WHEN Thomas Dooley didn’t get a contract extension days after the country’s biggest win two months ago, the idea that the Philippine Football Federation would change managers just months before two major tournaments seemed an odd one.
I thought, whoever comes in must be really, really good but it turns out it’s just not someone who’s going to take over Thomas Dooley’s place but former English captain Terry Butcher and a consultant in Scott Cooper.
So, it’s not the usual setup with one man calling the shots but Butcher will have a consult--some sort of a minder?--when he finally takes charge of the team after the World Cup, where he is a commentator.
This is the first time Butcher’s name has cropped up since he was rumored to take over Global Cebu’s coaching job two years back. Back then, the Cebu Football Association even toured Butcher around Cebu, letting him check the University of San Carlos Stadium and the Cebu City Sports Center. He fell in love with the USC Stadium, I was told, and was impressed with the enthusiasm of the local players when he watched the SunStar Cup.
That was the last I heard of him as, a few months later, Global went with Akbar Nawas during their PFL stint.
Will he fare better than Thomas Dooley? Only time will tell. But I like what he has been saying so far, that the Philippines shouldn’t settle for the Asian Cup but aim for the World Cup as well. His appointment also means that Stephen Schrock, who had a falling-out with TD, may get another chance to play for the team again.
The falling-out of Dooley and Schrock was one of the unfortunate things that happened to the national team and there were attempts by some to get Schrock back in the team, especially in that crucial match against Tajikistan, but Dooley shot that down.
Dooley will bow out with a 20-11-15 record, according to Bob Guerrero of Rappler, and it isn’t a bad one. I also think it won’t be long before he gets a new job in the region as there was already a report a few weeks ago linking him to Singapore.
His farewell message to football fans was also touching and there wasn’t a touch of bitterness. “Good luck in the upcoming games and especially in the Asian Cup and thank you for the wonderful memories, which I will always carry with me,” he said.
I wonder if the Philippines and Dooley’s paths will cross again this year.