La Salle coach for women’s team? PNVF chief says federation will bring in foreigner

The social media frenzy surrounding the potential hiring of La Salle volleyball coach Ramil de Jesus as head coach of the national women’s volleyball team may be for naught.

Tats Suzara, the president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), said a Brazilian coach is due to arrive to “oversee” the women’s squad, whose well-loved and well-paid stars have not made a dent in the international scene.

“This will change the volleyball landscape of coaches and players here in the country,” Suzara told the Inquirer on hiring a Brazilian mentor. “It’s about time; two Southeast Asian (SEA) Games already and we came up empty handed.”

The PNVF is set to announce the team’s head coach on Wednesday next week but this early, Suzara has already laid down the rules.

“The arrangement would be if we appoint an interim Filipino coach next week, once the Brazilian arrives, he will step aside and become assistant,” he said

Although Suzara did not give a target date for the Brazilian’s arrival, he said “the latest would be by July.”

Suzara is confident the Brazilian would help turn the women’s program around: “If it’s just up to me, I want a complete overhaul with new young players.” The much lesser heralded men’s squad at least bagged a silver in the recent SEA Games, knocking off powerhouse Thailand no less in the semifinals. The national women’s team has been plagued by scheduling problems, owing to players having commitments to two different club leagues.