The hammer has fallen, and it could not have come at a worse time.
Jeff Cheng has announced his departure from the Philippines Women’s National Football Team due to unworkable situations, despite his best efforts to collaborate with the Philippines Football Federation.
“Our priorities and goals do not align, and the PWNT organization that we worked hard to develop in the past years is incompatible with current methods,” Jeff Cheng said in the statement released this past Sunday, June 23.
Under Ninong Jeff’s guidance (Jeff Cheng is fondly called Ninong by Filipino football fans), PWNT has risen to new and greater heights, with a historic first-ever win at the 2023 Women’s World Cup as their crowning glory.
PWNT under Mr Jeff Cheng:
2017
🧢 FIRST qualification to AFC Asian Cup
📈 69
2018
🧢 FIRST appearance in AFC Asian Cup
📈 74
2019
📈 67
2020
📈 65
2021
📈 64
2022
🧢 FIRST SF appearance in AFC Asian Cup
🏅 FIRST qualification to the World Cup
🥇 FIRST championship in a regional competition
🥉 BRONZE in SEA Games
🧢 numerous friendlies with other confederations
📈 53
2023
🧢 FIRST participation in the Pinatar Cup
🏅 FIRST World Cup appearance and win
🧢 FIRST QF appearance in Asian Games
🧢 FIRST qualifiaction of U17 in AFC Asian Cup
📈 38
2024
🏅 Second participation in the Pinatar Cup
🧢 FIRST U17’s appearance in Mima Cip
🧢 FIRST appearance of U17 in AFC Asian Cup
🏅Supported the wide talent search to assemble our best team so far
🏅Hired competent coaching and support staff
Understandably, this has caused an uproar on social media, with fans who have been following the Filipinas seeing “Jeff Cheng” trending on Twitter/X. There seems to be a consensus: Jeff Cheng in, John Gutierrez (PFF president) out.
This news comes after PFF came under fire due to undesirable player conditions at Manila Montet, a football club currently playing in the Philippines Football League. Even prior to this news, PFF’s “street cred” among fans has been low, with barely any progress over the years.
The football community in the Philippines, from my observation, is comprised of very passionate people.
Fans create databases of players for both the national teams and the local league because the federation really didn’t have one. They create player profiles and post-game highlight reels. They produce cinematic videos and take professional-grade photographs in an effort to market the game. Fans write articles, create websites to publish said articles, and record podcasts. Filipino fans do all of this on their own dime and time for the love of the game and our players. I’ve said this multiple times: if there were a trophy for the most dedicated fans in the world, we’d probably get it.
To add to this, we’re halfway through the year, and there has been no news of when the PFF Women’s League will start or if there will even be one this year. For context, last year’s PFFWL started in July 2023.
With all of the above, the news of Jeff Cheng’s departure has further soured the relationship between the community and the federation. I guess it’s safe to say that PFF’s “street cred” is “in the mud,” as kids these days would say.
It’s a waiting game now to see whether the fairly new coaching staff headed by Mark Torcaso will stay on with the team, considering they were brought in by Cheng after Alan Stajcic’s stint ended after the 2023 WWC.
All of this uncertainty doesn’t bode well, especially with the ASEAN Women’s Championship (formerly AFF Women’s Championship), where PWNT are the reigning title holders, looming in the near future.
The onus now falls on Freddy Gonzalez (Director of National Teams) and PFF to find someone who can fill the very big boots that Jeff Cheng once wore.
“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 of ensuring 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.
As a fan, I wait with bated breath and beer in hand for what’s to come, while praying to all of the football gods that whatever progress Jeff Cheng has helped achieve with our women’s team is not undone by poor decisions and fragile egos.
And to fellow Filipinas fans, I say take a seat. Grab a stiff drink. We’re going to need it.
Rhea Jimenez is the author of the anthology, Mga Salmong Tugon: Nang Ibinulong Ko Sa Buwan Ang Aking Pag-Ibig. She spends her free time working for the man as a customer support representative. The rest of her time is spent writing when she could, working with her local community with their literacy program for kids, watching football, lurking on social media or at the beach to get some sunshine while dreaming up the next story she’ll write.
