Guiao loses yen to coach Red Bull

Coach Yeng Guiao hinted yesterday he’s now thinking of quitting his job at Red Bull after the team’s poor performance in the KFC Philippine Cup, finishing dead last in the double-round elimination phase.

“I have a personal objective as a coach. For me, it’s not just participating but being there and trying to be competitive. That’s my concern right now,” said Guiao.

“Any coach in his right mind won’t just be there to get the salary then go through the motion. He would want to be competitive and do well,” Guiao added.

Red Bull has lost so much pizzazz after the management gave up several stars in a series of trade transactions.

Speculations are ripe the team would disband or sell the franchise soon even as Red Bull governor Tony Chua insists “we’re here to stay.”

Guiao said he can’t make a plan yet for the next conference as he’s yet to receive information on the definitive goal and direction of the management.

“I’m in a quandary. There are a lot of uncertainties. We can’t plan ahead because we don’t even know who’s going and who will stay,” said Guiao.

Cyrus Baguio and Celino Cruz were the latest Red Bull players dealt to another team – Air21.

Commissioner Sonny Barrios received the trade papers before noon yesterday but held the approval pending resolution of some questions on the deal.

There’s no assurance on whether Baguio and Cruz will be able to join the Air21 Express as they tangle with the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants in the first stage of the wildcard round tomorrow.

The other wildcard pairing pits Coca-Cola and San Miguel Beer.

The winners in the double-knockout settos tomorrow face one another in another knockout game on Jan. 4 deciding which team is joining Ginebra, Rain or Shine and Sta. Lucia Realty in the quarterfinals.

Alaska Milk and Talk n Text gained outright entry into the semifinals after finishing one-two in the elims.

Out of the playoffs are the Bulls who struggled this conference following the exit of Mick Pennisi, Junthy Valenzuela, Topex Robinson, Paolo Bugia and Rich Alvarez.

Gone earlier were Kerby Raymundo, Willie Miller, Rico Villanueva, Lordy Tugade and Larry Fonacier.