Sports: The Azkals and Philippine Football

About 5 months ago, I got hooked to the FIFA World cup being a first-time fan of this sport.  What I initially thought was a slow and boring 90-minute sport, turned out to be one of the most thrilling and intense sport much like NHL Hockey which I also love watching.  I just wondered how in the hell the Philippine nation care less about this event when the whole world stay wide awake to root for their teams? When everybody else in the world were singing Wavin Flag, dancing to the tune of Waka Waka and being irritated by the vuvuzelas; the Philippine nation was sleeping.  A better question would be: Why does the Philippines not figure out well in international competitions? I thought football in the Philippines would not get attention.......until the Azkals showed their teeth.

We were previously regarded as a non-football nation, which is quite a pity since all those countries previously colonized by Mother Spain developed football as their sport. However, during the past few weeks, the Philippine national football team which is also called the Azkals caught the attention of Philippine multimedia after surprisingly winning games and eventually entering the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup.  One of those victories were at the expense of no less than the defending champions Vietnam infront of their 40,000 something hostile fans. 

With that good news also came a bad news.  We entered the semifinals and were supposedly entitled to host one of the semifinals against mighty Indonesia.  But apparently the PFF bungled the opportunity for the sick reason that we don't have a decent football stadium to play on.  Well, this is not new, and it reflects the sad state of Philippine sports as a whole. Too little support from the government, too inadequate facilities and too scant support from the private sector also. Politics has also invaded a field which is supposed to promote fair play and equity. 

Zeroing on Philippine football.  I think it is high time for this sport to gain popularity in the Philippines.  Though I concede that Filipinos are really passionate about basketball, I still believe that we should explore our capabilities in football.  For one thing, football does not require much height.  For another thing, I also believe we can learn football skills as readily as our neighbors.  What is needed is support either from the government or the private sector, and even the creation of interest and hype from media.  It is quite ironic that we've been putting too much money and resources in basketball but the most decent finish we can get from the squad is a 6th place finish in the Asian Games. 

A lot of things have to be done.  Football must start from the grassroots level. Why not make it part of Physical Ed curriculum in our schools.  We can always improvise by tapping our numerous basketball courts to a Futsal type of court.  If we can add volleyball lines to basketball courts, why not add Futsal lines also? i know its not the ideal but it will be a good alternative.  The private sector could also help sponsor small football tournaments (like the former Coke Go for Goal).  In the end, we wouls also need a decent football stadium so that we can host significant international football events.  All of these would help spread the language of football.



Stadiums like this just would not do



Football should be for everyone.  And those legit football fans should not bash overnight football fans.  If they really love the game and if they regard the sport they love as the international sport, then instead of discriminating against these new football fans, they should make efforts to promote the sport.  Enough of this football is for the elite, Starbucks-sipping, DSLR, iPhone-iPad population only.  Even the Jejemons and the Jologs should be taught football!!!  And there are those hardcore basketball fanatics who bash the Azkals for being composed of mostly Fil-foreigners. Duh?!!! Your PBA and the Philippine national basketball team also have Fil-ams, Fil-shams, and even naturalized players, and they are being paid large sums of money.  But these Azkals never got the same amount of money these huge-egoed bozos get and yet they proudly carry the name of the Philippines.

Go PHL Azkals!

                                                               

Tonight, the Azkals would need at least a 2-goal advantage against Indonesia (after bowing out 1-0 to the Indons in Game 1), to advance to the finals against Malaysia.  But win or lose, the Azkals have already shown that Filipinos can play football also.  And it's a good start for Philippine football.  Who knows someday we will be playing at the World Cup?