THE FIELD OF FOOTBALL DREAMS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 09 Jul 2011
The superb showing of the popular Philippine Azkals in their smashing 4-0 victory over a hapless Sri Lanka team last Sunday in the second leg of the 2014 World Cup qualifier after being held to 1-1 draw on the rocky field at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo, highlights the importance of a field that would help fulfill our nation?s football dreams.
Coach Michael Weiss as well as the players, many of them Fil-Europeans, felt so much at home on a beautifully laid out carpet of green that reminded them of the pitches in Europe and helped bring out the essential beauty of touch football with short, snappy, accurate pinpoint passes and accentuated quickness.
The ball didn?t bounce unevenly like it did on the rock hard surface in Colombo which affected ball control and forced the Azkals to engage in long balls and to hope for the best.
While De La Salle University?s agreement with former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping came under fire at the time it was consummated, the obvious soundness of the agreement now stares critics, including the Philippine Olympic Committee leaders who battled Angping all the way, in the face. The fervor of 15,000 fans including those who braved the rains last Sunday, the superbly laid out grandstand which was to the credit of the Philippine Football Federation under its president Mariano ?Nonong? Araneta inspired the long nurtured dream for Philippine football.
Quietly standing on the touchline and supervising the complete reconstruction of the football field was architect Ike Madamba.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Inquirer, Madamba said the construction ?took about two months but the growing period was about four months because you need really, really good water.?
Madamba explained that they needed ?treated water otherwise water from the creeks meant you would need a different type of grass not Bermuda 419 which is a type of grass that you see on the fairways of the better golf courses.?
He said ?the nicest thing about this grass is it?s easy to keep, easy to maintain. Once its gets hurt it grows right away.?
The soft-spoken architect stressed that they needed regular tap water and ?you only need to irrigate it about 15 minutes, three times a day and one sprinkler head is about 17.5 gallons per minute. At P45 per cubic meter the monthly cost is about P60,000.?
When asked who will maintain the field Madamba replied ?your guess is as good as mine? but expressed the hope that La Salle ?keeps up to it.?
Stressing that any decision should be judged by the end product, Madamba said ?we put a lot of heart into this and I hope La Salle will continue.?
Looking up at the totally refurbished grandstand with brand new and more comfortable seats, newly painted and numbered which was done in 28 days by the PFF, Madamba said ?its fantastic.?
Reflecting on the tendency to build venues which are not maintained, with a few exceptions, Madamba said ?I hope they keep it even just the turf. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into producing something like this. Sayang naman if we neglect it because it doesn?t cost too much to keep it.?
Madamba lamented the corruption that has eroded even sports and stressed ?I love doing these things because its about time. Our players deserve something better.?
He said when he built the first field at Xavier the kids were complaining why the ball was moving so fast and his reply was ?you have to run faster? because it was "unlike carabao grass which they were used to. ?
Madamba who is also constructing a similar field at Ateneo said ?I hope this will carry on and will help our young men who deserve something better." He added "We have brought down the costs substantially and its now more affordable.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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