Romasanta wants Pinoy for PH women’s team

PSL-F2 Logistics Moro Branislav. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. president Joey Romasanta yesterday said a Filipino should handle the country’s women’s national team even as Serbian coach Moro Branislav said he’s willing to steer the squad in the Malaysia Southeast Asian Games in August next year.

Branislav coached PSL Manila in the FIVB Women’s Club Championships last October and steered Foton to the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix championships early this month.

“As for my opinion, I would love to stay in the Philippines for a long time,” said Branislav.  “But I don’t know who to talk to.”

Romasanta, who is on leave as LVPI chief, said the formation of the national team will begin once they have identified the head coach.

“Acting president Peter Cayco is tasked to supervise the formation of the team, but for me the head coach should be a Filipino because a Filipino coach will be more committed to the national team,” said Romasanta.

Branislav, he said, can serve as consultant just like what Ateneo coach Tai Bundit did for head coach Roger Gorayeb during the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

Among those short-listed for the head coach post are Francis Vicente of Generika, George Pascua formerly from Petron, Kungfu Reyes of RC Cola-Philippine Army and Sammy Acaylar of Cignal.