United on May 18.

Hartmann said he will air his side in two days’ time.

Business Mirror

Limpag: Is it time for Matt to rejoin Sparks?

By Mike T. Limpag

Fair Play

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

A FEW days ago, while promoting my "creative story" on Cedelf Tupas being named the new Global FC coach, I came about Matt Hartmann's apology published on Rick Olivares's blog. And since I was promoting an April 1 story, I thought, I'd tackle it on another day.

Like Rick's, nothing has changed in my stand. I still think the punishment was too harsh and I think now that Hartmann has issued his apology, it's time to let this young man rejoin his club in the UFL.


Yes, what the former U23 captain did was pretty harsh, leaving the national team in the middle of the campaign, but his being banned from the national team, indefinitely, is punishment enough.

Barring him from club football, indefinitely too, is taking it too far.

I guess, this is one instance when the weird footie setup in the country went against Hartmann. Some can't understand how the PFF assumed it has the right to bar Matt from the UFL, but for years, this has been the case, where the PFF is the god when it comes to Philippine football. Anything about it is under its jurisdiction.

I remember in another club competition about eight years ago, one striker punched the referee in one game in a Mindanao competition and got a three-year, nationwide ban for his efforts.

That guy even made the Azkals roster of the 2010 Suzuki Cup.

As for the Hartmann issue, while I expected a stiff ban, I didn’t expect the ban to extend to the UFL. I think, if they want to, the UFL, Loyola and Hartmann could contest that penalty but it would be a pissing contest that, I think, wouldn’t be good for the sport.

The UFL and the PFF are still figuring out their partnership as the club system is slowly taking shape but while I think facing off now is not the good thing, I think both entities’ roles have to be defined clearly because the Hartmann issue wouldn’t be the last.

Say, would penalties incurred by players in PFF club competitions like the Smart tournament be carried over to the UFL?

By the way, it’s been almost four months since the decision was handed down, I hope the PFF appeals committee can decide on the matter.

The national team ban, I think, should stay. Matt’s ban on club competition should have been lifted months ago.

(www.cebufootball.blogspot.com)


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 05, 2012.

PFF says Hartmann can appeal suspension

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) said Filipino-British Matthew Hartmann can always appeal his indefinite suspension from joining any PFF-sanctioned events, including the United Football League (UFL).

PFF President Marino “Nonong” Araneta said they have formed an appeals committee to give Hartmann a venue to appeal his suspension.

“Hartmann always has the right to appeal,” Araneta said in an interview on ANC’s Hardball.

Hartmann was suspended indefinitely from joining local clubs or organizations for leaving the National Under-23 squad’s campaign in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) football tournament last November.

The Filipino-British left the team due to a reported friction with head coach Hans Michael Weiss.

“It started when he abandoned the team, he went to Rome, he didn't play anymore in the SEA games,” said Araneta.

“A complaint we referred to the PFF Disciplinary committee... after that, they said Hartmann has to be suspended," he added.

The suspension barred Hartmann from joining the PFF-sanctioned UFL, where he plays as a left back for the Loyola Meralco Sparks.

“It's the committee that made that decision to suspend Hartmann from playing for the national team and also the club team. The club teams are sanctioned by the PFF,” explained the PFF president.


ABS CBN News

Loyola appeal ban on Matt Hartmann

By Francis Respicio, News5

The Loyola Meralco Sparks will appeal the indefinite suspension that the Philippine Football Federation meted out against midfielder Matthew Hartmann.

The Sparks’ Vice Chairman Randy Roxas said that they have already sent a letter to the PFF stating their intent to appeal the case. According to Roxas, the team wants an explanation from the PFF Disciplinary Committee about the suspension.

In a letter dated January 25, 2012, the PFF advised the Filipino-British Hartmann of his suspension. Quoting the Disciplinary Committee’s decision, the letter read: “Effective immediately, the committee finds Hartmann ineligible to join any national football team. Further, effective immediately, the Committee disallows any football club or organization from fielding Hartmann in any PFF sanctioned tournaments.”

Loyola is part of the United Football League, which is sanctioned by the PFF.

In an earlier interview with News5, PFF president Nonong Araneta said that Hartmann’s suspension comes as a result of his departure from the Philippine Under-23 national team in the midst of the Southeast Asian Games football tournament. Hartmann, the captain of the squad, abandoned the team after a disagreement with coach Hans Michael Weiss.

Loyola is looking to appeal for a shorter suspension for Hartmann, and allowing the player to suit up for the Sparks in the UFL while the investigation is ongoing.

According to Roxas, Hartmann has filed an affidavit detailing the issues leading up to his walkout on the team, and has pleaded for leniency in his case.

Roxas added that Hartmann is disappointed by the PFF decision.

Loyola will be severely shorthanded in its next outing against Global FC on Wednesday. Apart from Hartmann, star striker Phil Younghusband will also miss the match after receiving a red card late in the Sparks’ 4-1 loss to Stallion Gilligan’s last Saturday.


interaksyon

Former U-23 Azkal captain Matt Hartmann suspended indefinitely — PFF

Former Under-23 Philippine Men's National Football team captain Matthew Hartmann has been declared ineligible to join any incarnation of the Philippine team and has received a ban preventing him from being fielded by local clubs or organizations for an indefinite period of time, according to the Philippine Football Federation.

Hartmann was recently sent a letter by the PFF, informing him of the decision of the PFF Disciplinary Committee, based on a December 12, 2011 complaint filed against him.

The 22-year-old English-Filipino infamously left in the middle of the U-23 Azkals' Southeast Asia Games campaign last November in Jakarta, due to friction with head coach Hans Michael Weiss.

Prior to his departure, the Azkals dropped two matches, with Hartmann scoring an own goal in their opener against Vietnam.

After his return from Jakarta, Hartmann then got into a verbal confrontation during a tune-up with members of the De La Salle University men's varsity football team and their head coach Hans Smit.

Hartmann then signed with the UFL team Loyola Meralco Sparks for the 2012 season of the United Football League, but his suspension now leaves the club a man down.

It is not immediately known if Hartmann plans to appeal the suspension. - Adrian Dy/KBK, GMA News


GMA News