“We are willing to compensate them especially ‘yung mga nagtatrabaho na just to be with the team. Hindi biro ‘tong kalaban. We’ve played against Australia and Australia is one of the best. Lahat ng teams doon, ka-level nila Australia or better than Australia,” PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta explained.

“I think lahat ng players are willing to sacrifice again for another 15 months just to play in the biggest spectacle in women’s football.”

And one of the most awaited games for the Lady Booters is the SEA Games in which Araneta said that it might be the breaking point to write history once again after beating Taiwan in the AFC and be the first team to be part of FIFA.

“I think if they see the importance of the SEA Games, because we will tell them na wala pa tayong gold ever since sa football, hopefully this will be history also in the SEA Games. Dapat sabihin natin ‘yun,” he said.

Nevertheless, Araneta said that in the end, it would be the player’s availability that would dictate their commitment to the team.

“I think depende ‘yan sa availability but we will make it a point to the players that this is part of the preparation for the World Cup,” Araneta shared.