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integrated and systematic football program is needed, so
much so that the sport could develop immensely in the
country.
This was
the initial assessment made by Brandan John Menton,
director of Vision Asia, who is in the country to assess
the present situation of Philippine football.
Menton
said there are several football activities in the
country and these should be integrated from the
grassroots to the elite level.
“It is
fantastic, but we need to extend these programs and
integrate this program and create a comprehensive system
of grassroots,” said Menton during Tuesday’s Philippine
Sportswriters Association Forum at the Shakey’s United
Nations Avenue.
“There
is no point of creating a grassroots program if there
are no competitions for the younger players to play in,”
he said.
“We want
to make piecemeal activities into a systematic,
comprehensive and extended throughout Metro Manila,”
Menton, a former secretary-general of the football
association of Ireland, added.
The
Philippines became the 11th country to be a part of the
Vision Asia program by the Asian Football Confederation
tasked to assess the football situation in the country
and help develop it in all levels from playing fields,
programs and administration. Other countries in the
program are China, Bangladesh, Indonesia and India.
Vision
Asia will make its recommendations by the end of October
and will ask the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) to
study them for two months if they are fit for
implementation.
“Let me
reemphasize that Vision Asia isn’t just planning. We go
back maybe four to five times a year to help in the
implementation of the plans. Whatever is needed, we will
bring to the project,” Menton said.
PFF
secretary-general Pablito Araneta, who joined Menton in
the forum sponsored by Shakey’s, Accel, Brickroad gym
and Aspen spa and MedCentral Clinic and Diagnostic
Center, said Vision Asia will be a big help to
Philippine football.
Menton
flew to Cebu Tuesday afternoon to also assess the
football situation of there.
“It is
important to get outside Metro Manila. There are
provinces stronger than Cebu but we don’t want to go to
strong areas. We want those which are in the
middle-ranking provinces,” Menton said.
Menton
also mentioned the creation of more football fields that
can be accessed by the public and suggested the use of
artificial turf.
“You
could use it 24 hours a day with the PFF having full
control of the facility. We are advising the PFF to use
artificial turf. It is expensive but easy to maintain,”
Menton said. |
