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| With earphones and a lapel connected via a slot, Clifford Daypuyat and the rest of the referees used two-way radios while officiating a club friendly. Jojo Lirio/Smile 8 |
By Ivan Saldajeno
BIÑAN--For the first time in a Philippine football game at least in recent memory, a set of two-way radios was used by the officiating crew.
The lead and the assistant referees of the club friendly between Laguna and Rovers at the Biñan Football on Saturday night were the first to try out the communication system which has been widely used across the globe.
Clifford Daypuyat, the crew chief, commended Laguna for bringing in the radios that helped them communicate better.
"It makes us feel confident especially in making crucial decision," Daypuyat told Dugout Philippines after the game.
Daypuyat, who has been officiating AFC-sanctioned matches like the AFC Cup and national team showdowns pitting Asian teams, is actually not that new to using two-way radios as he has been using it in international games, and for him, it helped minimize what has been the problem among the referees in club matches from the old UFL until today with the PFL as the new top-tier play-for-pay kickoff.
"It is easy to communicate with my fellow refs, unlike before [when] we had to shout to get the attention," continued Daypuyat.
He then believes that the entire PFL should follow suit in upgrading the communication system for the officials.
"Football nowadays has been in the different level, so in order to cope up with the game, it's not just about the fitness level or the knowledge but also the technology should be a priority," Daypuyat concluded.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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