PFF announces Mark Torcaso's appointment as new Filipinas coach

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) announced Wednesday, August 23, the appointment of Australian mentor Mark Torcaso as the Philippine women's national football team (PWNFT) head coach.

Torcaso led Western United to the finals of the inaugural season of the A-League. His coaching excellence earned him the Coach of the Year nod early this year.

He became the second Australian coach to handle the Filipinas after Alen Stajcic, the chief architect behind the PWNFT's meteoric rise in the international football scene, including a maiden FIFA Women's World Cup appearance last July.

The Australian tactician thanked PFF and Filipinas Team Manager Jefferson Cheng for giving him the opportunity.

"Watching the development of the team over the last couple of years has been amazing, from the AFF Championship to the World Cup, and I feel honored to be able to try to continue this growth," said Torcaso.

"I am excited to take on this opportunity and I can't wait to meet the players and the other staff in camp next week. I look forward to the challenge alongside Sinisha (Cohadzic) and Andrew (Durante)." he added.

PFF President Mariano "Nonong" Araneta and General Secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes, alongside Cheng, formalized the 42-year-old coach's appointment over the weekend, meeting him in Sydney, Australia.

"We welcome coach Mark (Torcaso) and his staff to the PFF family," told Araneta. "We are confident that they will continue raising the standards of the Philippine Women's National Team on all aspects and take the team to greater heights at the back of a historic and memorable 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in New Zealand."

Torcaso's fellow Australian Sinisha Cohadzic will serve as his assistant and coach of the Philippine girl's under-17 and women's under-20 national squads.

Retired New Zealand footballer Andrew Durante, a part of Torasco's coaching staff in his A-League club, was also named PWNFT assistant coach.

An early test awaits the new set of coaches, with Torcaso handling the Filipinas in the pandemic-delayed Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Olympic Qualifiers in Perth, Australia in October.

Moreover, Cohadzic will lead the U-17 team in their AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup second round campaign in Vietnam in September.