2025 SEA Games

[Metta]

For argument's sake:

Grassroots is the conditions of how a player started until such time that said player is able to progress to higher levels regardless where you place them. Sandro.
Homegrown is basically having a player make it to the professional level without the need to take them away from where they started. Deyto, Amani, Bugas, Gayoso.

We've probably got thousands of 3-year-olds every year enrolled in some form of football class all over the country. How many of them will still be playing by age 10? How many of them will make their school's varsity team or play at a football academy? Let's stop here first because it's at this age where the country as a whole doesn't offer a lot for those who could be good enough to play professionally unless they're handpicked by the PFF to play U16 after seeing dozens of local competitions from Palaro, various inter-regional meets, RIFA and its equivalent in other places if they're still around, and good old scouting in those bigger academies.

If Sandro is the template, he's quite the exeptional one because not every kid will come from the same background and support system that he had growing up. There will be more who will turn pro after graduating from college (some aren't even in college and are either AFP reservists or those Tuloy FC orphans) and I think that's even better than waiting for three more 9-year-old phenoms with rich parents who are supportive of a move to Europe if it's on the table. But this is like the local Philippine football equivalent of 5 playing years in the UAAP/NCAA. So what now?

That's the PFL's problem. I like how the PFF is going back to picking the best available players after COVID forced them to throw PFL players into the fire, but during those FIFA breaks when we don't have a Sandro, Holtmann, or Rublico... sana lang it gets to a point where we see the team sheet and still be confident of getting results regardless if they field an all-PFL squad or our A-team. The way it is right now, these PFL players don't play a lot of matches and aren't even good enough at the ASEAN level.

Yes for me Sandro is the template in terms of how early he started training right, he's a 1 in a million but that is our reality given our current environment. That's why I said if we want to produce world-level homegrowns, the goal from the very beginning should be to eventually play pro overseas. It's similar to how I advocate for producing homegrown D1 bball players, to be able to achieve that, steps have to be taken from the very beginning.

I often use Gemao as an example. The family is not that rich, but the essential ingredients (to just have a realistic chance to make it to D1 and higher) was put into place right from the beginning. Skills and athleticism training really young, plus constantly playing up levels and now overseas training/competition. Basically, his family provided for him what I consider good "grassroots development" with meager means (scalable). Now, he still has a chance at D1 (would've been done by now if he was 2+ inches taller imo), but even if he doesn't make it, he'll still be a pretty good player for our homegrown standards.

Among those thousands of 3 yr olds, we now have better chances to develop a few more Sandros compared to before. Kids training that early is a recent phenomenon. Just like how basketball skills trainers have recently proliferated and are training kids younger...it is just now starting to reflect where we now have bigs more skilled than previous generations. If you're from an older generation, I'm pretty sure you're aware of how sports training in the country has drastically improved. But it is still miles away from world standard and there is still much room for improvement.

Now having said all of that, given current conditions, better players will still come from those who grew up overseas (just like in basketball). But if we're not going to even try on the home front then what are we even doing.

[Metta]

And to add to richer kids getting a leg up in some sports, it's been the case around the world.

Money has become a gatekeeper to access elite coaches and elite competition in a lot of sports. Just the time and logistics required to produce a top athlete is something unrealistic for average families. The very best prospects still eventually find their way to join, but rich kids get to join from the very start. Bronny is a hyper example.

Locally, this will be more evident in sports like football because unlike basketball, coaching and competition is that much more rare.

[Metta]

For argument's sake:

Grassroots is the conditions of how a player started until such time that said player is able to progress to higher levels regardless where you place them. Sandro.
Homegrown is basically having a player make it to the professional level without the need to take them away from where they started. Deyto, Amani, Bugas, Gayoso.

For me, Gemao, if he makes it to D1, is a Homegrown D1 player. And of course, if he makes it to NBA/Euro/Gleague, etc he is homegrown too. Just like how we can have homegrown youth Euro academy players.

Grassroots for me is age defined, from when an athlete can begin his athletic journey up until high school.

[Silent Killer]

And to add to richer kids getting a leg up in some sports, it's been the case around the world.

Money has become a gatekeeper to access elite coaches and elite competition in a lot of sports. Just the time and logistics required to produce a top athlete is something unrealistic for average families. The very best prospects still eventually find their way to join, but rich kids get to join from the very start. Bronny is a hyper example.

Locally, this will be more evident in sports like football because unlike basketball, coaching and competition is that much more rare.

In tennis, we’re lucky to have alex eala in WTA circuit.. but not all are eala rich to play tennis and trained abroad

now the la liga camp in new clark city attract thousands of kids.. now it’s the question who among them will get invited to spain?

https://www.spin.ph/football/laliga-youth-tournament-kicks-off-in-the-philippines-with-80-teams-from-8-different-countries-a1373-20241018?utm_source=Facebook-Spin&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20241018-fbnp-football-laliga-youth-tournament-kicks-off-in-the-philippines-with-80-teams-from-8-different-countries-a1373-20241018-fbfirst&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1mYVwa-Xonkbenul54hD88hcRuGJ2uOEG0Jw6czgYU92rxjjmLZ4nrtYo _aem_7p2asxHUKISJsTKbjC8V3g

[BJ_Reloaded]

In tennis, we’re lucky to have alex eala in WTA circuit.. but not all are eala rich to play tennis and trained abroad

now the la liga camp in new clark city attrack thousands of kids.. now it’s the question who among them will get invited to spain?

https://www.spin.ph/football/laliga-...KISJsTKbjC8V3g

Good Day Sir SK,
cc: Sir Mets, Sir Pao

thank you very much for sharing those links

as I said many times before, I felt some sort of joy in my heart everytime I read, watch and heard news

like this, aside from sports facilities, grassroot programs, development, tournaments among others

"nakaka tanggal pagod at stress after a days or weeks work".

we, Filipino sports loving fans badly needed this thing moving forward

I do hope and pray that events like this should be a permanent fixture in Philippine Sports from now on

yes, the possibility that we our kids may or may not get the number of invitees at their home base in Spain for now

is all about "transfer of technology" and Philippine Sports badly needed that."WE NEED TO PLANT SOMETHING".

we already had facilities, Philippine Sports already had the Billions but we need the world class expertise to maximize the Sports talent of each Filipino kids

collaborating with LA LIGA is a good first step

I do hope the PSC, POC thru PFF, some other Government agencies should also work hand in hand to somehow convince with other high profile leagues such

Bundesliga, EPL among others to form such youth leagues like this as part of their charity works like "Football for All" kind of thing

just like the NBA are doing with their "NBA Care", I think they are one of the main stakeholders in that "Basketball without Borders with collab with FIBA

in the continental Africa( I stand to be corrected on this).

surely, private sponsors and companies will pour in once they've saw the main intentions and the people/organizations involved

"Oi!! LA LIGA yan ah, Bundesliga, EPL, NBA, Major League Baseball pala ang involve dyan, let's join the party, surely. our investment are in good hands".

this message of mine seems overwhelming but I think those high profile leagues may somehow buy with that ideas.

as I said "Philippine Sports needs to plant and start on something if the aspiration is to reach the high level.

[Artek]

We should be sending collegiate players to the SEA Games. The senior Gilas team deserves better competition. SEA is non-FIBA bearing so it doesn't matter if the college players lost to the senior teams of other countries. They're a good practice for the young guns

[BadEnglish]

We should be sending collegiate players to the SEA Games. The senior Gilas team deserves better competition. SEA is non-FIBA bearing so it doesn't matter if the college players lost to the senior teams of other countries. They're a good practice for the young guns

I agree with this but can we take a loss? Haha

You know Filpinos Haha

[Artek]

I agree with this but can we take a loss? Haha

You know Filipinos Haha

It won't hurt for college or high school kids to lose to the senior teams.of other countries. Focusing the senior team to Southeast Asia is detrimental to our progress

[IPC]

We should be sending collegiate players to the SEA Games. The senior Gilas team deserves better competition. SEA is non-FIBA bearing so it doesn't matter if the college players lost to the senior teams of other countries. They're a good practice for the young guns

I agree with this but can we take a loss? Haha
You know Filpinos Haha

I think we might need to inquire about availability as well. SEA Games next year is on December. That's Finals season in the UAAP and NCAA. Who will we be able to call up?

Now that said, I also think that we should be using our kids for tourneys like the SEA Games. Maybe add 1-3 professional vets for winning.

[BadEnglish]

It won't hurt for college or high school kids to lose to the senior teams.of other countries. Focusing the senior team to Southeast Asia is detrimental to our progress

Yes for development. But would the general public accept it if we lose in SEA? They would crucify the kids online.

My suggestion is to form a team composed of the following.

4 Top College Prospects
2 Top High School Prospects
5 PBA Players
1 Naturalized Player (Kouame)

[empyreanmaze]

The SEA games record never really mattered that much. What made the Chot silver medal so bitter is that it was Wright, Pogoy, Tautuaa and Fajardo that lost that game instead of Francis Lopez and Wil Navarro. Bullshit short-sighted loss that only came with humiliation and no long term development

Chot was right that it was his fault, I'd never blame the players. Putting veterans like Wright and Fajardo to experience a humiliating defeat like that in a poorly assembled team instead of younger players is like feeding your military general low grade dog food instead of feeding their replacements.

[empyreanmaze]

A full force Indonesian game narrowly defeating the team that Tab sent to the King Abdullah Cup would never have been remembered and used as a boogeyman for this long. Pinoy fans would probably even be giving the Indo team props to this day instead of trashtalking them

[BJ_Reloaded]

i've mentioned this from the other thread.

the ideal lineup for next year's SEAG must be composed of young ineligibles that has a chance to be exempted moving forward.

maybe adding Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, Mason Amos and AK34 from our Team A is just a fair game

plus QMB, Barefield, Balti, Lucero, Datu, Kai Balunggay, Ken Tuffin, Schonny, Stockton, Mike Philips, BGR

with Stephen Holt and DJ Fenner as an insurance, despite not having a chance to get exempted as per previous discussions(from the other threads)

we cannot deny the international talent level of this 2 hafus and somehow be our "panapat" to the notorious Thai hafus like Lamb, Morgan bros and Lish

my wishful thinking Kamaka Hepa and Remy Martin

those lads that I've mentioned will be competitive enough up to 2026 Asian Games as well.

interesting about next edition of the SEAG, is the what if's:

1. what if Vietnam gets the approval and paraded the likes of Juzang of the Utah Jazz and Jaylin Williams of OKC plus those line-up from their 2017 SEAG

2. what if INA paraded the likes of Prosper, Diagne DMX and Beane alongside Jawato, Grahita as part of their "resbak" line-up

3. what if Cambodia paraded again those naturalized dudes alongside that notorious Cam-Am who schooled our guards during that Cambodia SEAG

man oh man!! 2025 SEAG mens basketball event would be a dandy to watch.

[IPC]

The SEA games record never really mattered that much. What made the Chot silver medal so bitter is that it was Wright, Pogoy, Tautuaa and Fajardo that lost that game instead of Francis Lopez and Wil Navarro. Bullshit short-sighted loss that only came with humiliation and no long term development

Chot was right that it was his fault, I'd never blame the players. Putting veterans like Wright and Fajardo to experience a humiliating defeat like that in a poorly assembled team instead of younger players is like feeding your military general low grade dog food instead of feeding their replacements.

I felt that the only positive contributors on that rotation against Indonesia were June Mar, the Ravena brothers, Wright, and maybe Troy. Montalbo and Pogoy didn't have much of a positive impact. Navarro and Tungcab could have helped more, honestly.

[r1ck]

In my opinion the SBP should just tap the talented collegiate players to form a team for the SEA games

CENTERS:
QMB
Ange Kouame (Naturalized player)
Mike Phillips

FORWARDS:
Mason Amos
VJ Pre
Francis Lopez
Jacob Bayla

GUARDS
JD Cagulangan
Clint Escamis
Jake Figueroa
Tony Ynot
Nic Cabanero