BCAP to meet over SBP's move to hire Serbian coach

MANILA, Oct. 4 (PNA) – Former Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) president Yeng Guiao revealed on Friday their plan to meet on Monday night to discuss issues, including legal aspect, regarding the decision of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) to hire Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.

”We will know from that meeting what is our next move regarding the hiring of Toroman,” Guiao said during weekly SCOOP sports session at the Kamayan Restaurant along Padre Faura in Ermita.

The SBP has signed Toroman as project director of the federation for the formation of a competitive national team whose primary goal is to compete in the 2010 Asian Games and 2012 London Olympics qualifying.

”We are asking for clarification as to what the role or mandate of Toroman why he was hired by SBP,” said Guiao, who was recently appointed by the Philippine Basketball Association to handle another national team that will see action in the 2009 FIBA-Asia World Championship qualifiers for the 2010 World Championships.

”Hiring foreign coach should be the least option. Under Philippine labor law, hiring foreign worker can be done only if there is no available talent in our country and provided he or she has new technology or new system that is not yet known in our country. There should be transfer of technology,” Guiao added.

Guiao, also head coach of Red Bull in the PBA and incumbent vice governor of Pampanga province, said the problem of the national team is not foreign coach but lack of height and international exposure.

”Our real problem is that we don't have the size and lack of international exposure. We have to adopt to the international system,” Guiao said.

He suggested that instead of using the money for foreign coach, the SBP should spend it to get naturalized seven-footer foreign players from African or European countries.

”We can really beef up our big men with seven naturalized foreign players, I think, we have very good chances of matching up the taller team because our own local players are all talented,” Guiao observed.

”If the contract of Toroman is, let say, 10,000 US dollar, we can already use that money to get at least two naturalized seven-foot foreign players,” he added.

Guiao said incumbent BCAP president Chito Narvasa has already invited all the federation's members including Tim Cone of Alaska and Normal Black of Ateneo to attend the Monday's meeting.

”Noli (Eala who is SBP executive director) promised us that he would consult us before hiring Toroman but it was not done. Our demand is very simple. We want to clarify what is the role of Toroman to the national team,” Guiao said.

As to the composition of his national team, Guiao said he might get 60 to 70 percent of the core of the national team that competed in the last year's Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan.

”We need not conduct tryout because we knew already that the core of the national team in the last year's Olympic qualifying are all talented players. We just have to know if they still willing and committed to play for our country and ready to adopt to my system,” Guiao said.