ANUSORN ‘Tai’ Bundit is staying put in the Philippines - for now.
The Thai volleyball coach's stint with the Ateneo Lady Eagles and the Philippine national team has been extended after a move by Thailand officials to bring him back as a coach of their men’s volleyball team was put off.
Ateneo team manager Tonyboy Liao confirmed Bundit was asked by the Thailand association to go back home and handle the men’s national team as head coach.
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| photo (c) ABS CBN News |
But Liao said he was able to convince Thai officials to let Bundit stay in the Philippines.
“Thailand volleyball needs him for the men’s but I talked with their association and they agreed (for Tai to stay),” said Liao, who is very close to officials of the Thailand volleyball federation.
Bundit has led Ateneo to back-to-back UAAP championships while endearing himself to Filipino volleyball fans with his 'Heart Strong' mantra and antics on the sidelines.
Liao said the Thailand federation believed Bundit is the right man to sort out minor problems in their men’s volleyball coaching staff, which the affable official didn’t mention.
“They think Tai can fix it,” Liao said.
Aside from his stint with the Lady Eagles, Bundit also served as trainer in the Philippine team coached by Roger Gorayeb that placed seventh in the last Asian Under-23 Championship held in Manila.
The Thai coach is also part of the coaching staff in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore where the core of the Under-23 squad led by Alyssa Valdez is beefed up by veterans like Rachel Ann Daquis, Aby Marano and Dindin Santiago-Manabat.
Source: Reuben Terrado of Spin.ph
