MANILA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines men's national basketball team is considering hiring a European to be the team's new head coach following the resignation of Yeng Guiao, the country's basketball governing body said on Tuesday.
Speaking after a press conference, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio said the search is on for the next coach, a post vacated by Guiao just days after the country's winless campaign at the recent FIBA World Cup in China.
"We have to move quickly. I don't know if there's a timetable. It might be a local coach, it might be a foreign coach," Panlilio said, adding that the option to hire a European coach stemmed from a meeting with Guiao following the team's return from China.
Speaking shortly after electing to resign, Guiao suggested that the best way to improve the team is to regularly train in Europe in preparation for upcoming international competitions.
"The USA is no longer the mecca of basketball. Europe is the mecca of basketball. If you want to get better, you'd better be in Europe," Guiao said.
"If we want to go to European countries, we need someone who knows the European system very well," noted Panlilio. "If the suggestion given by coach Yeng is that we should adopt that style of basketball, then we need a European coach or at least somebody who knows European basketball."
The first and only European to have coached the Philippines national team was Serbia's Rajko Toroman from 2009 to 2011.
The SBP is pressed for time to appoint a new coach, as the Philippines will be competing in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on home court from November 30.
A deadline of September 30 has been set for the country to submit its tournament squad.
The Philippines will also co-host the 2023 FIBA World Cup along with Japan and Indonesia.
