Transition period

After almost eight years, some of the officers of the Cebu Football Association will soon step down to give way to a new set. To be honest, it has been a bit delayed but no one is complaining--at least, no one that matters--because the current batch are the best set of officers the association has seen.

That no one really is clamoring to change the set of officers also touches on the major concerns those in football have--who will lead the next CFA in the all important transition period?

Aside from being the new president, the new head will also be the head of a new FA--the Central Visayas Football Association--so he or she will really have big shoes to fill.

Consider what the CFA has done--aside from unifying the various factions, it has unified the referees, hosted numerous coaching and referees seminars, and has also staged two friendlies involving the national team. Cebu also hosted an Azkals training camp and an Asian Football Confederation Presidents Cup match involving Global FC.

The use of a football calendar to make sure that there won’t be a conflict of schedules have also done wonders. It is a simple act, but one that not all FAs have the will to do. In fact, a visiting Manila-based writer was impressed after seeing the football calendar used by the CFA. Why was he impressed? He told me that sometimes in Manila, one venue would host three tournaments using the same set of players. That’s chaotic.

In his speeches, CFA president Ricky Dakay always highlights that he is an effective president because he does nothing. He simply let those who know their jobs do their jobs.

It’s a simplified version but as someone who has covered the sport for close to two decades, it’s one that’s really effective. Before, if you want to raise some concerns or basically want to talk about football related events, you talk to one or two persons only. Now, if you want know the tournament schedules, you talk to Glenn Quisido. Referees concern? You go to Rodney Orale. It’s the same with other concerns like grassroots, women’s football, coaches or even as simple as pitch availability. There are guys in charge of them.

Why is that remarkable? Because, like I said, previously there was only one or two guys in charge of almost anything. Either they were forced to do it all themselves or the others don’t want to get involved.

What Ricky Dakay simply did was to let everyone be involved—regardless of their affiliations in previous terms—and let them do their jobs. It’s a welcome change.

Which brings us to the concern at hand. Who will lead the CFA in transition? I’ve heard from the grapevine that only two of the current board members will be left—Nimrod Quiñones and Rodney Orale—while the rest will gracefully let others take over their jobs. Well, we could wish they’d overstay in their post but that’s the thing with effective officials, they won’t.

When it’s time to choose the new set of officers, that should be the main concern of those who will vote.