Metro Manila, Philippines — The Philippine men’s national football team is now in the hunt for a new head coach after the sudden exit of Belgian tactician Tom Saintfiet.
This stunning development comes just days before the start of the 2024 Pestabola Merdeka Cup next week.
“From my first meeting with Tom this is something we had discussed that if a bigger opportunity came to him that I wouldn’t stand in his way. 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,” Philippine Football Federation Director of Senior National Teams Freddy Gonzalez said in a statement.
Saintfiet was appointed as the head coach of the Philippine men’s national football team last February after a six-year stint with West African country Gambia.
Saintfiet led the Philippine side, formerly known as the Azkals, in four official matches including home and away defeats against Iraq and losses to Vietnam and Indonesia.
The Malian Football Federation announced that they hired the 51-year-old Saintfiet as the new head coach of their men’s national football team, also known as “The Eagles.”
The Philippines will kick off its Merdeka Cup campaign against Malaysia on Sept. 4.
