Fair Play: After friendly, what's next for Cebu?
(This is my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu's May 1 edition)
LOCAL organizers got an A-plus for the friendly between the Philippines and Malaysia last Sunday. Done on barely three weeks’ notice, everything but the condition of the pitch got praised.
And the Cebu Football Association even had a surprise for the national team, handing out a P150,000 donation the officers received from fans for their “We Believe” campaign.
“It was a pleasant surprise. We are used to provincial FAs being on the receiving end and not on the giving end,” national team manager Dan Palami said.
Late Monday night, Dan and I met again with Cedelf and a couple of other writers from Manila and among the topic discussed was the Peace Cup, that annual tournament first held in Manila and then stage in Bacolod last year.
Joey Herrera, the gen-sec of the Cebu Football Association, was also there and he was telling us of how the stadium of the University of San Carlos is almost finished.
Sensing an opportunity, Dan suggested, why not have the Peace Cup in Cebu?
It was just a suggestion and the hesitation on Joey’s part was understandable—if hosting one friendly was tough, hosting a week-long tournament for four teams is tougher.
But why not indeed?
I was told, last year’s Peace Cup games got lukewarm reception from fans in Bacolod and last Sunday’s crowd—especially the kaholeros—was a welcome change.
“I have to admit, Cebu is now the second home of the Azkals,” said Cedelf, who is from Bacolod.
Of course, it goes without saying, that should the PFF decide to let Cebu host the tournament, it should give local hosts more than the three-weeks’ notice it gave for the Malaysia friendly.
The tournament was held in October last year, and the next hosts should get at least a six-month notice, so they won’t be rushed and preparations would go smoothly.
So, do you think Cebu can host the Peace Cup?
LOCAL organizers got an A-plus for the friendly between the Philippines and Malaysia last Sunday. Done on barely three weeks’ notice, everything but the condition of the pitch got praised.
And the Cebu Football Association even had a surprise for the national team, handing out a P150,000 donation the officers received from fans for their “We Believe” campaign.
“It was a pleasant surprise. We are used to provincial FAs being on the receiving end and not on the giving end,” national team manager Dan Palami said.
Late Monday night, Dan and I met again with Cedelf and a couple of other writers from Manila and among the topic discussed was the Peace Cup, that annual tournament first held in Manila and then stage in Bacolod last year.
Joey Herrera, the gen-sec of the Cebu Football Association, was also there and he was telling us of how the stadium of the University of San Carlos is almost finished.
Sensing an opportunity, Dan suggested, why not have the Peace Cup in Cebu?
It was just a suggestion and the hesitation on Joey’s part was understandable—if hosting one friendly was tough, hosting a week-long tournament for four teams is tougher.
But why not indeed?
I was told, last year’s Peace Cup games got lukewarm reception from fans in Bacolod and last Sunday’s crowd—especially the kaholeros—was a welcome change.
“I have to admit, Cebu is now the second home of the Azkals,” said Cedelf, who is from Bacolod.
Of course, it goes without saying, that should the PFF decide to let Cebu host the tournament, it should give local hosts more than the three-weeks’ notice it gave for the Malaysia friendly.
The tournament was held in October last year, and the next hosts should get at least a six-month notice, so they won’t be rushed and preparations would go smoothly.
So, do you think Cebu can host the Peace Cup?
Comments
succeess. But when will the politicos of Cebu do something worthwhile re sports infrastructure in Cebu? Ensure a level playing field physically and metaphorically and watch spirtsctourism in Cebu prosper