After a breakout performance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Philippine women’s football squad now looks into the future.
Despite their 6-0 loss to Norway, the Filipinas have accomplished a lot in the Cup by putting up a competitive fight against Switzerland and upsetting New Zealand, achieving a historic first for Philippine football.
But Filipinas coach Alen Stajcic said there is more work to do.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg for the Philippines, for them to continue this legacy,” Stajcic said in a report by ABS-CBN News.
He hopes the people in charge of the sport in the Philippines will step up to the challenge of building up football in a basketball-crazy country.
“A lot of things. There’s millions of things. You need to invest in the national youth teams, you need to invest in this team, you need to invest in grassroots programs, domestic league,” said Stajcic. “There need to be regional academies and centers of excellence all across the Philippines for boys and girls to play.”
“It’s a country of 110 million people who love basketball, but we need to convert some of those young kids into footballers.”
The Australian coach expressed hope that the Filipinas will “inspire a new generation” of football players.
“From that perspective, we planted the seeds of future generations wanting to become footballers and national team players and do what these girls have done this week,” he said.
“It’s a good first step, but, you know, there are a lot of things that have to happen to sustain it and maintain it because we are starting from, you know, a million miles back in reality.”
