Saturday, August 04, 2007
Pool talent manager defends BSCP on decision to replace Pagulayan
RESPECTED billiard players manager Perry Mariano broke his silence after Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan questioned the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) for replacing him in the Philippines Team in the Guinness 9-Ball Tour final leg in Shanghai, China that will start today.
Pagulayan, who was replaced by Jeffrey De Luna, denied planning to form a players’ union to “protect players against the messy” national sports association (NSA).
Mariano, owner of the Bugsy Promotions and manager of De Luna, said: “It’s the prerogative of BSCP to choose or remove players in the Asian Tour of Guinness. This was the practice now and even during the SMC tours. Alex Pagulayan also has the prerogative to ask for money as a pro.”
Mariano, who e-mailed statement to Sun.Star Cebu, is the manager of top players De Luna, Roberto Gomez, Ronato Alcano, among others.
“But I will give you a general outlook on the billiards scene here in the country. Billiards here is not as lucrative as it looks. There are few events and sometimes none in a year. At this time, if we want to serve the sport and create new champions, guarantee payments on appearance fee is not practical,” he said.
“If our known players insist on this, we will remain low in tournaments, and maybe someday we’ll be overtaken by other countries, which already included billiards in their educational curriculum.”
De Luna’s appointment to replace Pagulayan in the final leg of the Guinness tour came as a surprise to many players. It reportedly created a rift between the NSA and the players.
Mariano, on the other hand, maintained that in tournaments like this, young players should be given the chance. (RCM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 4, 2007 issue)
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