Despite loaded roster Beermen are just paper giants for now, says Austria

Leo Austria knows he now has the most talented local core in the PBA when San Miguel Beer took in Terrence Romeo a couple of weeks back.

And with the Beermen seeking to extend their unprecedented reign in the PBA Philippine Cup to five years, Austria has also felt the pressure to succeed swelling.

Temper those expectations, though.

“We are strong, yes, but just on paper,” Austria told the Inquirer. “With Romeo, with his kind of talent, it will further improve the capability of the team to win [championships]. But everything remains to be seen; we have to see how he can adapt to our system.”

“But with his basketball intelligence, he’ll get there.”

The only question remaining is: When?

San Miguel will have a one-day team building in Tagaytay on Sunday, and Christian Standhardinger is also set to join them in practice the day before, but Austria believes that he can have things in order even with the short time to prepare.