Kia Forte. Photo taken from Shakey’s V-League’s Facebook account
Oliver Almadro knows what it takes to win.
In less than a year, Almadro, the Ateneo coach, steered the Blue Eagles to a UAAP title and Spikers’ Turf crown.
And in his first season at Kia’s helm in the Shakey’s V-League Reinforced Conference, the mild-mannered coach is stuck in an unfamiliar territory with the Forte in the bottom of the standings at 0-3.
Almadro has the stars in Alexa Micek, Mina Aganon, Angeli Tabaquero and Faye Guevarra, but his constellation lack one important ingredient.
“I want my players to win and play with heart, not just skills,” Almadro said. “You can see it in there faces when they make a mistake, they’re like ‘how did that happen?'”
Almadro rued Kia’s Forte poor resolve after it lost a five-setter against bottom-dweller Philippine Coast Guard, in a game the Forte needed to win badly.
“They lack heart. It’s not that they don’t have one but when it comes to closing out games we just falter,” Almadro said. “It all boils down to teamwork, a team that beats to one big heart and sacrifices.”