CHOT: I’M NOT PART OF TNT
TOP Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) teams appear to be on a roll in brewing ticklish issues regarding their coaching staff.
After San Miguel Beer tapped Jimmy Alapag as one of head coach Leo Austria’s assistants, former national team mentor Chot Reyes made an intriguing appearance at TNT’s training camp, fanning speculation he, like Alapag—the KaTropa’s former top guard— are easing their way through.
But Reyes was quick to douse water on the issue.
“Contrary to published reports, I am not part of TNT in any official capacity,” Reyes said his official Twitter account.
“I was asked to facilitate a team session in their training camp last week, just as I have been doing with other companies and even team in the NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association], MPBL [Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League], etc,” he added.
The eight-time PBA champion coach and five-time Coach of the Year handled the Talk ’N Text franchise from 2008 to 2012.
international goal for Phil Younghusband, who has long been around the football scene and is considered the Azkals’ poster boy.
In total, the team skipper has 52 international goals in 105 appearances, making him the anchor on the offensive end.
Fellow veterans Stephan Shrock, Carli de Murga, Patrick Reichelt, Javier Patiño, Paul Mulders, Iain Ramsay and Manny Ott are backing up Younghusband, along with Filipino-Danish goalies Michael Falkesgaard and Kevin Ray Hansen and homegrown stopper Ace Villanueva.
Top goalkeeper Neil Etheridge was not released for international duties by Cardiff City which is in the heat of the battle in the English Premier League (EPL).
With Reyes refuting reports that the team has again tapped his services as team advisor, the coaching staff remained intact with Bong Ravena serving as head coach, Mark Dickel as consultant and Sandy Arespacochage, Yuri Escueta and Alton Lister as assistants.
The KaTropa and Beermen had unsuccessful campaigns in the Governors’ Cup last season. The team last won a title—the Commissioner’s Cup in 2014— under Jong Uichico.
The national team will be in action against a Son-heung Min-less South Korea as the forward still has to complete his duties with the Tottenham Hotspur also in the EPL. Son will catch up in Korea’s final group match against China.
The Taeguk Warriors nevertheless remain tough opponents as they rely heavily on the experience of World Cup veteran and team captain Ki Sung-yueng, Ji Dong-won and Hwang Hee-chan, all top names in European leagues.
South Korea made the World Cup 10 times and is best remembered for eliminating defending champion Germany last year in Russia with a 2-0 victory.