LONDON, England - Philippine Football Federation (PFF) newly appointed secretary general Pablito Araneta recently announced that they are working on the formation of another semi-professional league in our soccer hungry country.

I really did not know what I felt when I read the report filed by contributor Rick Olivares for Pinoysoccer.com. I did not know if I would laugh or cry, if I would jump or bang my head against the wall. After several thoughts I just wanted to ask one question, are people in the PFF serious?

Without a single football club operating in the country, how could a semi-professional league thrive? Then, where will they play the games, at the dilapidated Philsports football field or at the antiquated Rizal Memorial stadium? If they will set up the league like the various commercial basketball leagues or PBA, then they can forget their dream.

I really sound very pessimistic but how many times have the PFF failed in these undertakings? Remember the Manila Premier League or the Philippine Football League? Loads of cash were invested in those projects but nothing happened.

We do not even know who won the titles. What we know is that millions of pesos of sponsorship money disappeared and the organizers have gone missing. Now, do you blame me for my negative thinking?

My mind is still fresh. I was present at the meeting for the creation of the Philippine Football League (PFL) in Davao more than a decade ago. Davao Football Association (DFA) then tireless president Vic Sai (What happened to him?) and then PFF president Col. Lope Pascual (Where is he also?) hosted the meeting with an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) official from Hongkong.

I was then representing Cebu Football Association (CFA) with then president Mario Ugarte. Most of the regional presidents were present during the meeting. Pascual and Sai then announced the formation of the semi-pro PFL. After that meeting, all of us were jubilant that finally something was going on with Philippine football.

It was however the first and the last meeting and the PFL opened. Some games were played all over the country and then everything just went silent and six months later, nothing was heard of the PFL. What happened to the sponsorship money from Marlboro and the organizers? Gone in thin air.

How about the Manila Premier League? It had TV coverage and a grand opening. But with poor organization and amateurish TV coverage, the league folded up and the players remained unpaid until the present time.

Fix the PFF first

So what shall we do? Fix the PFF first and foremost. Is there supposed to be an election coming this time of the year? What is happening? Then the PFF should form a nationwide league but should not run it. They are just there to overlook and set up the rules. They should form a different organization to run the league. They can appoint people who are capable to organise, market and run the league. The league should be ran like a business firm.

The PFF should concentrate only on improving the national men's and women's teams, and the different age group national teams, and politicking.

After the organizational set-up, the PFF should then invite or help organize clubs from all over the country so that a nationwide league can be formed. They should make sure that the clubs which will join the league can afford to pay for their travel, players uniforms, and allowances of players and staff.

But the most important of all participating clubs must have their own home field to play. Clubs could play on badly designed government built stadiums or maybe they could ask help from the big schools host their matches.

This looks very complicated but actually it is not. It will require minimum investment and will need lots of hard work. If the PFF can not find a sponsor and people who can run the league then forget it. A big sponsor would be willing to shoulder the expenses of the league if they get decent product exposures.

Take for example the British set-up. The English league is known as the Barclays Premier League. The lower division is known as the Coca Cola Championship League. If I win the European Lotto I will sponsor the league by myself. A total of £45 million is the jockpot this Friday. How much is that in pesos? That is almost a billion pesos which is more than enough for me to live for the rest of my life.

By the way what will PFF do with the building they are building along Floro st, in Pasig just a few meters from Philsports? Can someone from the PFF answer my question?

The building is reportedly designed by architect Red Avelino and costs $420,000. The money comes from Fifa and Fifa president Sepp Blater is supposed to inaugurate it in December.

Bend It contest

Starting August, we are coming out with a contest among soccer fans who read this column. I will come out with a topic in each of my column and you can give a comment at end. Everyone who gives a comment will have a chance of getting an Umbro England shirt or legends portrait every month. Featured in the portraits are Diego Maradona, Pele, George Best, and Franz Beckhenbauer. The names of the participants will be raffled off. A lucky winner will be announced on the first week the following month.

The comments should be short but concise and relevant. You can send your full name and address to the website administrator. If selected the prizes will be sent to the winner's address anywhere in the world. God Bless

Comments (2) >>

reddevil said:

I share your pessimism on this. The PFF is way over their heads in thinking they can run a semblance of even a semi professional league. Too much politics, too much greed, too much abuse of power. The just have nothing to stand on, track record wise. When you think of how professional leagues are maanged in Europe, there is no way the PFF can run this. They are just not transparent enough and are too thick skinned to be affected by what the general footballing public would perceive as corruption or even simple poor performance on their part. Much as I would want such a league to survive in the Philippines, I dont think it will prosper as long as the PFF is involved. Better for any money to go to training our players, exposing them to different levels of competition and raising our standards.

July 16, 2007

shaun_fmx said:

Im sorry but i doubt a single bit that the Philippines will ever have a semi-pro league. Not that I wish it's not going to happen! Even if somebody sponsors the league and gives tons and tons of money. All that money will go to waste because it wont go to where it's supposed to. I think by now you know where the money goes. If people weren't so selfish and not get tentalize once they see a lot of money, a pro league should have been developed by now. Since Philippines is a poor country, it means that the people are poor. Obviously! They strive to live each day and eating three times a day is enough. (ohh i forgot they got to have the gambling, drinking, smoking and especially cock fighting) My point is that if people have enough money in the first place they wouldnt steal money and if they were given money to do something productive with it, they would actually do it. Furthermore, if nobody catches these people they will keep stealing and stealing because they know they can get away with it. Somehow somebody has to get rid of these people and put them in jail. Wait a minute! they are just going to pay police officials and get a way with like nothing had happened. This is the problem. What ever you do nothing really works out because each and everyone is somewhat corrupt. I can dig a million mile hole and would never get to center of the problem. People organizing the league should not trust anybody and give all the money to someone who is really responsible. They can hire a lawyer or somebody who can keep track on all of the expenses. Instead of giving the money away to various people who are unreliable. We can make things happen if we do the right thing. Keep that in your mind PFF people. Impossible is nothing.

July 13, 2007

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