BUSINESSMAN JEFF CHENG WITH SHONAN BELLMARE FC PRESIDENT NAOHITO MIZUTAN DURING THE PARTNERSHIP CEREMONY OF THE DAVAO AGUILAS WITH THE JAPANESE J LEAGUE CLUB IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.
IN the middle of December last year, Davao Aguilas-Belmare team owner Jeff Cheng officially informed this writer via text message that the only Mindanao based professional football team will cease to exist and will no longer participate in the 2019 season of the Philippine Football League (PFL).
It was a bitter pill for the struggling professional game in the country. The announcement also came after the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) have plans to replace the PFL with the Philippine Premier League (PPL) for 2019 under Thailand based Bernie Sumayaa.
There were speculations online that Cheng wanted to help in running the PFL but his offer was turned down that he decided to disband his team.
Now, it can be told that Cheng actually presented an offer to the PFF that he would help run the league because he was not happy of what was going on the past two seasons. “The main issue in the league is un-sustainability and the way it is being run. I offered to run the league next year but they chose to go with another entity and handed over the league to them,’’ he said in his text to this writer on the 14th of December last year.
We could not blame Cheng for his decision to pull out the Aguilas. The PFL then was facing uncertainties, and clubs were losing millions and they were not earning a single cent. That was the reason why the clubs were one by one closing down. After the Davao shutdown, JPV Marikina followed suit. Before the second season in 2018 started, Meralco-Manila and Ilocos United close shops.
All Jeff Cheng wanted to do was to help professional football thrive in our country. Cheng loves the beautiful game and he has been helping the sport for many years now shouldering the expenses of various national youth men’s and women’s teams.
He offered help because he has the capability to help. The Davao Aguilas-Belmare FC had the most number of sponsors like San Miguel Corp, Tapa King and many more. It even signed a contract with Japanese J-League club Shonan Bellmare in September of 2018, to help develop their players.
THE DAVAO AGUILAS SPORTS COMPLEX IN MANDUG, BUHANGIN DAVAO CITY IS SLOWLY TURNING INTO SHAPE DESPITE OF THE DISBANDING OF THE DAVAO AQUILAS.
It was also during that time when he made public his plan to construct the Davao Aguilas Sports Complex in Mandug, Buhangin, Davao City.
If I were Jeff Cheng I would also feel bad. You see, he has spent millions and helped Philippine football for many years now and when he offered help to improve the professional game, he was turned down. He was turned down by the people he considered his friends.
What added insult to injury was the people he considers his friends approved another entity which they did not even know. A company which was untested in Philippine Sports.
The result, disaster. The new group, the Philippine Premier League (PPL) crashed with only one official match played. Now to save face, the PFF has withdrawn its support to the PPL after Global-Makati FC, Stallions-Laguna FC and Ceres Negros FC did not want to join the new league leaving only Kaya-Iloilo FC, Green Archers United FC and Air Force.
The PFF has no choice but to take over the league and recall the Philippine Football League. Talks are now ongoing for the PFL under the PFF to start its new season by the end of May to save the season.
The PFF is forced to start the PFL because canceling the league will mean a disaster to Ceres-Bacolod and Kaya-Iloilo who are busy in their campaigns in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup. Without a league this year, would mean there would be no Philippine Clubs in the AFC competitions next year.
The disaster has vindicated Jeff Cheng. The PFF should apologise to him and beg him to come back to the professional game.
Cheng has actually not left football. Works in his Aguilas Sports Complex in Davao is slowly going on. He has continued his support to the youth football development in the country by supporting the on going Youth Football League (YFL) Summer tournament.
The YFL Summer tournament is sponsored by one of Cheng’s company, Speed Regalo.
The company is one of the latest and most innovative online shopping site in the Philippines. It offers a variety of gift items ranging from Philippine made products, confectioneries, gift baskets, flowers, plush toys and many more – all at the best price.
For sure, Jeff Cheng will not turn away from the professional game and will comeback. The only question is when? (l.biantan@gmail.com)
