In a rare opportunity, The Designated Kit Man was able to talk with John Gutierrez, president of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). I will not discuss the past, but rather more on the future. The future of the Philippine Women’s Futsal Team (PWFT) for starters and their forthcoming campaign in the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Last Wednesday, the PFF officially announced the composition of the PWFT. Sheen Borres, Shelah Mae Cadag, Sara Castañeda, Judy Connolly, Alisha Del Campo, Isabella Falnigan, Catherine Graversen, Kartina Guillou and Sanuera, Samantha Hughes. Joining them on the squad, too, are Rocelle Mendaño, Vrendelle Nuera, Regine Rebosora, Kayla Santiago and Dionesa Tolentin.
The PWFT will compete against quality opponents such as Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Australia in Group C of the continental qualifiers from January 11 to 19, 2025.
Barcelona-born Rafa Merino Rodriguez will call the shots, while former youth team coordinator Patrick Valenzuela is the team manager.
Of the Pinay5, the team managed by Danny Moran and helmed by coach Vic Hermans, that competed in the ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship held last November, only Santiago, Hughes, Graversen, Del Campo, and Nuera made it to the Uzbekistan tournament.
Rather than dwell on the issues surrounding the PWFT off the futsal court before 2024 ended, Gutierrez said the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) chose to remain silent to shield the players from the controversies so that they can concentrate on the Asian Cup qualifiers. Gutierrez reiterated that the main goal is to qualify for the AFC Championships, even if the Philippines has already qualified to the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup 2025 as the host nation. Gutierrez expressed confidence that the team will do well in the Asian Cup Qualifiers.
“It’s not nearly enough time for an AFC qualifier, but we are going into this tournament, at least in my mind and in the mind of the coaching staff, with the strongest possible combination we have in the country and out,” he said during my one on one interview with him.
I asked him his expectations from the team that was barely in existence less than two weeks ago.
“We expect to win the group and continue to the next round,” he said confidently.
So the next question was is this the final team that will eventually play in the Futsal World Cup?
“If the (FIFA Women’s Futsal) World Cup is in two weeks, this would be the team. However, we still have 10-11 months of preparation. These players will still have to fight for their spot or to keep their spot in the national team,” he explained.
He also clarified that choosing who will eventually play in the biggest futsal event this year will be based entirely on merit, nothing more, nothing less.
“Again, we are not going to choose based on sentiments or emotional attachments. They have to be in tip-top shape, on their toes, 100% performance. Otherwise, if somebody else, who is better, comes along then the coaching staff might just decide to replace them. This is just being professional,” Gutierrez explained.
In order to get the best possible futsal players in the country, Gutierrez said he will ask the 35 regional football associations in the country to nominate their best two futsal players, who will join the technical ID camp in Manila after the Uzbekistan qualifiers.
“By February 1, we are going to have a camp composed of anybody who’s interested in serving the country by playing for the World Cup,” he said.
He maintained that being included in the Tashkent tournament is not an assurance of clinching a spot in November.
“At any given time, any spot will be given to somebody else who puts in more work, more sacrifices and who wants it more,” Gutierrez maintained.
Gutierrez remained mum on the fallout with Moran and Hermans.
An insider within the PFF, however, had several things to say on what transpired leading to the removal of Moran, Hermans and several players on the team. The source said contrary to earlier claims, the PFF was in fact in constant communication with Hermans and company. The PFF recommended to Pinay5 four new players to strengthen the team. Hermans and Moran refused and allegedly insisted on bringing the same team to Uzbekistan, despite not winning a single game in the ASEAN tournament. The source maintained that the PFF needs to send a strong team in Tashkent, but the people behind Pinay5 allegedly insisted “take all or no one at all.”
“Pakyawan ang gusto nila,” the source explained.
The source also claimed that the PFF even went to team captain Isabella Bandoja and three other players a day before Christmas to offer them slots in the new team, even if they couldn’t join the camp due to the Christmas season. All the PFF asked was for the four to commit to the team. Bandoja and the three others refused.
These and a few more reasons, but primarily to have the best team possible in Tashkent, led to the expulsion of Hermans, Moran and several other players from the team, added the source.
All Hermans and Moran wanted was for their players to reach the World Cup. A dream they have been nurturing since building the team from the scratch several years ago.
All the PFF wanted was to send the best team possible.
These are the chances and opportunities worth fighting for. It was very unfortunate that despite the good intentions of the PFF, the best messaging possible was squandered. Instead of Gutierrez asking the media to “keep their eyes on the ball”, it would have been better had he taken the higher moral ground, thanking instead Hermans, Moran and the members of Pinay5 for their sacrifices, hard work and passion for representing the three stars and the sun and helping futsal grow in the country and at the same time appealing to all concerned parties and the fans to give the new team the chance, too, to prove themselves in Uzbekistan. Pinay5 had their chance, why deny the PNFT the same opportunity? For sure it could somehow diffuse the issues hounding the PFF. It could also be a good start and the right direction to take to ease the tension and the pressure on everyone. At the end of the day, we all want the positives for football and futsal.
Another thing, Gutierrez believes we have the best futsal right now. But how can the PFF convince the fans and even Hermans and company if this is true? We haven’t seen the team play. But what we can do right now is hope, pray and believe.
I would agree that anyone on the PWFT right now can play for Filipinas. They are good football players, but futsal is a different ball game. Same reason that players, who play 5 on 5 basketball very well, suck at playing 3 x 3 and the same explanation why 3 x 3 players enjoy limited success in competing in regular, full-court basketball games.
Just hoping, too, that after Tashkent, we can still assemble a national futsal team that is indeed a representation of the best players in the country, nothing more, nothing less. It is a chance worthy of fighting for and definitely worth fixing our eyes on the prize.
Stay safe. Stay happy and Happy New Year, peeps!
For comments or questions, you can reach The Designated Kit Man at erel_cabatbat@yahoo.com or follow his account at Twitter: @erelcabatbat
