Finding ways to promote football

Finding ways to promote football
By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) president Charlie Cojuangco yesterday bared plans of importing European experts to conduct clinics for referees, coaches, physical trainers and even sports
journalists in a serious effort to lay the groundwork for a nationwide promotional campaign with support from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Cojuangco said former Uruguay pro Maor Rozen, who is in his fifth visit here since 2008, will assist in tapping the experts from European leagues during the off-months of July and August.

“We won’t be offering licensing clinics or courses,” said Cojuangco. “We’ll be inviting anyone interested to advance their knowledge of the game. With Maor, we hope to assist in raising the level of competence of our referees, coaches, physical trainers and journalists so that in turn, they may educate our players.”

Cojuangco, 46, said there are many ways to promote football although starting at the grassroots level sets the direction for the future.

More Philstar

Limpag: Getting to South Africa

By Mike T. Limpag

ONE of the sentences you hear regularly these days is “Vote for me.” It’s not one of my favorites, but it’s one that we have to live with.

We can’t be a democracy without it.

But I like “Don’t open this door” better since it guarantees that what’s behind the door is interesting. Or my other favorite—“minors not allowed.” “Promise never to repeat this,” always makes you think of whom you can tell before you hear what you promised not to tell.

“Vote for me” is sometimes preceded by something funny.
They dance or they say they’re really poor despite driving Mercedes Benzes. Ever notice how so many rich people are suddenly so poor, these days? They say they’re smart, or they’re after your welfare or para sa mahirap even if they can’t recognize a can of sardines even if it dances butt-naked in front of them.

Vote for me!

I always wanted to avoid that phrase. It’s kinda ridiculous. Back in high school and college, I told a lot of people to vote for them or vote straight. But never vote for me.

I’m not running for public office, by the way. Nor am I telling you to endorse my favorite color yellow.

We are in the sports pages after all.

I’m rambling about “vote for me” because of a dream to see the World Cup in person—yep, that World Cup in South Africa this June.
An all-expenses-paid trip!

And they’d even throw in a brand new Sony Ericsson handset so I’d get to brag about my trip to friends and other people who’d die to be in my place.

I’m not trying to pull your leg by the way. Today is April 5, not April 1.

I’m just a few clicks away from realizing that dream and to get there, I have to ask people, well, to vote for me.

Sigh.

This all started March 25, when somebody posted a comment in my blog and asked if I was interested in joining a Sony Ericsson contest for Asia Pacific bloggers.
It was a shot in the dark.

The deadline was on March 30, so I submitted an old entry, that one about the CES Theater of Dreams.

If I was aiming for a dream, why not drag CES’ own dream in it, I thought.

I learned I made the top 20—the final leg they call it—and surprise, surprise, I’m the only one from the Philippines.

Not surprisingly, I am currently 16th in the top 20 with 30 votes. The top three have 724, 647 and 388 votes.


Here’s the e-mail I got just a couple of days ago:

“Hi Mike,

We’re pleased to inform you that your post has been shortlisted to be in the Top 20! You’re now in the final leg so do mobilize your readers and get them to vote for you here: http://extratime.posterous.com/tag/top20/ (third post from bottom).

Remember, voting is limited to once a day per person. :) Once again, congrats!

Cheers,

Amelia Wong”

Sun Star Cebu

Comment : Vote for Mike every day !! 289 votes now

AFF FUTSAL CUP 2010 UP FOR GRABS

HO CHI MINH CITY (4 April 2010) – With the absence of powerhouse Thailand, competing teams in this year’s AFF Futsal Championship 2010 were unabashed to admit that they will be gunning for the coveted cup this time round.

The Thais, who have won the crown for the past seven years, will not be in Ho Chi Minh City this year as they have opted to play in the Thai 5s which is being held around the same time in Nakhon Ratchasima.

As such, teams like hosts Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia did not hide their aspiration for the crown even though Philippines and Myanmar have an even chance of causing upsets along the way.

Vietnam, the only other team to make the AFC Futsal Championship this year when they waylaid Malaysia enroute, seem to be riding high following their recent signing of Italian Sergio Gargelli as their new head coach.

For the Philippines, who will be banking on several Iranian-born players, whether they can make the final this year will depend on how well they can play together as a unit.

“I hope that the AFF will hosts more Futsal tournament, so that the players in ASEAN can improve their skill further,” added Philippines head coach Ismaeil Sedigh.

The AFF Futsal Championship will begin tomorrow at the Phu Tho Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City with the matches to be played at 1400hrs and 1600hrs respectively.


FIXTURES


5 April 2010: Malaysia vs. Philippines (1400)/ Vietnam vs. Myanmar (1600)

6 April 2010: Philippines vs. Vietnam (1400)/ Indonesia vs. Myanmar (1600)

7 April 2010: Indonesia vs. Malaysia (1400)/ Philippines vs. Myanmar (1600)

8 April 2010: Malaysia vs. Myanmar (1400)/ Vietnam vs. Indonesia (1600)

9 April 2010: Philippines vs. Indonesia (1400)/ Vietnam vs. Malaysia (1600)

10 April 2010: REST DAY

11 April 2010: Winner vs. Runner-up (1600)

ASEANFOOTBALL

Cebuana teen hopes to be in World Cup

YOUNG footballer Cheska Jane Toledo is hoping to become the first flag bearer from the Philippines in the Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

And she’s asking for help.

The 14-year-old football-playing daughter of Eleazar and Rhodora joined the Sony Ericsson’s online contest and made it to the top 5.

The contest requires football enthusiasts to submit a video, which shows how they love the sport. The finalists were chosen based on online votes, originality, creativity, production value and a sense of fun.

The contest is for kids aged 12 to 16 and the winner will be one of the Fifa flag bearers in the World Cup.

Before each game in the World Cup, six kids carry the Fifa flag to the center of the pitch.

Cheska, whose father is one of the officers of the Cebu Football Association, is hoping to be one of those kids.

“I joined the contest because I want to represent our country, and knowing that I was able to make it in the top five made me feel so good already,” said Toledo, who plays for the Subangdako FC.

If she gets lucky, Cheska said she would be cheering for her favorite teams--Brazil and England—in the World Cup.

Cheska is currently fourth in the contest with close to 200 votes, while the first placer has more than 700.

Those who want to vote for Toledo may do so at
http://www.clickthecity.com/sonyericssonfifa/?p=finalist

Comment : I voted for her , she is third now in the competition.

1 st Gryphon South Beach Cup

1st Gryphon South Beach Cup (Beach football) has been postponed from 16 and 17. April to 7. and 8. May in downtown Laiya , Batangas.

Women`s division : full
Men`s division : Still open

Contact : kavets_fc@yahoo.com or visit Kavets Fc at Facebook

Voting begins in search for the RP’s first FIFA flag bearer

MANILA, Philippines—The Sony Ericsson Search for the FIFA World Cup™ flag bearer marks its final round to determine who will walk the pitch with the FIFA flag at the world’s biggest sports event.

Voting has started for the people’s choice in the Sony Ericsson Search for the FIFA flag bearer to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ this July.

Visitors to the official website will find five videos adjudged by Sony Ericsson as the finalists to the video competition. In this final round of voting from now until April 15, the video with the highest number of votes wins.

Sony Ericsson trimmed down the choices to five finalists who will each win the Sony Ericsson Kita, the first gesture gaming phone introduced outside of the Japanese market. The Kita packs a 5-megapixel camera with auto focus and geo tagging, an impressive media player with Mega Bass™ and stereo speakers, and web browser with immediate access to Google from standby.

Sony Ericsson invited Filipino children aged 10-16 years old to tell the world why they deserved to be the country’s first FIFA flag bearer to walk the pitch during a semi-finals event. Video entries had kids playing, running, declaiming, dramatizing and even singing their reasons.

“The children’s passion to be part of this opportunity was evident in all the entries. There were videos that put a lot of thought and effort into communicating that passion and some that simply expressed the fun they had. Congratulations are in order for all the children who participated,” said Sony Ericsson general manager Dennis Manzano.

Voting now starts from scratch for the five finalists. Sony Ericsson encourages the public to go online at www.clickthecity.com/sonyericssonfifa and choose for themselves which child deserves to be the first FIFA flag bearer for the country. Judges chose the five finalists based on popularity, originality, creativity, production quality, and the child’s sense of fun. From here on, the power to choose which child goes to the FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa lies with the public.

The five finalists to the Sony Ericsson Search for the FIFA World Cup™ flag bearer are:
* Roberto S. Corsame, 13, Tondo High School
* Megan Grace Lo, 12, Mother Goose Special School
* Kokoy Sevilla, 15, Ateneo de Manila University
* Jason Lendl Tan, 10, Pangasinan Universal Institute
* Cheska Jane Mauro Toledo, 14, University of Southern Philippines, Lahug

The winner gets roundtrip tickets to South Africa with his/her parent or guardian; a three-day, two-night hotel stay, participation in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ as a flag bearer; $400 pocket money and 11 pieces of the Sony Ericsson Team Pilipinas shirts.

Visit www.clickthecity.com/sonyericssonfifa and cast your vote now.


Inquirer Sports

Who do you think deserve to win and go to World Cup ?

No discrimination, football coach urges

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) technical director Jose Ariston Caslib, who was once the national team coach, took exception to a statement recently quoted in this column that “(Desmond Bulpin) may not be the best coach out there but he’s much better than anyone locally.”

For the record, the quote wasn’t mine. It was from a source whose identity will be undisclosed. The source is an avid football aficionado, supporter of the National Capital Region association and an outspoken critic of how the sport is managed by the PFF.

It was the source’s way of challenging local coaches to show up Bulpin, the Briton who was appointed national coach last year. To react to the source’s comment in a negative fashion betrays an insecurity that only magnifies the PFF’s failures.

Caslib, in a letter to this writer, listed several Filipino coaches “who are capable of managing the national team and deliver victories for the Philippines.”

Here are Caslib’s nominees: Philstar

“This is the calendar of activities lined up for the development of Filipino coaches this year – AFC ‘C’ license courses – Cebu, April 5-17, Davao, May 6-13, AFC ‘B’ license course, Metro Manila, May 16-June 5, FIFA women’s football technical course, Metro Manila, June 21-25, FIFA instructors course, Metro Manila, July 26-Aug. 6 and AFC ‘A’ license course, Metro Manila, Nov. 1-Dec. 2.

New FIFA World Ranking

New FIFA World Ranking for men released today.

Philippines up 2 to number 167

FIFA World Ranking