Amid the surprise exit of Jefferson Cheng from his role as the team manager of the Philippine Women’s National Football Team, Philippine Football Federation Director of National Teams Freddy Gonzalez paid tribute to the benefactor and said that the objective is to maintain the Filipinas’ momentum.
Gonzalez, a former national team player and the team manager of the Philippine Men’s National Team, released a statement hours after Cheng announced his decision on Sunday.
“Regretfully, I’ve had to accept Jeff Cheng’s wish to depart as Manager of the Philippine Women’s National Teams,” said the 46-year-old PFF official.
“His massive contribution to Philippine Football has been a source of great pride for all of us in the last few years, and I had hoped he could continue in his role. It’s a big loss, but I must respect his decision and move forward.”
Whoever replaces Cheng, or whatever organizational structure is put in place after his departure, has big shoes to fill.
(C) PFF
It was Cheng who showed what Philippine football can achieve in the international arena, and matching his success will definitely be a difficult endeavor.
However, that is the task right now for Gonzalez, and it is one he is approaching with utmost care and determination.
Only time will tell if the Filipinas or any of the country’s national teams can reach the heights of Cheng’s tenure.
“As Director of National Teams, the challenge of filling the void created by this departure falls under my responsibility. It’s a huge challenge, but I have every intention to ensure we keep the program of the women’s national team progressing in the right direction. We must continue building on Jeff’s great work,” said Gonzalez.
“There’s a lot to be done. We’ll be sharing more news soon.”
