Football on way up

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Johnny Romualdez has put the finishing touches to a five-year development program and it looks like a viable model for other National Sports Associations (NSAs) to replicate.

Romualdez is almost embarrassed to admit the country failed to send a men’s football team to the last two Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and he’ll be the first to tell you our regional neighbors are way ahead in the game.

But things are looking up. For football, there’s really no other way to go because it’s been in the doldrums for too long. If you care to remember, the Philippines sent its last football team to the Asian Games in Teheran in 1974–that’s 30 years ago. And to think that in the pre-war era, we used to dominate the sport in the Far Eastern Games.

I received a copy of the PFF’s 15-page development plan that looks terrific on paper. It remains to be seen if its objectives will be achieved but knowing Romualdez, you can be sure he’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done.

I wonder how many other NSAs bother to prepare a plan like the PFF’s. I sincerely doubt if basketball has a similar program although now that the Philippine Basketball Association and the Basketball Association of the Philippines appear to be close to working out a modus vivendi, we can expect something along this line to emerge sooner than later.

Romualdez frankly addresses the problems that football faces in the foreword of his report–no large base of players from whom to choose for the national team at all age categories, players start learning the basics at a relatively late age, insufficient local competitions and little international exposure for players, no formal process of selecting and training the most promising players at the ideal age of 11 or 12 and limited financial resources at provincial, regional and national levels.

Romualdez boldly declares that the PFF aims to make Philippine teams competitive internationally. "Most attempts to compete effectively have been short-cut, like hiring foreign coaches, providing instant international exposure and fast-tracked preparation of national teams," he says. "A strong foundation, before band-aid solutions, is a main target of the development plan."

In no uncertain words, Romualdez says the PFF’s mission is "to be a consistent semifinalist in the Asean regional competitions at most age levels, men and women, in the next 10 years" to improve the country’s AFC (Asian Football Confederation) and FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) rankings."

Romualdez lists the strategies that the PFF will undertake–develop and strengthen provincial football associations, establish centers of excellence, organize nationwide quality competitions, continue grassroots development, promote and develop futsal, develop infrastructure, generate financial support and viability and generate mass support and public awareness.

Funding is a problem in the long term, asserts Romualdez, particularly if the five-year plan encounters rough sailing at midstream. The ambitious program has a budget of P20 Million this year, P53 Million in 2005, P50 Million in 2006, P69 Million in 2007 and P64 Million in 2008. The bulk of the expenses is earmarked for local competitions and grassroots development which comprise a combined 80 percent of the allocation.

The PFF will rely on external assistance to get the ball rolling but to sustain the momentum, it requires more help from friendly benefactors. As it is, the FIFA supports the PFF to the tune of a $1 Million grant every four years. Additionally, FIFA has contributed $400,000 for the PFF to build a national football infrastructure revolving around regional centers such as the pilot Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, hub. Then, Coca-Cola finances the under-16 program, Adidas the under-19 and Red Ribbon Bake Shop the under-14. The AFF contributes $400,000 annually and that’s what Romualdez hopes to use in organizing a semi-pro league next year, composed initially of eight clubs increasing to 10 in 2006–when a regular TV program is scheduled to be launched– and 12 in 2007.

A critical result area is increasing the number of new 6-year-old players by about 55,000 in 2008.

Romualdez says he is inspired by the milestones in the history of Philippine football such as the country’s 1-0 upset of Japan at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, the victory at the interport competition in Hong Kong and Macau in 1950, the Philippines’ 1-0 win over Taiwan in the preliminary to the New York Cosmos match, featuring Pele, at the Aloha Stadium inaugurals in Honolulu in 1976 and the fourth place finish at the 1991 SEA Games in Manila.

Hosting the SEA Games here next year provides the PFF a rare opportunity to showcase the potentials of Filipino football players. It will mark the return of the men’s football team to the SEA Games after a five-year absence. Romualdez says Bacolod is the PFF’s choice to host the men’s hostilities and Metro Manila, the women’s matches but "renovations in the venues are key."

At the first "PFF Football Night" where lifetime and achievement awards were presented to past and current stars in the Manila Pavilion Ballroom last April, Romualdez told a jampacked audience that a new era for the sport is unfolding. He pointed to the huge turnout as an indication that interest in football remains high in the country and vowed to relive the glory days of the sport. Romualdez said football is the only sport where Pinoys, Chinoys, Tisoys and expatriates get together for the love of the game in an atmosphere of friendly competition, unity and fun.

Football is supposed to be the world’s most popular sport but most Filipino fans don’t seem to care for it. Romualdez hopes to do something about that.