BEFORE the trolls accused me of being a Ricky Yanson Jr. mouthpiece, I am laying down the reason why I am giving my 100 percent support to the NOFA president.
Aside from being a veteran journalist, I am a big supporter of grassroots football and hopeful that someday Filipino football would become a big sport in the country.
I don’t see any hope of the grassroots in the current Philippine Football Federation (PFF) administration of Nonong Araneta.
For nine years he’s been ruling the PFF, I cannot remember a single program that he implemented for the grassroots here in Mindanao.
I have asked this simple question to the current FA presidents who attended the PFF consultative meeting in Davao few days back.
One of them was at first solid in his support for Nonong. That we need Nonong to continue to be PFF president because he is right now with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
But when I asked him that in the nine years that Nonong has been the PFF president, what help or program has the PFF given to the Mindanao football community? He paused for a while trying to remember anything and then said ‘Nope’.
Then I threw a followup question, so is it time for a change? Then he changed his tune. “Yup definitely. I am for a change Jack. I want to see the return of age group competition,”he said.
He then promised me to relay this to the other Mindanao FA but politely requested me not to mention his name.
I personally do not know Nonong. In the few times we have met it was just hi and hello. The same as with Ricky Yanson Jr.
But Ricky Yanson Jr. is special. He has noticed my grassroots work here in Cagayan de Oro City with the Lumbia Raptors FC up in the mountain barangay of the City of Golden Friendship.
He invited me through his right hand, Andrew to cover and witness his NOFA Cup U13 National Championship at the Sta. Maria pitches in Talisay City Negros Occidental last year.
It was how I discovered the extent of his work at the grassroots and he wants this to be done nationwide.
It was there that I have seen such great potential of our young but very talented players from all over the country like the “Whiz Kid” from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental in Elizah Zedric Ballesteros, the “Little Maradona” from Kidapawan Kurt Sarip, “The Tiny Messi” from Muntinlupa Jax Pena, ‘The deadly but smiling mestizo’ Julio Yoldi from Dumaguete City, Lucas Andan, Adrian Bacolod, Earl Siconieguem, and Viggo Louis Herce.
They are the future of Philippine football. That’s where the PFF has forgotten to do their job.
In nine years’ time, the PFF has failed to develop or discover local players good enough to play for the Azkals.
No argument with that. Just check the Azkals line-up and the coming South East Asian Games (SEAGames) roster for November. Nine years of neglect is long enough. We need change in the PFF.
Mindanao FA presidents I hope you realise and think about how you have been neglected by the PFF the past nine years.
(l.biantan@gmail.com)