The Philippine Football Federation has appointed Rabah Benlarbi as Head Coach of the Philippine Women’s National Team effective 15 March 2018. He was previously designated Assistant Coach.
Coach Benlarbi, a French national, holds a UEFA ‘A’ coaching license. He counts being assistant coach of the Chinese Women’s National Team in 2015-2016 among his international coaching stints.
He will be assisted by Assistant Coaches Joyce Landagan and Steven Joseph Hoffman. The current Goalkeeping coach is Anthony Albao.
Members of the national training pool are having their Philippine-based training since 8 March 2018 at the PFF National Training Pitch in San Lazaro Leisure Park, Carmona, Cavite. The team will fly to Japan on 20 March 2018 for a 1-week final training camp before competing in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 which begins on 6 April 2018 in Amman, Jordan.
“The road to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 begins with the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2018,” said PFF president Mariano Araneta. “With Coach Rabah’s guidance and leadership, we hope that the Philippine Women’s National Team clinch a place in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019.”
Out of 8 participating national teams in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, 5 will go to the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in France in 2019. The Philippines is grouped with Jordan, China PR and Thailand in Group A. The other group consists of Australia, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
15 March 2018. PFF House of Football, Pasig City.
Atty Edwin Gastanes
General Secretary
Photo from Mia Montayre