Pals doubt if Chua will back down on decision to quit Ginebra job

 

“May isang salita yan. Pag may sinabi siya pangangatawanan niya. Mahirap sabihin kung paano natin siya mapapagbago ng isip,” says BCAP head Chito Narvasa of friend Alfrancis Chua. Jerome Ascano

TWO of the people closest to Alfrancis Chua doubt if the Ginebra will back down on his decision to quit the head-coaching job at Barangay Ginebra.

As a clamor for Chua to reconsider his resignation gained ground online and among Ginebra players (see Caguioa hoping Chua will reconsider resignation, hits out at 'constant changes' at Ginebra), lawyer Chito Narvasa said Chua thought long and hard before coming up with the decision and doubts if he will recant.

“May isang salita yan. Pag may sinabi siya pangangatawanan niya. Mahirap sabihin kung paano natin siya mapapagbago ng isip,” said Narvasa, the former Shell and Purefoods coach who is now president of the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines.

“Hindi ko alam ang rason (for his resignation). Ang impresyon ko, masaya siya doon. Pero looking at it from afar, baka may nangyari na nagulo (at) hindi na siya naging masaya. That’s the only way na aalis yan.

“Malamang may nangyari dyan na nag-upset sa kanya na hindi niya kayang matanggap o maayos."

Chua’s former boss at Sta. Lucia, Buddy Encarnado, said he was approached by Chua as the former Realtors coach "seriously thought about (his resignation) before coming up with a decision."

“Tinanong ko siya: ‘Have you thought about it? Have you thought of the repercussions?’ Sabi niya sa akin: ‘Kilala mo naman ako, boss.’ Kaya alam ko seryoso siya,” said Encarnado.

"Wala na akong masasabi. Pero sabi ko: ‘Sayang, Al, kasi you have rekindled the never-say-die spirit of the team and the fans. Isipin mo yan.'

“Ngayon ramdam na ramdam ang pagkalungkot ng fans sa resignation niya. Halos 80 percent yata ng Pilipinas fans ng Ginebra,” added the former PBA chairman.

Asked if he is willing to help persuade Chua to reconsider, Encarnado didn't hesitate to say yes.

“Tignan natin, sana hindi pa cancer, we can take an incision na pupuwede pa nating maihiwalay para ma-i-save natin. Kaso nahihiya naman akong manghimasok. I don’t want that impression,” he said.

Asked if Chua can take Ginebra to greater heights if he decides to stay, Encarnado said he believes so.

“Ang coaching is nothing more than motivating your own people. It’s how you bond the team together to become one. Dyan magaling si Al, dyan mo siya maasahan,” he said.

“Coach Al will go beyond his ways. Pupunta sa bahay ng player yan kahit gabing gabi. Gagasta yan ng sarili niyang pera, just to help his player.

“Al can be fatherly, brotherly and a mentor to his players. Yan ang hindi ninyo alam sa kanya. Yan ang sekreto niya. Kaya minamahal siya ng mga players niya.

“Malaking kawalan si Al hindi lamang sa Ginebra kungdi pati sa PBA kung talagang magre-resign siya.”