Saturday, February 14, 2009

VILLAFLOR: RESIGNATION IS IN THE AIR


Sun Star Newspaper (www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu)
by Noel S. Villaflor
Columnist - Footnote
Former Sports Editor - Sun Star Cebu

...Tochi’s s thoughts on a drastic change in leadership echoed fellow columnist Mike T. Limpag’s earlier call for Philippine Football Federation president Jose Mari Martinez to resign. (In his column above, Mike, this section’s ever-patient editor, provides more insight about the mess the PFF has gotten itself into.)Philippine football needs competent men to run its affairs.

Martinez has had his share of critics from the day he stepped into office—from within the football circle and, of course, the nosy media, no matter how few.

But the moment your crony expresses his loss of confidence in your leadership, you know it’s time to go. National team coach Juan Cutillas just did, a month after a forgettable campaign.

It is now apparent that the PFF is too big an organization for Martinez to run. One could only wonder what got into him when he declared, in his first official speech as president, that he would step down if he fails to uplift Philippine football after six months in office.

Even President Obama didn’t make a statement as audacious.

The PFF is overwrought with crises, the biggest of which is a crisis in leadership, one that purports to have vision but has lost its way.

In his allegorical novel, “Blindness,” Portuguese writer Jose Saramago says, “Just like everything else in life, let time take its course and it will find a solution.”

Time has taken its course and the solution is found.

Martinez should do a Cutillas and follow him all the way to the dark pages of Philippine football history.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

When Martinez became PFF President in Nov 2007, one of his first moves was to bring in Cutillas.

Now he is abandoned and worst, Cutillas has openly declared his "loss of confidence" of Martinez leadership.

At first you think "walang utang na loob itong si Cutillas"?

But when you hear stories that the futsal natl coach had been sacked, the entire futsal natl womens team quit and a PFF board member questioning the financial status, you will then wonder again and ask... Mr. Martinez, what is happening to your leadership?

How come your teammates are starting to abandon you?

Anonymous said...

Cutillas shouldn't have been there in the first place. I support recycling, but only while it has to do with garbage.

Anonymous said...

Anony, I hope what you mean is not that "garbage in, garbage out" thingy