FILIPINAS coach Alen Stajcic and his deputy Nahuel Arrarte will be wearing new hats on top of their duties with the national women’s football team.
Given their solid backgrounds in developmental football, Australian mentor Stajcic and Arrarte were appointed by the Philippine Football Federation as the head coaches of the PH Under-17 and Under-20 women’s sides, respectively.
The PFF made it official during a press conference last Wednesday afternoon at the Acacia Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa in the presence of Filipinas team manager Jeff Cheng and national players Hali Long and goalie Inna Palacios.
“We are excited and challenged by these new appointments. Having continuity on the line is very important in any sport,” said Stajcic, who arrived with Arrarte last Tuesday after holding tryouts for the National Under-20 and Under-17 teams in California.
“The Filipinas reaching the FIFA Women’s World Cup has created great awareness for those who want to represent the Philippines in international competition,” Stajcic said of the tryouts that drew players and their families “from all four corners of the US.”
“We had over 100 players from New York, Chicago, Texas, Florida as well as Canada. This is a good sign,” he said.
He stressed that “we want to see development and continuity. Laying a good foundation for the success of the national senior team.”
“Now, I get to be my own boss and get to order my assistants around,” Arrarte said of his new job.
Kidding aside, the Spanish coach, who worked with the football academy of Sydnew Wanderers, a club co-owned by Cheng, is excited in handling the Under-20 squad.
“I love to do this because I am actually living the role at home right now,” said Arrarte, who disclosed that he has a 16-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son who are also into football.
