ASIAN Games is fast approaching. Gilas Pilipinas is without a coach after Chot Reyes' resignation. Rajko Toroman is in town.
Serendipity?
Toroman, who helped get the national team program of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) off the ground under the Smart Gilas banner, is back in town in a new role as consultant of St. Benilde in the NCAA and Converge in the PBA.
READ: Tim Cone not interested in Gilas job, says 'heart is with Ginebra'
Asked if he's willing to step in now that there's a coaching vacuum in the national team with the Hangzhou Asiad set to start in three weeks' time, the veteran Serbian coach expressed willingness to take on the challenge.
"I came here to work with Converge and Benilde. I’m working now," he said. "If somebody mentions me (for the Gilas coaching post), okay then I’ll see what to do. For the moment, nobody called me and I think that my focus is for Converge and Benilde."
Will he accept?
"Why not? I was talking about how I feel comfortable here even when I was coaching Gilas 10, 15 years ago. The people recognize me and they are very thankful. I was talking with a lot of people and I felt very comfortable. It was an honor for me and a pleasure to be back here with some of these teams."
Toroman being asked to take over at Gilas, even in an interim capacity, by the SBP is a longshot, considering the dynamics of his relationship with the MVP group and the group's strained ties with the coach's new employers.

But if given the chance, Toroman said he can draw from his 35 years of coaching experience to prepare Gilas in the best way possible, even with less than 20 days of buildup.
"If this team (will only) work together for 20 days, they (might) not be 100% ready. Everything depends on the players," he said. "If there are some new names, new systems that will be different, 20 days is not a long period but still you can do something for 20 days.
"If you have more time for preparation, the chances to succeed will be much, much better. It still depends on what kind of players will participate in the national team. (I saw) that the players in Japan who are playing in Japan said that they are busy, they will not play. So it’s up to SBP to find a way with the PBA on who will play in the Asian Games."
"You can do some tactical things for 15 days but you cannot change (the fact) that the Asian Games will already start at the end of September. The new coach has to make adjustments within this time."
Still, the veteran coach said he is not thinking about being hired for the position.
"I was not thinking that I can be the next coach of Gilas. That was out of my mind. I’m just focusing on the things that I’m doing now."
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