Souza de Brito not officially PH volleyball coach – yet

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) clarified that noted Brazilian mentor Jorge Edson Souza de Brito has yet to be officially named as the women’s national team head coach.

National Teams Commission chairman Tony Boy Liao bared to GMA News Online that upon Souza de Brito’s arrival in the country in either June or July, he will be meeting with concurrent head coach Odjie Mamon and his staff.

At the meeting, according to Liao, Souza de Brito will decide whether he will accept the head coaching tasks since the national team is already on its way to jumpstart a crucial buildup heading to the 2021 SEA Games.

“When the Brazilian coach arrives, he will first sit down with Coach Odjie & his coaching staff,” Liao said in a message on Monday.

“And (they will) discuss what would be the roles of each one.”

On Monday afternoon, PNVF announced that it had tapped Souza de Brito to oversee the women’s team program.

The huge development came after the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has granted PNVF’s request to utilize the services of a foreign tactician in future major international events.

But in the event that Souza de Brito declines the offer to call the shots come the biennial meet, Liao made assurance that the Brazilian mentor will still be with the team but in a different capacity.

After all, Souza de Brito parades impressive credentials after having won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona as a Brazilian national team member.

He also mentored several clubs in the Brazilian league from 2002 onwards while also winning titles in Turkey and Japan.

“Maybe because of the very short time frame to the SEA games, we don’t know if the Brazilian coach will accept the coaching job right away or be a consultant first,” Liao said.

“But definitely by 2022, he will be the head coach.” —JMB, GMA News