Sun Star Bacolod

PFL CEO bids goodbye

- BY HENRY G. DOBLE

AFTER two seasons with the Philippine Football League (PFL), then chief executive officer Lazarus Jansen Xavier finally left the organizati­on.

In a statement, Xavier said he will leave PFL and start a new chapter in his life. “I will take the PFL, the team, the memories, the remarkable journey with me and rank myself as a proud fan and watch the PFL grow from strength to strength,” he said.

“It is truly overwhelmi­ng to come to this point but, I have the comfort of leaving the PFL in better hands than my own. PFF president Mariano Araneta and general secit retary Edwin Gastanes gave me the opportunit­y to be part of an unpreceden­ted national profession­al football league and I personally thank them for this. Both gentlemen are true believers in what we have built and how much we can still do for the beautiful game,” he added.

Xavier described his experience with so much pride at a generation of players, officials, clubs, fans, sponsors, media, management, committees, the Board and everyone that has been part of the PFL that have redefined football. “There are no words that can express how sincerely grateful I am for the privilege of working with you,” he said.

He further stressed to pursue every way possible to make the PFL competitiv­e on and off the field. “You each have a responsibi­lity to achieve this goal and to remember that the PFL is here to stay. I hope that I have inspired you the values that have blessed me in my football management career and this is reciprocal. These are values that I urge you to continue to embody. Our value to profession­alize Philippine football,” he added.

Finally, Xaxier left a challenge to be the best and don’t settle for less. “Exceed expectatio­ns. Strive to be the best and continue to promote high standards.”*

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