By Jack Biantan
LONDON - NEWLY elected Cebu Football Association (CFA) president Richard Montayre today (April 11) said that he wants Philippine National men’s football team to play a friendly match against a select Cebu team during the opening of the Cebu National Inter-Club Football championships.
CFA BOARD: Newly elected Cebu Football Association (CFA) president Richard Montayre (fourth from left) with Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mari Martinez (third from left) with the rest of the CFA board of directors.
In an exclusive interview with Pinoysoccer.com, Montayre who is also the president of the Cebu Amateur Football Club, said that they (The Cebu FA) have already sent a formal letter to the PFF inviting the Azkals to grace the opening.
He added that if the PFF will approve their request then they will formally open the tournament on April 27 at the Cebu city Sports Center. “If not then we will have our own opening at the University of San Carlos field in Talamban’’, he said.
Montayre said that they will seek funds to accommodate the Azkals for the Cebu leg of their Visayas tour which is set to promote the Asian Challenge Cup group 2 elimination tournament in Iloilo city and Barotac Nuevo in mid-May.
Although nothing is final yet, PFF president Mari Martinez have earlier told this reporter that the Azkals will kick off their Visayan tour on April 15 in Dumaguete city and then in San Carlos city, Negros Occidental. Negotiations are still going on for Bacolod to host one leg.
Maritnez said that they have not included Cebu in the tour because of financial constraints, but with the assurance of Montayre that they will provide the funds then the Cebu leg might push through.
If the Azkals come to Cebu, it will be a great boost for Cebu football and Montayre. Cebu has never hosted the RP national men’s football team.
Montayre also announced that nine teams have already confirmed their participation in the Men’s Open division of the Inter-Club championships.
They are, host Queen city FC, Football Club International Cebu-Lapulapu, Football Club International Cebu-Cebu city, San Roque Royal United, Don Bosco-Pinoysoccer.com, Butuan city, Seaguls FC of Davao, University of San Carlos, and Team Cebu City.
Montayre also said that they have reserved one slot for a team from Iloilo or Manila to complete the 10 team competition.
In the U15 divisions, teams joining are Springdale, Sacred Heart School for Boys-Jesuits, Inter-Cebu, Inter-Lapulapu, Colegio dela Inmaculada Conception-Mandaue, Masbate, Cardex, Abellana National School, San Carlos city, and Iloilo.
Teams joining the 12U divisions are Springdale, Sacred Heart, Inter, Cardex, San Roque Football Club, Canduman of the M. Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation, Pomeroy, San Carlos city, Iloilo, and Masbate while in the Ladies Open category only two teams have confirmed, Queen City, and Turnbouts. Teams from Bacolod, Iloilo and Manila have signified their intentions of joining but still have to confirm.
Four teams Queen City-A, Queen City-B, Inter, and SRFC are competing in the 38 and above competition.
The tournament is sponsored by Coca Cola, Pacific Paints-Boysen, Charter Paints-Davies, Sunsports, Dakay Construction, Aztecs Motors, Noise Garage, Jonie’s Chicken, Econo Gas Technology Inc., Gamesloot.net Inc., and Nature’s Spring.
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