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New PFF president vows to address gaps in grassroots football development

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Levi Joshua Verora, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo courtesy of the PFF." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/11/26/20231126-pff.jpg"/><figcaption>New PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez of Bukidnon FA. Photo courtesy of the PFF.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA – Newly-installed Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president John Gutierrez vowed to bridge the gap between local Filipino footballers and world-class talents during his term.In a press conference held on Friday in Makati City, Gutierrez said putting priority on a bottom-up approach is necessary for homegrown players to catch up to the level of their foreign counterparts in the sport and benefit the Philippine national teams in the process.“By the end of my term, I wish to have closed the gap between how the Philippines develops its talent against the rest of the world,” Gutierrez said.“The only reason why our national team players are better than local talents is because of the kind of training, development, exposure afforded to them. In my administration, that is the gap we want to bridge.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/27/23/new-pff-president-to-prioritize-youth-grassroots-devt">New PFF president to prioritize youth, grassroots dev&#x27;t</a></li></ul>Gutierrez said his administration is working on a technical team that will oversee not only national team operations but also grassroots football nationwide.This includes exposing aspiring Filipino football players to top-notch training and development at a young age.“We plan to have this technical team come up with a module, a curriculum that will be passed around the country to (the Department of Education), to our (regional football associations),” Gutierrez added, “so that people from Tawi-Tawi, kids can have the same module and training development experience as kids from Batanes.”“We are going to end this problem of not having the proper program, proper exposure.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/26/23/sarina-bolden-makes-immediate-impact-for-newcastle-jets">Football: Sarina Bolden makes immediate impact for Newcastle Jets</a></li></ul>To help his administration execute the grand plan, Gutierrez has tapped the services of former national team mainstay Freddy Gonzalez, the first ever local who signed an overseas contract, and Far Eastern University (FEU) head coach Vince Santos.Gutierrez believes that by strengthening local players from a young age by providing them the proper resources that are at par with global standards, the PFF will eventually accomplish a twofold goal of raising the individual level of homegrown Filipino footballers and having national teams benefit from a better pool of such players. “What we are going to end is the problem of not having the proper program, exposure, (because) that&#x27;s the reality of it. Players developed outside the country are only better than us only because of the resources that they get,” the Bukidnon FA executive said.“We cannot give them or afford them the same opportunities in other countries, and that is something we are trying to bridge. Ang ipaglalaban natin rito is that we have more of the homegrown talents in the national squads.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/26/23/gutierrez-elected-as-new-president-of-pff">Gutierrez elected as new president of PFF</a></li></ul>Aside from players, Gutierrez also seeks to raise the level of knowledge of all officials involved in football, including referees, match commissioners, and coaches for the Philippines to have a distinct identity in terms of playing the sport.“We want to field the strongest team and we hope that strongest team comes from our local talents. If not, the managers and head coaches will have no choice,” he said.“We have to bridge the gap between the training methods that are afforded in other countries, even as far as adapting those methods so long as it brings us to the same level.”Under the tenure of outgoing PFF president Mariano V. Araneta, the national governing body was able to enjoy highs in the national team level, with the Philippine Azkals making the 2019 AFC Asian Cup while the Filipinas qualifying to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2022.The PFF was also given the authority to grant coaching licenses to aspirants while youth national competitions have become a staple in the local football scene.Gutierrez had been vocal about continuing Araneta’s projects and identifying what else should be improved to lift Philippine football to an even higher level.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/26/23/watch-parties-complement-filipinas-historic-world-cup-appearance">Watch parties complement Filipinas’ historic World Cup appearance</a></li></ul>“The transition is ongoing. We&#x27;re having all the departments of the PFF present to the group what’s been being done, and from there, the new group, the new administration will be supplemental in whatever projects and programs, and what we can improve,” Gutierrez said.“We love the game enough to try and make a difference. I am in a unique opportunity to be able to help. When somebody is given that opportunity to help, it must be taken advantage of.”

Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez vowed to bridge the gap between local Filipino footballers and world-class talents during his term.

New PFF president vows to address gaps in grassroots football development

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New PFF president vows to address gaps in grassroots football development

Levi Joshua Verora,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 01, 2023 10:58 PM PHT

Read More:

Philippine Football Federation

PFF

John Anthony Gutierrez

Mariano V. Araneta

Azkals

Filipinas

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