The Philippines joins the world of football; An appeal for support

Football was never in my mind because I grew up in a country that did not think much of it, either as a game or as headline material for a sports page, let alone the front page. So it was a culture shock for me when I lived in London amidst people who were football fanatics. 

My children, having grown up and studied there were the same – crazy about football. Sometimes I would hear them jumping and screaming and wonder what they were fighting about — yun pala — just cheering their favorite team on TV. My sons are Arsenal fans and a daughter lived near the Arsenal football field. Whose team you support becomes a family tradition handed down from father to children. So my grandson also cheers for Arsenal.

The only time I got curious about football was during the World Cup finals in Italy, not because of the game itself but because of a song, Nessum Dorma (“None shall sleep”). It was a stroke of genius when the BBC used the famous aria from Puccini’s Turandot as the theme song of their coverage of the game. It was sang by the Three Tenors: Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Contreras on the eve of the World Cup Final at Rome’s ancient Caracalla Baths. The Brits fought furiously and made it to the semi-finals. As far as they were concerned this was the game. They are trained from childhood that it is not so much about winning a game than doing the best you can and that was what they did during the World Cup Italia 1990.

Nessum Dorma was played continuously as the background music for the charged atmosphere. Even those who didn’t know anything about football were captured. With the song in their hearts they supported their country team without reserve. You could hear the song from every corner, in the UK from all walks of life – ordinary people who never even heard an opera. England went to the semi-finals and it is still considered one of England’s best World Cup games even if I remember right they lost on penalties to Germany who won the finals.

* * *

In recent days, the Philippines played spectacular games in Hanoi to the astonishment of the world who had considered it a poor team in a country glued to basketball rather than the more universal, more keenly followed football in the rest of the world.

So when the Philippine National Football team came out of the shadows to defeat defending champions Vietnam 2-0, tie with Singapore and Myanmar, it came as real upsets. The joke before these victories was just how many goals the other teams would score against the Philippines. Suddenly the Philippines was part of the football world as our team fought valiantly and wisely. But hardly had we savored the victories and admiration of the world when the spoilsport of politics quickly dampened it.

From Usapang Football comes a plea for all Filipinos to rally behind their cause – that at least one home game should be played here in the Philippines so more Filipinos can see world-class football. During the Vietnam vs. Philippines game, some 40,000 Vietnamese crowded the stadium cheering their team.

In a press statement, the team offered their triumph to every Filipino. We “offer to every Filipino this great triumph achieved in the football fields of Vietnam.”

In the 14-yearhistory of the Suzuki Cup, the Philippines only qualified twice in the biennial competition that is at once the most prestigious tournament in the Asean region.

“For the first time, we have advanced to the semifinals where the Philippines will play Indonesia in a home and away series where the winner, determined through the aggregate goal score, will play for the championship.”

They were encouraged by the knowledge that Filipinos back home “watched us, cheered us, and sent us messages of support.”

It was hard to believe that they would make the breakthrough in a sport that made us outsiders in the world. We hope that this will be the start of football taking its rightful place as a premier sport in the Philippines.

They had hoped that the Asean Football Federation would give them the prize of playing in their home field of Panaad in Bacolod. But the latest news is that the AFF Suzuki Cup (after consultations with PFF President Jose Mari Martinez) has decided that our hard-fought “home game” will be played either in a neutral venue or at the home field of the other semis winner.

“We deplore this decision that was arrived at without consulting the national team management or even having the facilities inspected. We believe that this is an opportunity to provide Filipinos with a chance to watch some world-class football action that will inspire our countrymen to take up the sport and break new ground for the Philippines.

“We ask that every Filipino and football fan out there to express this indignation with regard to this decision in every venue, fora, or media so that we may treat the country to Azkals (CNP – street dogs – the name they gave to their team) football.

“We implore you to express yourself on twitter, facebook, messenger, and everywhere else. After all, the home field game is rightfully ours.”

The question is why we should allow that it be denied to Filipinos after consultation with only one man. If PFF Jose Mari Martinez was ousted as president last November 28 so why is he speaking for all of us and our brave football team? I wonder? Is it to apply the brakes to our country’s surge into the world of football to make us revert back to basketball in which we will never be world league? Only asking.

And finally, from merely basketball lovers to great footballers may seem like small change but it isn’t. It means we have the capacity in us to do great things by breaking habits that make us losers. And that goes into any field of human endeavor, politics included, provided we do not sleep. Nessum Dorma.