THE Cagayan Misamis Oriental Regional Football FA (CMORFA) sent very strong boys Under (U)-15 to the festival of football (FOF) in March 23 to 25 at the Mindanao Civic Center Sports Complex in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
The Boys U15 team was just one of the four youth teams sent by the association for the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) project to select players for the coming international youth tournaments abroad.
Most of the boys who played for the CMORFA U15 teams were members of the Northern Mindanao Palarong Pambansa elementary boys team in Albay in 2016.
It was a very strong team and in fact they bulldozed their way against teams from different regional associations during the two-day trials. The supposed to be coach of the national team did not show up during the trials. Some coaches from Mindanao represented him.
The national coach is also coaching an exclusive school in Manila. Now he did it again. Two years ago this coach came to Valencia City, Bukidnon to find players for the national U15 team. He picked one player from CdO among a bunch of talented kids from CMORFA.
When I checked his lineup for the national U15 team, to my surprise, 70 percent of the players are from his school. The kid that he picked from Cagayan de Oro enrolled to the school where he was coaching.
When the national U15 team competed abroad, it was beaten black and blue. He did not care. It was a good exposure for his players and all of which were at the expense of the PFF.
I thought he was fired after the dismal showing. But this year, once again, he is back as coach of the U15. When I learned that he is coaching the team I was hesitant but for the benefit of the doubt, I talked to the CMORFA players and parents to show up in the FOF and they might be selected.
I also thought that the coach had learned his lesson and will really recruit deserving players. I was wrong. The coach did not even show up during the Lanao trials, and then announced the aspirants for the national U15. Not a single one of them are from CMORFA.
What does he have against players from CMORFA or from other regions? I do not believe his players are better than our players. Is it also true that this coach has formed the national team without the approval of the PFF? For sure this team will once again be beaten black and blue in any international tournament.
Next year, I will never encourage any player to join the FOF if this coach will still remain as a national coach.
(l.biantan@gmail.com)