Courtesy: Daily Star

Negros lost a football son

BY CEDELF TUPAS

Tributes continued to pour for Negrense football standout Dave Fegidero, who passed away late Tuesday night, following a motorcycle accident in the Southern Thailand City of Hat Yai. He was 29.

In a press statement, Carlos Cojuangco, president of the Negros Occidental Football Association, yesterday said he is saddened by the death of Fegidero, whom he called "an outstanding member of the football family of Negros". "With his (Fegidero) death, Negros Occidental and the rest of the Philippines lost a football son," Cojuangco said.

Fegidero played for the Philippine Team that saw action in the 2000 and 2002 Tiger Cup tournaments and the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers and the 2004 Olympic Qualifiers.

Fegidero was set to play for the national futsal team in the Southeast Asian Games in Ratchasima Nakhon, Thailand this December.

Cojuangco said it is noteworthy that Fegidero's last major play was in Negros Occidental, at the Panaad pitch last April for the National Men's Open. "May the football community he (Fegidero) leaves behind make him a memorial by strengthening the game he had dedicated his life to," Cojuangco added.

Johnny Romualdez, president of the Philippine Football Federation, remembered Fegidero as a "very good player" who earned a recall for the Southeast Asian Games-bound futsal team because of his impressive performances in previous tournaments. "He (Dave) is a big loss to Philippine football," Romualdez told the DAILY STAR.

Romualdez said he has tasked PFF secretary-general Pablito Araneta to help facilitate the needs of the Fegidero family related to Dave's burial.

Dave is survived by brothers, Samson, Norman and Joshua and sisters Leilani, Shiela, Honeylee, Rossini and Norma.

Dave's older brother, Norman, a former national player, who now coaches the West Negros College squad, reiterated Fegidero family's gratitude to friends, who have assured them of support.

Among those who have assured them of support were De La Salle football coach Hans Smit and Nicky Puentevella of Rolling Hills.

Through the help of the Philippine Embassy in Thailand, Norman said they were able to authorize Dave's best friend, James Rafols, to transport Dave's body from Hat Yai to the Thai capital of Bangkok. Hat Yai is 950 kms. south of Bangkok.



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com