Duremdes clueless about his removal

Kenneth Duremdes said yesterday that he was the last to know about the reason why he was fired as coach of the Adamson Falcons on Saturday.

The PBA great said he only found out the reason behind his dismissal through media reports yesterday.

When he asked team manager Gilbert Cruz about the reason last Saturday, the construction magnate said he was only delivering the message upon the order of Adamson management.

But in a published report, it was Cruz who said the disappointing performance of the team in the ongoing preseason tournament was the last straw why he was sacked.

Under Duremdes’ watch, the Falcons finished with a woeful 1-13 record in his first year with the team – a squad with no star players and playing with a limited budget.

A Duremdes confidant said the former PBA MVP was saddened with the way the “sacking” was handled and how it was leaked to the media, saying there was an agreement made up that it will be handled with utmost care to protect his image.

“Being a former ‘Falcon King’, he deserves a little respect because he did not seek for the job, it was offered to him for giving honor to the school during his celebrated UAAP days,” said his confidant. “He could have stepped down if they want.”

With Duremdes on board, the Falcons were expected to perform much better than the time of Leo Austria.

But right on the first year of a three-year contract, Duremdes struggled to form the team – unable to get the players he wanted because he can’t compete against the high-heeled schools.

The most embarrassing experience the Falcons suffered last year was when they were held to a record-low 25 points with the Bulldogs winning the match by 37 points.—Jonas Terrado