Frustrated Austria mulls quitting as Adamson coach after this season
Leo Austria may be gone from the Adamson bench after this season.
The veteran tactician bared Saturday his plans of stepping down after UAAP Season 76, saying he wants to give the school “a change” in its bid to end nearly 40 years of dry spell in the men’s basketball championships.
“I think this will be my last season in the UAAP,” he announced, moments after Adamson snapped a six-game losing streak with a 67-53 win against hapless University of the Philippines and kept its slim hopes of barging into the Final Four alive.
“I want them to have a change. After six years, they’re expecting me to do a miracle. I can’t do that because every team is trying their best to have big line-up,” he said.
Now in his seventh season overall and fifth straight as Adamson coach after first taking over in 2006 and returning in 2008 after handling Rain or Shine (then known as Welcoat) in the pro ranks in 2007, Austria also admitted he is now feeling the heat from the community, saying: “Naiinip na sila for a championship.”
“They are starting to doubt my ability as a coach. When you’re losing, they’re blaming you. I just say ‘Okay,’” he said. “Like I told them before, I will not insist myself if I am not competent.”
Austria, who also steered San Miguel Beer to its first-ever championship in the Asean Basketball League, was quick to deny his plans of leaving Adamson has something to do with a widely-reported stint as head coach of Petron Blaze in the pro league.
“It’s not because I’m going to the PBA,” he stressed. “Right now, I’m an assistant coach of Petron. I have signed a one-year contract because I still want to coach Adamson. But nowadays, it’s getting different because we are losing.”
ALSO READ: Dad of UP swimmer seeks TRO against UAAP's Jerie Pingoy rule
With the entry of hulking Cameroon import Ingrid Sewa along with the continued improvements of forwards Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial, the Falcons were tipped to seriously contend and appeared headed in the right direction when they won three of their first five outings, scoring wins against the likes of University of the East (78-71 last July 10) and favorite National U (68-66 last July 20).
But the Falcons then lost six straight, and the pressure started mounting for Austria.
“At 3-2, they see good things in me,” he said. “We played well in the first round and I’m so excited in the second round because of the 15-day break for the FIBA-Asia. We were able to address some of the problems and some of the players were able to recuperate.
“But when we started losing, everything started to change. The community is starting to doubt my ability. As far as my analysis is concerned, I feel a lot of people in the community want a change. That means they don’t like me anymore. I will not insist myself if I’m not popular with them. It’s not pleasant to my ear. I want to give them a good start,” he added.
His contract is set to expire on October 31 and Austria, this early, already has his mind set.
“For the meantime, I think I have to rest. For the last five years, I have no vacation. I have to refresh my mind to have a good start,” he said.
His decision, however, hangs in the balance. “This is not final. It will depend on Adamson’s decision. If they will allow me (to still handle the team), I will return,” Austria added.
The Falcons, behind a team bannered by pro league great Hector Calma, won their first and only men’s cage title in 1978.
