Parents to protest inclusion of non-Cebu based U13 player in PH training pool

CONCERNED parents of the Cebu Elite Under 13 (U13) group and the Cebu football community plans to send a letter of complaint to the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) regarding the inclusion of Lorenzo Genco in the training pool of the Philippine Under-13 (RP U13), which is undergoing a training camp at the Don Bosco Boys Home in Liloan town, northern Cebu.

In the letter which they planned to send yesterday, the group stated that they were surprised to see Genco’s name in the list for several reasons.
The group stated that it was made known to them that the U13 regionals dubbed PFF Festival of Football held in various regions was the basis for choosing members of the national training pool.

The Cebu U13 elite team joined the Visayas regionals in San Carlos City last March as the team officially representing the Cebu Football Association (CFA). However, Genco, was not part of the Cebu U13 elite team nor did he play in this year’s Visayas regionals because he was in Italy.

They also stated the U13 training pool has been undergoing training camp since last month and Genco has so far not showed up for the camp.

“Instead of giving top priority to the Cebu U13 elite team, as announced by the CFA, they have favored a player who is not a member of the Cebu Elite U13 team,” the letter read. “It is plainly unfair to the rest of the hopefuls and deserving football players in Cebu.”

The group is appealing to the national technical director to check and further evaluate the style of selection of players.

“With due respect to the coaches who are in charge of the RP U13 national team, we just want to be clarified about the proper grounds of their decisions. We appeal to your good office to look into the said matter and take positive action on our grievances,” the letter further read.

Colina, in a phone interview, defended his selection of Genco. He said that he has seen the kid play and he was impressed.

According to Colina, the decision on who would be part of the pool is his discretion as the head coach of the RP U13.

He also denied that the PFF Festival of Football is the only basis for the selection. He explained that the PFF organized the festival mainly for talent identification and not as a sole basis or the exclusive basis for the RP U13 training pool selection.

In fact, Colina said that Genco is not the only player selected for the pool who has not played in the regional eliminations.

“There are three players coming from Bacolod and there are also members of the Rizal Football Association (RIFA) who did not play in the PFF Festival of Football,” Colina said.

He added that his main goal was to scout for players all over the country because not all good players have the chance to see action in the regional eliminations.

Colina said that last year, some players who manned the RP U14 who saw action in Malaysia had been scouted from the Palarong Pambansa and not just the Visayas eliminations.

He also said that the same issues have been brought up in last weekend’s first international conference of the PFF at the San Beda College. He said he gave the same explanations.