A sport we can believe in
MANILA, Philippines - There was something special about this year’s FIFA World Cup. For the first time in a long time, Filipinos gave a hoot about football. Perhaps it was due to the promotion by Balls TV; or maybe it’s because we’re finally catching on to the world’s most popular sport.
To get a better picture of the state of football in our nation, Supreme sat down with three football experts: Eddie Mallari, former national player who recently won the Castrol Skills Challenge with the prize of an all-expense-paid trip to the 2010 World Cup Final in Johannesburg; Ed Formoso, co-manager of the Philippine team that beat Brazil in the 2010 Street Child World Cup and the organizer of Football for Good under the Henry V. Moran Foundation; and Aris Caslib, former national coach and current Philippine Football Federation technical director.
SUPREME: Where are we in terms of developing football for Filipinos?
Mallari: The thing is, we’re quick and we’re skilled. When we go abroad and play against other countries, we’re as good as them individually. When we go for football or futsal, individually, we can hang, we’re quick, we’re strong. I mean we have players that are even better than these other guys. But we don’t have a professional league, so most of our players don’t train all year round.
Formoso: For me, the Street Child World Cup is a great example that it can be done. The kids went and they did what they had to do and they did well. In the eliminations, they beat Brazil. And in their final game, they faced South Africa. The gym was full of Africans and it ended 1-1 in full time but in extra time, we scored the winning goal. And so we came home with the trophy.
Caslib: I want to share with you the experience of the under-14 (age group) in Malaysia. During the first round of the competition, we were able to draw Australia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. These are big teams in our region. Now, what are we sharing here? We have to fully understand how to develop the base, especially at the youth level, then slowly we can build up, going to the higher age group levels.
What can we do to popularize it?
Mallari: You’re not gonna have soccer grow in this country unless there’s something to look forward to. Right now, college level is okay. But after college, there’s no professional league. So players don’t want to play soccer if there’s no career in the future. The league is the key.
Formoso: I think bringing an event here, a huge one, is a key to popularizing the game. What I want to do is create our own. It’s beginning to happen this year. It will be called Football for Good Championships. It’s for people who use football to do good things, whether helping street kids or the homeless. Next year, one more time. Then in 2013, it will be called Football for Good World Cup. Bring everyone. Invite the whole world.
Caslib: A league can be attractive to a lot of people to see very good players in our country. Very good results of the national teams competing outside would also promote the game. Then, a continuous grassroots activity at the base level.
Where do we go from here?
Mallari: We have the skill, we have the talent, we just need the support. You really need someone like the manager now, Dan Palami, who does it for a hobby. It’s his passion. He wants to help and it shows. So hopefully, we’ll see what happens.
Formoso: First, you love the game. When you get people to love the game, then you’re ready. Then you think about winning.
Caslib: There are a lot of interests to develop football and there are a lot of ideas on how to push through in the development of football. But then, we have to put all these things on one road and put them in their respective areas of development so that we can really see the bigger picture of football in our country.
