DAN PALAMI, THE PFF AND U22 TEAM DEBACLE

By Eric Dimzon


While Dan Palami was busy celebrating Global FC�s victory in the UFL, his other team, the U22 Philippine team, was suffering humiliating losses in the AFC U22 2013 Qualifiers. The U22 Philippine team, of which Dan Palami is the designated team manager, lost heavily and miserably to Myanmar (5-1), Malaysia (7-0), Vietnam (9-0) and South Korea (10-0).
Clearly, the huge setbacks indicate the total lack of preparation of the U22 team. The Philippine Football Federation and Dan Palami should be held accountable for the extremely poor showing of the team. For one, PFF and Dan Palami give too much attention to the senior Azkals team. National teams without Azkal players are pretty much relegated to the background and virtually ignored. It is quite disconcerting for Dan Palami to virtually abandon his team. Being the team manager, Palami should at the very least be physically present during the games. But then again, the U22 team does not have prized Azkal players in its fold. Hence, his absence from the matches.
The humiliating losses of the team likewise show the utter lack of an effective grassroots program of PFF and Dan Palami. The propensity of PFF and Dan Palami to recruit half breeds to beef up national football teams has resulted to the non-improvement of young homegrown players. Hence, when local homegrown players get to represent the country in international tournaments, they falter and crumble due to inexperience and total lack of training.
It will greatly benefit Philippine football to have sports officials who truly have the heart and vision to see the sport soar to greater heights. Enough of sports officials who love the hollow publicity and limelight that are media-generated. Philippine football needs selfless visionaries who can contribute significantly to the improvement of homegrown players and FIFA ranking of the country. The country ultimately needs sports officials who do not equate Philippine football solely with the glamour and glitz of the senior Azkals team and its Fil-foreigners.

thehotdogstand.net