JUST when things were beginning to step up for the national men’s football team under Albert Capellas, the Philippine Football Federation announced late Saturday night that the Spanish tactician was stepping down as coach for “personal reasons.”
Taking over the Philippine squad in the interim is his deputy and compatriot CarlesCuadrat, the PFF announcement said.
“My wonderful journey as head coach of the Philippine National Football Federation has come to an end and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have been part of it especially the players and all the staff involved, the Director of National Teams Freddy Gonzalez, and the President John Gutierrez,” Capellas said in a statement.
“Together, we have enjoyed an inspiring journey and have proven that Filipino football has a promising generation of young players with the potential to bring great pride and success to the country,” he added.
“I am sincerely grateful for the time we have shared and for the support and kindness I’ve received from the entire Filipino football community. I will always carry these memories with me and wish the Federation and the team continued growth and success in the years to come.
“With gratitude, Albert Capellas,” said the outgoing mentor.
“Personal reasons have led to Albert’s departure. Out of great respect for him, we will not elaborate. We are grateful for his service and wish him well. I continue to consider him a friend,” said PFF director of senior national football teams and PH men’s squad manager Gonzalez.
“As with all things in life, change happens and one must always be prepared to handle unexpected turns. We move on and keep pushing forward. Albert left us with a blueprint to follow and we thank him for bringing Carles on board,” Gonzales pointed out.
“He (Capellas) has enabled him (Cuadrat) to be the interim head coach and provide continuity for what Albert did. Now is the time to focus on the match with Tajikistan and push to be top of the group and focus on qualifying for the Asian Cup,” he stressed.
As a replacement for Belgian mentor Tom Saintfiet eight months ago, Capellas brought new flair and an attacking mindset to the Filipino footballers, enabling them to push as far as they could go, for an entertaining and lively style of play.
The team highlight under his watch was the stunning 2-1 upset of Thailand in the first leg of the semifinals of the Mitsubishi Electric Cup, the Asean men’s football championship, last December at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, for their first win in five decades over the Thais.
Thanks to his shrewd yet vibrant tactics, the Philippines moved up four spots to No. 146 in the latest International Football Federation, known by its French acronym FIFA, world men’s ratings last April.
With Capellas calling the shots, the Pinoybooters opened their campaign in the AFC Asian Cup Group A qualifying tournament with a convincing 4-1 win over the Maldives last March 25 at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
Cuadrat, 56, who has vast experience with Spanish football powerhouse Barcelona FC like Capellas, will now take over the reins for the Nationals, who need to prevail over the Tajiks, currently ranked No. 104, to boost their drive in qualifying for the Asian Cup, kicking off in Saudi Arabia in January 2027.
