I was greatly disappointed the first time I attended a congress of the Philippine Football Federation back in 2005. I wasn’t a guest, so I simply pretended to be a waiter and sneaked in.
Back then, I realized why Philippine football couldn’t move forward—it was run like an old boys’ club with men more concerned about their position than the state of their game. There was one member applicant who was interrogated by a guy, who I thought at that time, must have last played football when Diego Maradona scored the Hand of God. He told the applicant that you should do this or that because this is how we do it.
I had to scoff when the Old Guy was forced to admit his association didn’t even run any local competitions.
I thought then that unless young faces join the PFF, we would be stuck in deep barnyard dung.
Thankfully, over the years, the geriatric guys have been replaced by visionaries. Among the latest of young faces is Jose Miguel Valmayor, who was elected president of the Negros Occidental Regional Football Association last Saturday.
Valmayor is from San Carlos City and we all know how booming the football scene is in San Carlos, which recently sent a team to an international competition run by Real Madrid, yep THE Real Madrid.
Other FAs who are still run by men who should have retired two presidents ago can look at Norfa for inspiration. With Valmayor at the helm, I’m confident the football landscape in the region will change and other FAs should think, “If they can do that, why can’t we?”
Then of course they can start putting young guys and gals in charge of their association.
TENNIS. After taking a break, I’m playing tennis again regularly. A few colleagues who have taken up the game has also seen the benefits of playing the game with one remarking that her latest lab works show normal results after two months of regular play.
I hope more people, especially employees in their late 40s, pick up the game. The usual problem in Cebu has always been the lack of suitable venues and I hope that will soon change.
During the opening of the Dynamic Herb Football Stadium a few years back, I suggested to the owner Ugur Tasci that he should add a tennis court or two, the return on investment would be quick.
The best tennis courts in the city are almost always fully booked during the weekends, with some rented days in advance.
It’s an under-served community and I hope that will change soon.