By Jerome S. Galunan, Jr.

Former English national football team captain Terry Butcher was announced as the new coach of the Philippine national football team, the Azkals, last week. He replaces Thomas Dooley, who served as head coach since 2014.

In his farewell, he expressed hope the Philippines will embrace football.

“I hope, one day, young people will wake up and see the great opportunity and the future that lies in front of them,” Dooley said. “Maybe one day, with the right program, it will happen.”

He noted, with the Philippines once being a Spanish colony, he believes, with Filipinos possessing the “genes of the Hispanics,” there is potential at becoming an Asian powerhouse.

In his international career, Butcher competed in three World Cups and made the semifinals at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, losing to eventual champions West Germany on penalties. He also won the Scottish Football League three years in a row with Rangers FC.

As a coach, he has managed teams including Sunderland FC and Sydney FC./JSG, WDJ