It was in a small restaurant somewhere in Ortigas, where I first met Dan Palami. I knew nothing about him except for the news reports about him and the Philippine Azkals. I was still covering the defense beat then in my previous life.
That quick meeting, arranged by my “panganay” Cedelf, would become the start of a friendship on and off the football pitch. And also the start of another journey in my life, which was not my choice but rather handed to me without a warning one Friday afternoon.
The changes came abruptly. From covering conflicts in Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Maguindanao, Lanao Del Norte and other parts of Mindanao, to the nine islands in the West Philippine Sea and to the battered barangays in Zamboanga City to name a few, I pursued a different beat in my remaining days as a TV reporter. Football became among my priorities, if not the top priority. So from the battlegrounds of Albarka, Tumahubong, Patikul, Datu Saudi Ampatuan and other places where peace is elusive, I became a “tambay” at the Rizal Memorial Stadium and the McKinley Stadium in Taguig.
From memorizing the names, the codes, the parlance, the language and anything and everything about the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, I began to know more about the beautiful game, especially about offsides and set pieces. From Lieutenant Junior Grade, Senior Chief Petty Officer and Captain (which is different in the army and in the navy), I learned to know more about midfielders, strikers, fullbacks and central defenders. Covering the Azkals battle it out against bigger, better and favored teams was a different high. It was a welcome and much appreciated change from conflicts I usually covered before. My parents, Ernesto and Eleanor, would certainly agree.
Samba became my favorite footwear instead of my boots. The long and dangerous trips from Zamboanga pier to Jolo (eight hours by boat and 30-45 minutes or less on a chopper or a C-130 from Edwin Andrews Air Base) became short trips to Taft, Emperador Stadium and to NAIA to see the Philippine Azkals or the old Global Cebu FC fly off to international competitions. More importantly, going back home was easier and a certainty without the PTSD and the nightmares, too.
It wasn’t easy then, I had to build my contacts from zero and contend with other reporters then, who have basically established their names whether in football, basketball or other sports.
But Dan was there. Patiently and willingly supported me when I knew nothing much about football in the Philippines. I am an occasional football fan of Manchester United, Rayo Vallecano, Ruud Gullit and Ronaldo (the one with the crazy hair cut before), but not much of the Azkals back then.
I never expected that covering the Azkals and defending them against trolls and toxic fans would eventually become a passion for me. Hearing Lupang Hinirang in Dubai for the first time in the Asian Cup was among the highlights of my life as a reporter until now.
While haters would ask what Dan Palami has done to Philippine football, I could probably provide some answers after covering and writing about the national men’s football team for more than a decade now.
For starters, there are a billion plus pesos reasons why. Palami has invested so much since the middle of 2010 until last year in getting Azkals based overseas to come and play for the country, organizing training camps, competing in international tournaments like the Asian Cup, Suzuki Cup, AFC Cup and the AFC CL to name a few. He also took charge of getting these Azkals passports, tickets, board and lodging, and other requests and quirks of players. He could have stayed rich beyond measure, but instead invested in the experience, including the crap and the bullshit of it all.
Palami made the Azkals, from the perennial whipping boys in ASEAN football into a contender, from an irrelevant asterisk in the rankings to as high as 111th in the FIFA pecking order. He also brought the country to its first-ever appearance in the Asian Cup in 2019 and four semifinal appearances in the AFF Championship.
But more importantly, he did more things that do not appear in any statline or statistics, like making the Azkals believe that they can play well and good for the country that will never love them as much as it loves its basketball players.
He gave them pamasahe to practice to ensure that they will be present, he gave them pride even if only their relatives watch their games live, he gave them purpose and passion, while playing before thousands of hostile crowds and a near-empty stadium back home. Maliit na mga bagay, but matters a lot to someone playing a sport that was just an afterthought then. Ask Misagh Bahadoran and the other Azkals then in the early 2010s.
Heck, I wouldn’t even be writing this column, if not for him.
Of course, Dan is not the perfect manager, a fact that he himself doesn’t aspire for. He, too, made errors in judgment and decisions, that is given. But we can’t, however, fault him for his love and passion for Philippine football. Even if it was very difficult, he did everything he could just to make the Azkals compete and be competitive.
And so we met again the night after he stepped down as team manager of the Azkals. But instead of talking about his plans for his next adventure, just like our first meeting, we opted to talk about the journey he took with his beloved Azkals, the happy, the sad and even off the record details were plenty.
He, however, said that the next manager should have a love for the game, management skills, support of the Philippine Football Federation and patience. The job is not easy, after all.
When The Designated Kit Man asked him if he is leaving football, he answered no. When I asked him where he will go next, he said he will be just around.
“I don’t think that anybody who is into football ever turns his back on the game. I’ll be taking on new challenges. And hopefully, we can create the same impact as the Azkals did,” Palami said.
There was nothing to say but gratitude to Dan, for all that he has done with the Azkals and football in the country as well. His legacy is secure for those who know their football history.
For me, he is not just the former manager of the Azkals, he is more than that.
That he is a friend is an understatement.
Stay safe. Stay happy peeps!
For comments or questions, you can reach The Designated Kit Man at [email protected] or follow his account at Twitter: @erelcabatba