Thomas Dooley is returning to coach the Philippine Azkals national men’s football team.
The 61-year-old Dooley is coming back after coaching teams in Vietnam and Malaysia, a few days after Scott Cooper resigned from his Philippine national team coaching job.
“Yes, I’m back. I can’t wait to get started,” said Dooley in his message to the football community.
The Philippine Football Federation announced Dooley as head coach on Wednesday. He will be taking charge of the national team’s ongoing preparations.
The Azkals are set to see action in AFC Asian Cup qualifying from June 8 to 14 in Mongolia.
“We will change the direction we have been going to in the last four years. I am honored to coach our beloved team again,” he said.
Dooley last handled the Azkals from 2014 to 2018, before turning it over to Sven Goran-Erikson, who was then replaced by Cooper.
Under Cooper, the Philippines gained its highest ever World Cup ranking at 111 on May 2018.
“We trust that he can take the team to greater heights in his second stint as head coach. We wish him and the team well as they prepare for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers next month,” said PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta in a statement.
The Azkals will begin preparations for the Asian Cup qualifiers with a training camp from May 26 May until June 3.
After that, the Azkals will head for Mongolia for the competition.
The Azkals are grouped with Palestine, Yemen, and host Mongolia.
