Alas Pilipinas coach bracing for tough FIVB men’s worlds campaign

Antonio Frigoni (with glasses) is pointing his squad toward the World Championships. —CONTRIBUTED/SAVA

MANILA, Philippines —Alas Pilipinas coach Angiolino Frigoni anticipates a “pretty difficult” Pool A campaign in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship 2025, but vows the men’s national volleyball team will put up a fight.

The world rank No.64 Philippines was automatically seeded in Pool A as the host country, battling world No.15 and Asian championship runner-up Iran, World No.20 and African champion Egypt and 11-time African titlist Tunisia, which is World No. 24, in the tournament set for September 12-28 next yuear.

Stressing that their group is a “big responsibility” and “big challenge” for them, Frigoni stressed the importance of hosting and participating in the World Championship and urged all the Filipinos to rally behind Alas Pilipinas.

READ: Alas Pilipinas grouped with Iran, Egypt, Tunisia in FIVB worlds

“The World Championship for Philippine Volleyball is not the end of volleyball, it’s just the start of volleyball. And to build a team, and to build a good level team, you need years, not months,” said the former world champion coach after the draw on Saturday at Solaire Grand Ballroom. 

“Start with this period to build a team and continue after the World Championship. My expectation is to do our best to compete against everybody, and to fight against everybody and don’t give up against anybody. The results, we will see after the World Championship and after every match.”

PNVF and AVC president Tats Suzara believes the Filipinos will continue to display their hospitality in hosting the World Championship next year.

Members of the Alas Pilipinas men’s volleyball team along with coach Angiolino Frigoni during the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship draw. –PNVF PHOTO

“This is for the Filipino fans. This is for Asia. You know, the Women’s World Championship is in Thailand and then Men’s tayo. There’s also the World Beach Championship in Australia, so it’s all Asia in 2025, so it’s a big year for Asia, me also as president of AVC,” said Suzara.

“We like to work hard on this that Asia can do it for a world championship next year. Let’s work hard and I’m very proud for the Filipinos to host this first-ever world championship for the first time.”

READ: Playing against idols, Alas Pilipinas Men hold their own

Alas, which finished back-to-back bronze medals in the SEA V.League, continues its build-up in Italy for a two-week training camp. 

“We play some matches there, not with the best team, because the best team, they are already in the competition, but the team for the second level in Italy, they are even good for us,” said Frigoni, whose bringing his squad to his home country for training camp.

“We have an opportunity to play some matches there against them, to make experience with some players, to continue our practice for other 15 days”

‘Cheer for Filipinos’

“We want to be better. Physically, we are good. Mentally, we are good. We need a little bit more to compete for the team,” he added.

With a historic participation ahead, Frigoni urges fans to cheer Alas as he felt that the home crowd showed better support for Yuji Nishida and the Osaka Bluteon in their friendlies last week. 

“Nimir Abdel-Aziz, the players of the Netherlands say today, we are here in the Philippines playing very good, there’s a very good atmosphere, because Filipinos, they don’t cheer only for the locals, but they cheer for everybody. I would like that the Filipinos start to be a little bit different. Cheers for Filipinos, please,”  he said.

“Because we play against Japan, and they were more cheering for Japan than for the Philippines. Please, you are Filipinos. Cheer for Filipinos.”