Filipinas manager Jeff Cheng committed to support through Asian Games, Round 2 of Olympic qualifiers

Weeks may have passed since the Philippine women’s national football team’s historic participation in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but many fans are still on a high after the Filipinas’ surprising campaign that saw them notch their first-ever victory in its debut appearance in the tournament.

And though the World Cup itself only just officially came to an end following Spain’s victory over England in the final on Sunday, for some teams, like the Filipinas, eyes are already being set on looming tournaments such as the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games and the next round of the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers.

The Philippines, though, will face a challenge after having to bid farewell to some key personalities, most notably head coach Alen Stajcic, but team manager Jeff Cheng, at least, has committed to continue supporting the team at least until November.

“I’m still here to support the team through the Asian Games and Round 2 of the AFC Olympic Qualifiers,” said Cheng.

“Obviously, preparing for the Women’s World Cup involves a different level of intensity that is not sustainable on a daily basis, but making the necessary adjustments is part of the challenge moving forward.”

His continued involvement after that, however, will depend on the leadership of the Philippine Football Federation, which is set to hold elections in a few months.

“I can’t say, though, what happens after the PFF elections in November. The direction the Federation will take after is entirely up to the next President,” Cheng added.

Filipinas’ World Cup campaign

The image of Filipinas standout Sarina Bolden powering home a thunderous header against New Zealand en route to a 1-0 victory over the hosts will surely live long in the memory, as will the image of many Filipinos from the world over celebrating the famous triumph.

For Cheng, the results and the performances were doubly satisfying given the many challenges they faced in the lead-up to the tournament.

“As far as my involvement in football is concerned, it was the most grueling schedule and most demanding campaign,” he shared.

“Managing the team involves some 40 people and a lot of moving parts. I don’t think anything we had to go through was easy for any member of the team, but we all had a common goal and we were all committed to perform as best we can at the Women’s World Cup.”

Overall, he was more than pleased with the results of the tournament for the Filipinas, who finished with one win and two losses in the group stage.

“I think we did great. I would have appreciated a closer score line against Norway, but that’s nitpicking. I’m sure when we met years ago, neither of us imagined that, in 2023, you would be asking me about the Philippines at a World Cup, so it’s all good,” he said.

Being the faces of the team, the players deservedly will get most of the attention, but some credit will have to be given to the backroom staff who did the preparation work and handled the logistics to ensure the team were fully focused on the field.

The resources, attention, and detail that went into the team’s participation in the tournament will have been unmatched in the nation’s history.

“I never got into this expecting anything so I don’t know exactly how to quantify ‘worth’, but I think the Filipinas’ World Cup participation brought enough joy and hope and smiles to enough people around the world—whether our players, staff, their families, friends, Philippine sports fans, or just keen football observers—that I can say I’m happy with how things turned out,” Cheng said.

Greater involvement in sports

Cheng hopes that after the attention gained during the World Cup will translate into more opportunities for Filipinos who would want to take this career path.

“I personally do not consider it a goal to oust basketball or volleyball as the most popular sports in the Philippines. I just hope football gains enough popularity to become a financially viable investment or career choice for those who really want to do it full-time,” the manager said.

“And I hope more and more Filipinos would consider it worthwhile to know the basics of football and have some interest to watch it even casually.”

From a sporting point of view, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has been a resounding success not just for the Philippines, but more so for hosts Australia, who have seen the sport gain more popularity than ever before – something which Cheng says the Philippines can take lessons from.

“As regards to Australia, I think the more important lesson for us to learn is how to make sports an integral part of life—at school or after school, of weekends, of spending time with family or friends, as exercise or a hobby, to participate in or to watch on TV.”

“It does not matter which sport is number one or number two, three or four, the whole country benefits from greater involvement in sports.”

—JMB, GMA Integrated News