Split loyalties for RP football fans

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino fans are divided in cheering for teams in the 32-nation World Cup but according to a local football expert, it will take more than the quadrennial spectacle to boost the sport’s popularity here.

“For as long as the World Cup remains a once-in-four-years celebration, nothing much will happen to football in our country,” said the aficionado who declined to be identified. “Media gets into football every four years and unless the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) does its homework, then we’ll be enjoying top page stories only every four years. The PFF’s role in marketing football is still the key.”

The World Cup will receive extensive coverage on the ABS-CBN cable channel Balls but when the smoke of battle settles on July 11, it’s back to minor treatment for football.

“If business is not good, then support for the sport will wane after the finals,” said the expert. “What is encouraging in Philippine football is more and more groups are getting involved on their own. No more waiting for the PFF to act. This is the correct attitude to take. I think there will be more football if the PFF stays the way it is today.”

The expert said with the PFF inactive and passive, several football organizers are slowly making headway in the crusade to popularize the sport, citing the Football Alliance, the Henry Moran Foundation, the Rizal Football Association, the Makati Football School, the UAAP and the NCAA.

What gave Philippine football a huge shot in the arm was the “miracle” team’s victory for the Shield title at the 7-a-side Street Child World Cup in Durban, South Africa, last March. The eight-nation indoor competition for 14 to 16 boys and girls required players to have experienced living in the streets.

British resident Craig Burrows and Ed Formoso, the mastermind of the Henry Moran Foundation’s “Football For Good” projects, conspired to assemble a squad of 10 kids, including three girls. The Philippines upset host South Africa, 2-1, in the Shield finals. En route to the championship match, the “miracle” kids downed highly touted Brazil, 6-2, and Ukraine, 3-0.

The Filipinos won the hearts of the fans not only with their playing skills but also their sportsmanship. “These are the best street children I’ve ever seen,” said Bullelwa Ngantweni-Hewitt, director of the South African street center Umthombo. “They were the first group to say thank you to Umthombo and now after defeating South Africa, they are carrying the South African flag, a sign symbolizing friendship, respect and discipline and with their behavior, we have seen how Filipinos are.”

Still, the world’s most popular sport is given little notice by most Filipino fans who prefer to support the four Bs – basketball, boxing, billiards and bowling.

“While most of Planet Earth will be celebrating the world’s biggest sporting event, the Philippines will be mostly clueless,” said the expert. “If astronauts looked down on earth, they would see an entire planet in celebration, except for our country – lights out and sleeping.”

For Filipinos who are following the World Cup, their loyalties are split. The “mestizo” community is excited that Spain is a top seed with a chance to finally capture its first World Cup. After all, Spain beat Germany, 1-0, in the European championship finals in 2008. “They call the Spanish team the Brazil of 2010,” continued the expert. “If you want style, then for the World Cup, watch the Spanish team.”

Spain, known as La Furia Roja (The Red Fury), was picked by Sports Illustrated to go all the way and has lost only once in 45 games since 2006. The loss was a 2-0 stunner to the US in the Confederations Cup semifinals in South Africa last year. “The time has come for the greatest generation of Spanish footballers to claim the ultimate prize,” said Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl who predicted Spain to emerge unscathed in Group H, beat Portugal in the round of 16, eliminate Cameroon in the quarterfinals, oust Serbia in the semifinals and defeat England in the finals.

Some Filipino fans will root for Japan, North Korea and South Korea because of a loyalty to Asia. Unfortunately, oddsmakers are ruling out any of the Asian countries to advance beyond the group stage or first round of eliminations.

Brazil, England and Italy enjoy a smattering of support from a few Filipino aficionados.

“Brazil is Brazil,” said the expert. “With a new system under coach Dunga, a more defense-minded approach, a more European-brand of game and less of the samba-style, Brazil could win it again. England is good for third. Italy, Germany and Holland will be in the thick of the fight, too. Argentina is Maradona and South Africa is Mandela. It all depends on how Maradona does as coach. Argentina is a great team but it’s no longer about superstars as Brazil learned in 2006. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Adriano, Kaka, Robinho, Roberto Carlos and all that firepower didn’t get Brazil anywhere near the trophy.”

The expert said the PFF could be cheering for the US.

“If the US wins, then it’ll be great for football here in the Philippines since we basically like and do whatever the Americans like and do,” continued the expert. “But the US could be all hype and it’s not likely to go beyond the quarterfinals. They’ll have lots of new football fans in the Philippines cheering for the Americans. But the older fans, the so-called purists will be for Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Holland, England, Germany and Italy.”