Ginebra great Bal David urges former team: 'Bring back coach Jaworski'

WHILE several names are being tossed around as Barangay Ginebra begins the search for a replacement for head coach Alfrancis Chua, a former Gin Kings star has only one name in mind.

Former Ginebra point guard Bal David thinks the best man to lead the Kings at this time is none other than the legendary figure who led Ginebra during its glory years, his former coach Robert Jaworski.

“Biased man tayo pero tingin ko bagay na bagay si Coach Jawo dyan, saka para maibalik ang old school (na Ginebra),” said David, who remains a popular figure among Ginebra fans a decade after retiring.

“Si Coach Sonny talaga ang kunin. Baka sakali, pwede pa 'yun. Dadagundong ulit ang mga venue nun,” added the boyish-looking cager. “It’s about time. Madagdagan pa lalo ang fans ng Ginebra nun.”

The 40-year-old denied he has been offered the head-coaching spot in the wake of Chua's resignation, a rumor ignited by superstar Mark Caguioa's cryptic tweet that goes: “This is weird but i had a dream about Bal David i miss this guy sya ang nag guide sa amin ni jj when we were rookies #THEFLASH”

The former University of Santo Tomas star said he is open for a return to Ginebra now that he, his wife Ken and the their three kids are back in the country after staying for years overseas, but he was the first to admit that a head-coaching job will be too big for him.

“Maganda rin para sa akin ang bumalik sa Ginebra, dyan tayo galing eh. Basketball yan eh. Mahal natin yan,” said the Cubao-born player.

“Head coach? Patay tayo dyan (laughed). Wag head coach ha. Mahirap pa yan. Masakit sa ulo yan … tatanda tayo dyan. Masyadong ma-pressure,” David added.

“Na-feel ko ang pressure ng coach nung hinawakan ko ang Fern-C (in the PBL). Kung andun siguro si Big J. Basta pinatawag tayo, game tayo dyan."

Meanwhile, David bared that he can relate to the situation Ginebra players are experiencing after Chua's shock departure, having gone through the same low after Jaworski left the team in 1998.

“Ganyan din kami nun. Devastated talaga kami,” he said. “Madami nagbigyan ng break si coach Al eh, ganyan din halos yung sa amin nun. Kaya talagang mabigat sa loob. Nakakalungkot yun.

“Pero dapat move on lang talaga. Syempre may pamilya ka rin na kailangang suportahan so kung magmumukmok ka lang sa pagkawala ng coach mo, walang mangyayari. Tanggapin na lang kung sino ang ibigay,” he said.

Listen to the podcast of the full Spin.ph interview with Bal David here.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @snowbadua