Football master plan eyes 7 to 8 year-old 'futbolilits'

A grassroots football program for boys seven to eight years old and close working relations with the education sector are among the pillars of an eight-year strategic plan the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has begun implementing, its president revealed over the weekend at the sidelines of the 3rd Philippine Futsal League Luzon finals. The building blocks of the plan to qualify for the World Youth Championships in 2019 are already being laid, according to PFF president Mariano "Nonong" Araneta, who talked with GMA News Online at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila on Sunday. Araneta said football festivals for kids aged seven and eight, professionalizing the PFF, an artificial pitch at ULTRA by June next year, and a training center in Bukidnon are among the components of the quest to be among the top 8 in the world in Under-17 men's football eight years from now. The football festivals are meant to draw out the kids so they can enjoy and have fun playing football while PFF officials and coaches will keep an eye for talents they can develop. "Fun is introduced para ma-enjoy nila," Araneta said.
Araneta revealed that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said it will help the PFF with the Department of Education (DepEd). The DepEd organizes and runs the annual Palarong Pambansa or national sports meet. Football is one of the events in the Palarong Pambansa. The DepEd also has 17 secondary expansion schools implementing the Special Program in Sports (SPS). Each of these schools receives subsidy of up to P500,000 "for effective delivery of service to high school students who excel in sports." Each SPS school gets a fixed allocation of P290,000 and a variable allocation computed at P500 per student. Grassroots football "Germany and Japan are already helping us with grassroots development. Germany sent a coach, Eckhart Krautzun. He will assess our Under-13 and identify kung ano pa ang dapat gawin ng Federation sa Under-17 at sa grassroots, including talent identification para yung method of training the same in all the football training centers," Araneta also said. He expects the exhibition match between the LA Galaxy and the men's national football team-- the Azkals-- to provide an inspirational spark especially for the Filipino youth. "The youth can see for themselves international level of game played in the Philippines. We need role models to inspire children. When the LA Galaxy and other foreign players are here, children can connect." The friendly game of the Azkals and LA Galaxy will be played at the Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium on December 3. In a text message to GMA News Online, PFF treasurer Bonnie Ladrido explained the PFF only has a support role in the staging of the exhibition match and is not involved in ticket pricing. "Our role will be to provide the national team, technical support and manpower," Ladrido clarified. FIFA has eyes for PFF Araneta said FIFA will help the PFF work out the details of the vision and strategic plan for football in the Philippines. "We have elections in the PFF in November. I asked them to attend the football congress. Invited rin ang acting president ng Asian Football Confederation (AFC)." Also in late November, the Fundacion Real Madrid and the Fundacion MAPFRE have partnered with non-government organization ANAKK-Santa Cruz Association to form a new social and sports school in Sta. Cruz, Davao Del Sur. The sports program is designed to help underprivileged kids aged 14 years old and below. The PFF president said the international football community is keen on promoting football in the Philippines because the country has "a big market for football. We have over 90 million people becoming more aware and interested in the sport." He disclosed that a FIFA consultant will be coming on November 30, will meet with the PFF and the Philippine Sports Commission, and discuss the program of work for the artificial pitch at the ULTRA. "FIFA gave us a grant of $500,000 for the artificial pitch and another $500,000 for the training center in Bukidnon. Masuwerte tayo kasi usually one FIFA project lang sa isang country," Araneta revealed. "Hopefully by June next year meron na tayong artificial pitch para ang national teams makapag-practice anytime," he added. Science and football The PFF is also eyeing a $100,000 FIFA grant for an information technology project that would include the set-up of the PFF website. Araneta said the needed software has been developed in Singapore and standardized FIFA forms would be downloadable from the website. The PFF will try working with a few other countries in the Asia-Pacific region to ease the financial burden the IT project will entail. "Football is becoming very scientific," Araneta said as he shared how the FIFA is actively promoting football for health with projects and activities advancing personal hygiene and overall health of the body. He also disclosed that the PFF got the commitment of health care specialists at the University of the Philippines in Manila and at the Philippine General Hospital to attend to sports medicine aspects of the national teams. Coordination with universities While the grassroots program is underway, the PFF is also addressing near-term and long-term player supply chain matters. "We just had a meeting with representatives of universities and will sit down with them for more meetings. We will give them our schedule for the next two years. Sana mag-release sila ng players. Hopefully the varsity teams can adjust their schedules," Araneta said. Former players of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) are among the members of the national training pool. The Azkals have had friendly games with varsity teams of some local universities and other schools. "Sana parang sa FIFA at mga national teams ng ibang bansa. Nag-rerelease sila ng players." Close coordination with the education sector is important, according to the PFF president, because it is part of the system that supplies the national teams with players. — RSJ, GMA News