Commentary: Azkals coach Thomas Dooley shows revolting players who their daddy is

 

The press conference held at the Philippine Football Federation House of Football in Pasig City last Thursday was one of the best-attended in recent memory, even if it was just announced late the day before. 

 

PFF secretary general Edwin Gastanes laid the ground rules for the press conference. Peace Cup questions first, followed by Suzuki Cup questions, and then, in a tongue-in-cheek manner, Gastanes said that “some other matters” would be discussed. Slightly-nervous tittering was heard throughout the conference room. Joining Gastanes on the panel were Azkals team manager Dan Palami and head coach Thomas Dooley. PFF president Mariano Araneta arrived after several minutes. 

 

"I'd rather we started discussion on the next (topic),” Dooley said with something between a harrumph and a chuckle after being asked a question about the Suzuki Cup.

 

When the discussion on the “other matters” began, Dooley was well-prepared. He took several sheets of paper out, and what came after was something not often seen in Philippine sports.

 

There were audible reactions to Dooley’s statements, as he, almost point by point, replied to statements made by three of his players. Stephan Schrock, Dennis Cagara, and Neil Etheridge had all spoken out about the coach and the team on social media.

 

Strong words
 

“Unacceptable, unprofessional, selfish,” the German-American coach said. He had particularly choice words for Schrock, who had made several statements in the German press about Dooley and the team management.

 

Perhaps because of the limitations of Google translate, Filipinos reading the statements made by Schrock cannot fully appreciate what they mean. “The PFF and the Azkals is not a pick-up team, or a pick-up organisation, or a chicken farm, like Stephan released in social media,” Dooley said. The coach then divulged that he and Schrock already had disagreements during the Challenge Cup. He recounted what happened after the final game. A shirtless Schrock was smoking in the hotel lobby, in full view of fans “and potential sponsors.” This last story seemed to particularly piss off Dooley.  

 

Dooley then spoke about Cagara and Etheridge, whom he said both arrived for the Challenge Cup already injured. 

 

Etheridge was given days off training after the first game, in which he played, and was replaced by Roland Mueller in the rest of the games. Dooley recounted that Etheridge would usually strap an ice pack to his knee during training time. Etheridge, who says he is training with a high-level team right now, spent most of last season nursing an injury while on loan from his former club, Fulham FC. Fulham FC has been relegated from the Premier League. 

 

Cagara, who has said that Dooley was not honest with him, had left the Maldives to rejoin his Danish club, Lyngby, which was battling for promotion to the top division. Dooley said that he and Cagara spoke before he left and that he understood the Fil-Dane’s situation. Dooley then clarified that Cagara’s performance during the Challenge Cup left a lot to be desired, and that, not Cagara’s decision to leave was the reason that he was not included in the list for training for the Peace Cup. He even said that Azkals newcomer Daisuke Sato is better than Cagara.

 

Too personal?

 

Dooley is entitled to defend himself in the same arena where the players aired their grievances. He even did them a favor, because he did not come out with a statement solely on social media but had a proper press conference where he answered direct questions. 

 

The coach also laid out his issues with the players' performances on the pitch — or lack thereof. 

 

Even the harshest comment on Schrock — that he did not thrive in the Bundesliga because of limited tactical know-how — is a comment from a coaching perspective. Dooley never said anything about their hygiene, their manner of dress, “extracurricular activities,” or how they like their eggs in the morning. 

 

Furthermore, Dooley himself played in the German league system, coming up from the fourth-tier all the way to the Bundesliga, winning a German Cup, a Bundesliga title, and a UEFA Cup title along the way. If anyone can and should comment on the Bundesliga and how to succeed in that system, it is Thomas Dooley.

 

There will always be room for improvement where communication is concerned. Perhaps Dooley could have made more of an effort to communicate with his wards about who are invited to training camps, who is in the Starting XI, uniform sizes and design... 

Who's your daddy?

 

However, at the end of the day, he is the head coach and not a babysitter or a secretary.

 

Maybe these Azkals are still adjusting to Dooley as the head coach. Schrock, Cagara, and Etheridge are, after all, some of the players who have spent the least time with the team since Dooley took over. Maybe they are still trying to shed habits formed during the tenure of the former coach. Maybe they just have a sense of entitlement since they have been on the team for a long time. Maybe they were not prepared to share the pitch with younger or newer players.

 

Dooley is clearly competent. There is no reason for the players to try and publicly mount a revolution to topple their coach. Schrock and Cagara have, sadly, publicly declared that they will never play for flag and country as long as Dooley is the head coach. Etheridge publicly criticised the way the team is being run. He also did not help his cause by tweeting and responding to what was happening during the PFF press conference.

 

They must remember that the team is not a democracy. A spot in the Starting XI is not decided by popularity or public sentiment or number of twitter followers.

 

In a scene from the movie "Remember the Titans," head coach Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington, is accosted by All-American star Gerry Bertier about playing time in the new coach’s system. The Titans were on their way to training camp and about to board their buses, when they had the following exchange:

 

Coach Boone: "You take one last good look at her. Cause once you step on that bus you ain’t got your mama anymore. You got your brothers on the team and you got your daddy. You know who your daddy is, don’tcha? Gerry, if you want to play on this football team, you answer me when I ask you who is your daddy? Who's your daddy, Gerry? Who's your daddy?"

 

Bertier: "You."

 

Coach Boone: "And who's team is this, Gerry? Is this your team? Or is this your daddy's team?"

 

Bertier: "Yours."

 

At the end of all this, it is hoped that everyone will do what Gerry Bertier did. He got on the bus. He put on his jacket first and got on the bus. — JST, GMA News