The Philippine men’s national football team is in the process of seeking a new head coach following the abrupt departure of Tom Saintfiet, who held the position for a brief tenure of six months. This development was precipitated when the Malian Football Federation announced the appointment of Mr. Saintfiet as head coach of their national football team, known as “The Eagles,” in anticipation of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.
Philippine football officials expressed that this change was not entirely unexpected. Freddy Gonzalez, the Director of Senior National Teams for the Philippines, remarked, “From my first meeting with Tom, this is something we had discussed—that if a bigger opportunity came to him, I would not stand in his way.” He continued, expressing gratitude for Mr. Saintfiet’s contributions, stating, “Tom came into the Philippine job with every intention of helping with our project, but his heart has always been in Africa. We thank him for his service and wish him well in his new role.”
According to a report issued by the Confederation of African Football, Mr. Saintfiet exercised a clause in his contract that permitted him to return to the African national team arena, signing a two-year contract with Mali. This transition constitutes a significant surprise for the Philippine team, as it now must find a replacement just days before the commencement of the 2024 Pestabola Merdeka Cup, scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from September 4 to 8.
Mr. Saintfiet was appointed earlier this year, succeeding former coach Michael Weiss, and had guided the team through four official matches. Unfortunately, the results included defeats at both home and away against Iraq, as well as losses to regional rivals Vietnam and Indonesia. The Philippines is set to initiate their campaign in the Merdeka Cup against the host nation, Malaysia, on September 4.
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