FRUSTRATION, understandably, is starting to creep in at the camp of Globalport that even team manager BJ Manalo admits being affected by it.
The former De La Salle star guard bared answers on how to arrest the Batang Pier’s seven-game winless stint in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup remain to elude the team.
“How do we stop the bleeding now? 'Yan din pinag-usapan namin sa dugout kanina. Gusto naming malaman kung ano talaga ang problema ng team,” said Manalo after Globalport’s humiliating 99-75 loss to Rain or Shine on Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Pero pwede namin sabihing birth pains kasi wala pa kaming two years. But that cannot be an excuse for us now,” added the good looking team official.
Yet amidst the continuing struggle in the mid-season conference after a breakthrough quarterfinals appearance in All-Filipino Cup under interim coach Richie Ticzon, Manalo said management is keeping its faith in new coach Pido Jarencio.
“Definitely si coach Pido is having a hard time. Very evident naman 'yan eh especially sa situation namin ngayon. Sa tingin ko he is learning and the players are learning from him,” explained Manalo.
Manalo admitted Jarencio, a champion coach with University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP, is under the microscope owing to the lackluster performance of the team, as with the rest of the Batang Pier.
“Lahat naman kami laging under evaluation. But we’re very patient,” he replied. “Definitely, it’s frustrating but we are not giving up. Laban pa rin kami.”
“Wala na kaming balak magpalit ng coach. This is it. We have to keep the faith in him. We believe in the capability of coach Pido. We know he’ll get his groove soon,” said the soft-spoken Sultan 900 Incorporated executive.
Although the team is currently in the midst of one of the worst starts in the young history of the franchise, Manalo preferred to see it as a learning curve.
“I cannot say that this is the worst. Part ito ng paglago ng aming team. At isa sa mga dapat naming gawin, wag kami ma-discourage,” said the former cager turned team official.
“We still have two games. Hindi lang naman itong conference na ito ang sasalihan namin. This is part of the process. We have a new coach, we have a new set of players, we want to grow together,” said Manalo, one of the most trusted men of businessman and team owner Mikee Romero.
“Kailangan lang siguro naming malaman kung nasaan point na kami at kung saan kami papunta.”
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