One-day football tournaments are the most common football tournaments everywhere in the Philippines. It is always a fun day for young players and parents.
But what makes it so bad for the Philippines football authorities?
The Philippines needs these tournaments, there is no doubt about that. But there are aspects that are not conducive for player’s development. The desire for winning titles at all cost and then the parents’ involvement on the sideline can be problematic. They can be the stuff of nightmares.
These tournaments are the most common tournaments that Philippines young players participate in weekly but it has created a negative impact on them when they move on to eleven-a-side football. It has defined what people call ‘Philippines style’.
The first time I heard this, I asked the person, what is the Philippines’ style of football? He said “long balls.”
The fields are small and time is short in these seven or eight-a-side competitions, long balls to a target man or direct kick to the goal are a common playing style. Young players grow up playing this way.
Build up play is almost non-existent. The desire to win titles at all cost and share photos on the social media has taken away the developmental process of playing the beautiful game.
Parents involvements have been great for the players but to have ten or twenty parents shout different instructions at the same time to a player in the field is a nightmare. Young players are not given a chance to learn, explore and make football decisions independently.
As the Philippines national teams are struggling to perform at the international level, they need help in the grassroots.
Implementing tournament rules that enforce build up play in young players and limit long ball style will go a long way in developing complete young Filipinos.
Tournaments organisers can also introduce no shouting of instruction to players rule during matches to parents or have parents and spectators sitting area during competitions.
This will give the coaches a chance to do their job.
Lerche Njang
Roar Rookie
Great to read this your wonderful insight about the game in the Philipines!
Lerche Njang
Roar Rookie
Its a big problem here! Most of the times they stand with the coach.
richard p
Guest
tournaments you are referring to are commonly known as 7-aside festivals sponsored by clubs or academies tied up with private companies and sponsors pros: 2-3 tournaments a month (depending on the weather), kids get much needed exercise, parents spend time with the kids, depending on the organizer may run like clockwork . . . . that's about it in my opinion cons: poorly organized more often than not, scheduling sucks big time when you just use one field divided into small sections where U9 up to U15 (in some cases up to men's or women's teams are allowed to play), there are very few futsal tournaments so that's a work in progress for 11-aside: there are school leagues,RIFA being the most established one in Metro Manila, played during the school calendar June-March covering U11-U17 . . . unfortunately RIFA is dysfunctional on a good day, unorganized and clueless on others. other 11-aside tourneys are held on the summer and semestral break of the kids (recently concluded Youth Football League and the Pinas cup being the most organized and patronized) some clubs and academies join regional tournaments (Singa cup or the Cuki cup) but it's a scheduling nightmare with the local school calendar so we do have the tournaments and the parents over time get wise to the fact that the festivals play a role and hopefully when their kids get older expose them to the 11-aside tourneys p.s. as for coaching that'll depend on the school your kid is enrolled in and/or the academy/club you want may want to join.
Chris
Guest
Lerche, the problems of parents near the sideline yelling instructions is problematic here in Australia as well. I've seen lots of kids turn to their parents telling them to be quiet haha