The Importance of Hiring a Full-Time Coach for Gilas Pilipinas

Interim Gilas Coach Mark Dickel has done a great job in preparing Gilas Pilipinas for their game last Sunday against Indonesia which resulted in a 30-point road win by the Filipinos to open their road towards qualifying for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup. He had to deal with numerous players begging off from the training pool and one player who never showed up during practices. In addition to this, he had to work with a line-up that is dominated by young bloods and not to mention, the home game of Gilas Pilipinas was postponed by FIBA due to the COVID-19 scare. Dickel's job as an interim coach was made more difficult by those circumstances and yet, Gilas Pilipinas got off to a great start in their Asia Cup qualifiers schedule. 

As great as Dickel was in his first go-around with the team, we need to remember something: Mark Dickel is also serving as the team consultant of the TNT KaTropa- calling the shots alongside Head Coach Bong Ravena.

And that's why the SBP has already started the search for a full-time Head Coach of the National side who will guide the team not just in the next windows of the Asia Cup qualifiers but more importantly, in the 2023 FIBA World in which the Philippines will be among the host countries.

According to SBP president Al Panlilio, various individuals have been forwarding their respective resumes to the SBP. While Panlilio didn't mention any names of the possible choices, he did point out in an interview that he will be working closely with PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas and that, they will be gathering names and start conducting interviews. Panlilio and the SBP want a full-time coach to be hired as soon as possible as time is no longer on their side. 

While there are many coaches in the PBA and in the collegiate who are qualified, the coach shouldn't have any prior commitments to any mother clubs in any league from any part of the world. And that's exactly the kind of coach SBP is looking for.

Panlilio pointed out that hiring PBA coaches to handle  will have the coaches' focus split into two: Gilas Pilipinas and their respective mother teams.  And that defeats the primary purpose because no matter how great the coach that the Samahan will hire, if he is a coach elsewhere, it's only a temporary solution. A band-aid.

Now, why is it important to have a full-time mentor at the helm? One whose sole responsibility is Gilas?

Continuity.

Right now, Gilas Pilipinas has 9 Gilas cadets led by 5 Gilas draftees and Thirdy Ravena. Tab Baldwin wants them to train full-time not just for the Thailand game which is yet to be rescheduled by FIBA, but for the next stages of the Asia Cup qualifiers. And no, don't expect Tab Baldwin to coach Gilas anew even though he's the Program Director. Why? Tab Baldwin will be at the helm of the Ateneo Blue Eagles when Ateneo tries to extend their dominance in the UAAP later this year. 

Photo is from Fox Sports Philippines