Philippine basketball may need a Serbian seven-footer but not a Serbian coach.
Yeng Guiao, considered as the finest local coach today, yesterday questioned the appointment of Serbian Rajko Toroman as consultant/project director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Toroman, who helped Iran win the FIBA Asia championship this year, has accepted the SBP offer for him to help chart the future of Philippine basketball, particularly in the international arena, in the next three years.
Guiao, former president of the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines, and head coach of Red Bull in the PBA, would like to know the extent of Toroman’s powers.
Guiao said if Toroman eventually ends up calling the shots for the team then it may be a “legal problem.”
“It has to be really put in clear language if he is a coach, consultant or project director. Because if he will bring in the players and preside over practices then it’s a mere play of words,” said Guiao during the PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue.
“We have nothing personal against him but the BCAP, of which I am the former president, was formed to protect the interest of the local coaches. And part of that is being given the chance to coach the national team,” said Guiao who was recently appointed head coach of the national team to be formed and backed by the PBA.
He believes that a Filipino coach can do what Toroman can do.
“But if he has the technology or the system where the six-footers can beat the seven-footers and we don’t know it then I’ll carry his bag. That’s exactly what I mean. We have to prove that, ‘Pinoy tabi ka muna because undoubtedly mas-magaling ito,’” Guiao said.
A few years ago, the BCAP, now under Chito Narvasa, won a court case that prevented foreigners like John Moran, Bill Bayno and Paul Woolpert from coaching in the PBA.
“Yes, that’s our position. We won that court case against the foreign coaches and we’d like the ruling to stay,” said Narvasa, also a former coach in the PBA.
“In those instances they were taking away a coaching job only in a club. Now they’re taking away a coaching job in a national team. Mas serious na usapan ito. If you want to take that chance away from a Filipino coach you must have a very good reason,” said Guiao, stressing that what RP needs is to naturalize one or two seven-footers.
Guiao said that in past performances of the national team overseas, coaching was less of our problem, but the lack of size and international exposure.
“We are coaches and he is a coach, and we were not consulted on this matter and they are all set to sign the contract. It’s not just a technical issue. It’s an emotional issue,” said Guiao.
Toroman also graced the forum and had just left with SBP executive director Noli Eala when Guiao was asked to comment on the appointment of the Serbian national by the SBP.
Eala said Tomoran is here to stay for three years to help in the development of RP basketball aimed at giving the country a slot in the 2012 London Olympics.
Eala did not say that Toroman will coach the RP team in the future.