Villaflor: All it takes is one visionary

By Noel S. Villaflor

ON a warm Saturday morning on an unkempt patch of grass, dozens of Cebuano children had an experience of a lifetime: being trained by members of the Philippine Men�s National Team in a free football clinic.

Team manager Dan Palami brought five core players�including team captain Ali Borromeo and Emilio Caligdong�to help development organization Global Exchange with its signature campaign to send millions of children to school through football.

�The Men�s National Team is aware of its social responsibilities,� said Palami, who spends his own fortune in running the national team.

Asked why he does it, the unassuming president of the Leyte Football Association said: �I�ve always felt that the private sector should be involved.�

Palami�s dedication to the sport is beyond question, as he runs the team like a professional club.

Right now, the team�s energies are geared towards the AFC Suzuki Cup that kicks off on Oct. 20. A week before that, the team will join a tournament in Chinese Taipei on Oct. 8 to 14.

One of Palami�s most pressing concerns is finding a head coach, following the surprise resignation of Englishman Des Bulpin last month.

Palami clarified that Bulpin still serves as the Philippine team�s consultant and �continues to communicate with the coaching staff, with Edwin Cabalida serving as acting head coach.�

Palami left Bulpin�s departure at that, and zeroed in on finding his replacement.

�We now have a shortlist of head coaches from the UK, US, Italy and Spain,� Palami said. �We want somebody experienced in coaching ranked clubs.�

�By hiring foreign coaches, we get to transfer knowledge from experienced foreign coaches to Filipino coaches, who are actually qualified but simply lack experience,� said the team manager, adding that the national team can expect a new coach by September.

In agreeing to manage and finance the team, Palami told the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) to give the National Team Management Office �autonomy.�

�We want to operate independently,� he says. �So far, the PFF has been respecting our wishes.�

�We want to make sure we�re focused on our short to medium-term objectives of raising the Philippine team�s FIFA rankings by winning international competitions,� Palami said.

So what�s his long-term goal?

�Qualifying for the World Cup 2018,� Palami said, with a wry smile, and left it at that.

Sun Star Cebu