FOOTBALL chief Mariano Araneta Jr. yesterday said the grueling Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship schedule that drew heavy criticisms from both coaches and players will be a thing of the past.
“This will be the last time the AFF will allow this kind of schedule. Even in FIFA, we are mandated to have a 48-hour rest period for players,” Araneta said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum, referring to the policy of the International Football Federation, known by its French acronym FIFA.
The play-every-other-day grind in the recent competition drew a lot of complaints, particularly from Filipinas coach Alen Stajcic, who described the schedule as “brutal.”
Thanks to a deep bench, young legs and masterful management of his personnel, the Australian coach was able to get the job done as the Filipinas completed a dream campaign in the tournament, capturing the country’s first major football crown capped by their 3-0 rout of Thailand over the weekend at the packed Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Araneta, a member of the powerful FIFA Executive Council and a ranking member of both the Asian Football Confederation and AFF, said the required 48-hour rest period will be in effect in the next tourney to be hosted by the PFF.
Araneta added the policy will also be implemented in the Southeast Asian Game men’s and women’s football tournaments.
Araneta also said the PFF is lining up more international friendly matches for the Filipinas to boost their FIFA world ratings for a better draw in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup scheduled in October.
“The draw will be in October, that is why we are trying to schedule more games for the Filipinas against opponents that are higher than us in the rankings so they, hopefully, will also improve their ratings,” Araneta said in public sports program backed by San Miguel Corp, Milo, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
