Gonzalez appointed director of Philippine national football teams

MANILA, Philippines -- Former national team player Freddy Gonzalez has been named as the Director of National Teams of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), the federation said Thursday.

In a statement, the PFF said that the 46-year-old Gonzalez will likewise oversee the Philippine men’s national team (PMNT,) ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying matches in March.

“We are proud to have Freddy Gonzalez on board as Director of National Teams, and as concurrent Manager of the PMNT,” PFF president John Gutierrez said.

“Mr. Gonzalez’s appointment represents the start of a new era and direction for the PMNT. As a former national team player himself, his passion to play for the country, his football knowledge, and his experience all give him a clear understanding on what needs to be done to be successful at the international level,” he added.

The newly named football official played for the Philippines from 1997 to 2002.

He was the first Filipino football player to sign a contract with Ngan Hang Dong A in the Vietnamese league.

He retired from football in 2014.

Gonzalez, for his part, said it is a “huge honor” to be part of the PMNT again, but in a managerial capacity.

“President John Gutierrez’s mandate is to improve all our national teams. We have been talking about the possibility of me helping out the national teams during his campaign, which is something that I was also open to doing,” he said.

“My time with the national team was one of my most memorable as a player. Managing the team is a huge challenge but it’s a challenge that I’m excited to take on. There is massive potential in the PMNT and we’re ready to forge ahead with our plans and programs,” he added.

While the Philippines will have a “short turnaround” before the qualifiers, the team will be ready for battle, Gonzalez stressed.

“We will continue to work on assembling the strongest national team and make sure that they are supported. With consistency, we can hopefully see changes translate into improved results on the field.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Women’s National Team will still be managed by Jeff Cheng.